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All Star Shrek Analysis

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All Star by Smash Mouth, released in 1999 has received a lot of praise in various communities, especially since its inclusion in the movie Shrek. While a first listen through All Star by Smash Mouth may lead one to believe the song is meant to be a driving inspirational piece to reach for one’s dreams and go be a celebrity, it is important to consider the characterization of the speaker and the way he frames his arguments in the song. The true intention of this song can only be realized once one analyzes the logic used and considers how it applies to the argument. All Star by Smash Mouth characterizes a speaker who uses flawed logic, negative emotions, and irony to happily present a lifestyle which is clearly detrimental to effectively display the absurdity of hedonism, materialism, and idolization. The speaker characterizes himself from the start as being dumb, establishing him as an unreliable source for the listener. The listener is immediately told, “I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed” (“All Star”). This suggests the ignorance of the narrator, which contributes to his inability to form a cohesive argument. He doesn’t understand fully how the world works and therefore, as he claims others have told him, “the world is gonna roll” over him (“All Star”). Once one understands this, one can start taking his words for more than its face-value. The speaker also presents himself as someone who doesn’t care about the rules, which the artist hopes will help turn the listener
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