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“Clean Felony” begins with a shrill punch of instrumentation and jagged breaths as a sinister melody sparkles within the background, creating an ominous temper and anticipating the onset of violence. Then, Jackson’s grating “Ow!” pierces the ambiance and signifies that the sleek felony has begun his crime towards Annie. The lyrics paint a grisly scene of Annie being attacked in her condominium; Jackson pronounces, “There is a sound on the window / Then he struck you, a crescendo Annie / He got here into your condominium / Left bloodstains on the carpet,” describing a scene harking back to a blunt pressure homicide. The brutality is amplified by “And then you definately bumped into the bed room / You had been struck down / It was your doom, Annie.” It appears as if Annie has met her demise through a merciless beating, with the A minor mode and foreboding melodic development reinforcing this darkish prospect. Listeners are consequently pushed in direction of the concept of loss of life.
However is Annie actually useless? In any case, Jackson by no means explicitly states that she is useless. The chorus “Annie, are you okay” is repeated all through the tune, suggesting that the narrator doesn’t know if Annie is useless or alive; he’s not sure of her situation and thus must persistently ask for affirmation. Annie’s unknown destiny builds that tense bridge between residing and dying that listeners are pressured to teeter on. However regardless of the grim descriptions of her assault, the tempo is upbeat and the beat is quick and regular, resembling a heartbeat. In actual fact, proper in the course of the tune is a verse that echoes a hope for all times; Jackson declares, “Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation / Sounding heartbeats, intimidation.” This center verse, which calls forth “resuscitation” and “heartbeats,” runs parallel with the truth that the center is situated almost within the middle of the chest. This emphasis of the center and its connection to the center, a significant organ, implies that “Clean Felony” facilities on and revolves round the method of resuscitation. Coupled with the heartbeat rhythm, these parallels counsel that the narrator is trying to stimulate Annie’s coronary heart and revive her unconscious physique, giving listeners hope that Annie can be okay. Jackson thus pulls listeners in direction of the prospect of life.
Not solely does “Clean Felony” evoke concepts of resuscitation, it mirrors the method of CPR. Within the first verses, Jackson makes use of previous tense and describes Annie within the third particular person, enunciating, “So she bumped into the bed room / She was struck down, it was her doom.” His position as an omniscient however uninvolved narrator doesn’t final for lengthy, nonetheless, as within the following chorus, he instantly begins to deal with Annie immediately; he asks her, “Annie, are you okay? / So, Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie?” All through the remainder of the tune, somewhat than describing Annie’s assault by a distant, third particular person lens, Jackson turns into actively a part of the scenario, with strains like “Then you bumped into the bed room / You had been struck down / It was your doom.” The preliminary use of third particular person signifies that the narrator has simply discovered in regards to the assault however continues to be faraway from the scenario; he’s making his means over to Annie’s unconscious physique. Then, the beginning of his direct interplay with Annie implies that he’s now actively working together with her; he’s performing CPR.
Because the tune progresses, Jackson’s efforts to resuscitate Annie proceed. His vocals sound out of breath and rushed, reflecting the large bodily effort and haste required in CPR. The fast heartbeat rhythm, which persistently permeates the music, reinforces this exertion and hurriedness. And the quick tempo of 117 BPM mimics the speed of chest compressions required in CPR: 100 to 120 compressions a minute. The heaving and pushing throughout chest compressions are additionally mirrored within the rising and falling chord progressions. The intro and verses function a chord development that steadily goes i – ii – III – ii, and the pre-chorus/chorus of “Annie, are you okay” strikes firmly between scale diploma VI and scale diploma VII. These plodding progressions additionally point out the rise and fall of Annie’s chest from the chest compressions and maybe her respiratory, indicating that she is nearer to regaining consciousness. These components counsel that the narrator is embroiled in his resuscitation efforts, intently juxtaposing the prospect of residing with the looming menace of loss of life. Listeners are holding onto the hope that Annie can be revived however can’t escape the fact that the CPR may very well be unsuccessful, apprehensively staggering on the bridge between life and loss of life.
However as “Clean Felony” rushes in direction of the tip, plainly listeners’ worry for Annie can be realized. The chord development of the refrain alternates between i – VII – VI – VII and that i – VII – VI – V (main), dwelling on the dominant chords of VII and V and thus heightening the anguish. Within the refrain’ remaining two repeats, Jackson repeatedly bemoans “I do not know” and “dag gone it” on the ends of his strains, and these trailing phrases invoke the narrator’s frustration with the resuscitation efforts and counsel that the CPR is not working. Moreover, Jackson cries “assist me,” reiterating how he’s struggling to revive Annie. At this level, Annie’s loss of life appears inevitable, and listeners are once more lured in direction of the distress of loss of life.
Jackson concludes “Clean Felony” with “It was your doom Annie,” suggesting with finality that Annie has met her demise and dealing the deadly blow to listeners’ hope for her life. Annie’s life is seemingly over, ending with the shut of the lyrics, and listeners should now mournfully settle for that the narrator’s resuscitation efforts had been unsuccessful. Nevertheless, solely the lyrics finish there. Regardless of Jackson’s pronouncement of Annie’s doom, the instrumentation retains going for roughly 30 seconds after the final line. The heartbeat rhythm rushes previous the ultimate “It was your doom Annie” and continues to evoke the feverishness of lifesaving CPR. This instrumental persistence means that regardless of the lyrical hopelessness of the scenario, the narrator hasn’t given up and is vigorously persisting in his resuscitation efforts, once more calling into query Annie’s destiny. Consequently, Jackson presents listeners with a renewed hope for Annie’s life, however they nonetheless do not have a transparent reply. “Clean Felony” by no means explicitly reveals the end result of the resuscitation efforts, leaving listeners teetering on a seesaw between the potential of life and the specter of loss of life.
Whereas “Clean Felony”‘s bloody lyrics lure listeners in direction of the considered loss of life, the rhythmic heartbeat pulls them again to the prospect of life, making a sonic oxymoron of life and loss of life. The CPR-invoking melody, vocals, and instrumentation evoke hope for Annie’s revival however concurrently current the danger of failure, inflicting nice apprehension. Throughout CPR, the sufferer’s destiny is unsure; they might both develop into responsive or by no means regain consciousness, rendering them quickly caught between residing and dying. Thus, CPR represents a bridge between life and loss of life. In “Clean Felony,” as listeners are pulled backwards and forwards between the hope for all times and torment of loss of life, the CPR-reminiscent components finally go away them balancing precariously in the course of the bridge, entangling them in a tense state of unknown, irresolution, and ambivalence.
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