A Special Song

The Song "Melissa" by the Allman Brothers has been one of the biggest songs of my life for the past few years.  My mom's name was Melissa, so after she passed away in 2005 this song became a way for our family to remember her well.  It's the song that when it comes on in a restaurant or at home the family just looks at each other and smiles, because we remember her with this song. 

When I miss her I'll put it on and think about the memories I have.  And even though the Allman Brothers will never know, they've helped my family in so many ways simply by having made this song many years ago.  I will always appriciate them for that.

In terms of rhetorical situation, it's fairly simple to decode.  The genre is considered rock, but this song is very soft.  The media is clearly music, and the song is from the album A Decade of Hits.  The audience is definitely a lot harder to figure out.  I don't normally listen to the Allman Brothers except for this song.  I know my dad loves them, and so does one of my best friends.  So I suppose the audience is more toward people who in general listen to their music.  Or for people that find something special in the lyrics, like me.  I feel like their stance and their purpose are kind of one in the same.  The stance is to get across that a man can't go on without Melissa with him.  And the purpose is to tell that story through the song.  With lyrics like, "Knowing many, loving none, bearing sorrow, having fun, but back home he'll always run, to sweet Melissa".

I love the story, and I love the song.  It's always going to be one of my favorites, even if I have to dig deep into it and find it's stance. :)

My family