Interpretive Leap

Lyric Analysis:

The lyrics seem to be a little depressing at the beginning of the song saying that he has to leave what he loves and go through pain, which is hard, but it doesn’t give him an excuse to make a big deal about it. He knows what it is like when change becomes overwhelming and affecting every part of his life and its tough not having anything to do about it or even knowing what he wants to do instead. He wants to rock and have fun like he is young again. That is the only thing that he can know will make him feel good again because it has made him feel that way before.

            The second verse explains how he is figuring things out now knowing what he can handle and knowing what he needs. When things aren’t good enough, he has the power to just leave and move on to something else. He explains that even though he can do that, sometimes it’s easy to just leave, but sometimes its difficult to abandon what is loved. But he always goes back to what he loves, which is rocking the night to be youthful and find entertainment again.

Music Video Analysis:

The video starts off with the band Europe leaving their tour bus and entering the hard rock café. This implies that they have been traveling and changing locations and stop for a moment only to leave soon after. When the lyrics start, contrary to the meaning portrayed from the lyrics, it seems like he is boasting that he has done all of the hard things and gotten through fine. He has gone through the change and pain without even going insane. The band shows that they have all gone through the feeling of rage and they all know that it isn’t easy, but they have all overcome it and deemed it as easy because they can just go rock the night.

            When the second verse comes around for the music video, there is a lot more pride shown in the band’s attitude. He sings that he knows his limits and knows what to do in this situation and he shows that he has power over the situation now by being able to “pull the brakes” whenever he isn’t satisfied. He knows that sometimes it’s still hard to leave, but now sometimes it’s easy and even when it is tough, he can’t get enough and it is all worth it.

Hot Rod Analysis:

            At the beginning of the clip, Rod explains that there is only a little bit left in the journey to save his Stepfather. He explains the next steps and rallies up his crew. The song in this clip is more suited as a life story for Rod when it says he has gone through changes with his dad dying as a kid and he has gone through pain trying to earn the respect of his new stepfather. But when the song says that it hasn’t been bad enough for him to go insane, it is implying through the movie that that is no reason for Rod to give up, but it is more reason to push him forward. He has had a rough life and he understands the overwhelming pressure to prove himself in his world. He knows it isn’t easy to live how he is living. It isn’t easy not knowing what to do next, but Rod is showing that he does know the next step and he does have what it takes to push through the difficult times. Instead of rocking like young people described in the other interpretations, rock the night simply means to work for Rod. It means to work nonstop “until early in the morning light” for what he needs to accomplish.

            The second verse starts as Rod is doing a stunt for an audience to raise money for his stepfather. It is a portrait of rod knowing his limits and what it takes to do it. Sometimes it is easy to make money because this is what Rod has done his whole life and he knows what he is doing, but sometimes it is tough coming to the realization that Frank does not support his efforts to save