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The study of meaning in language, whether found in words, phrases, or sentences, is known as semantics. Language often has diverse or metaphorical meanings in literary works such as songs, which can confuse listeners. This becomes a problem when listeners understand song lyrics differently from what the artist intended. The song “Kembali Pulang” by Suara Kayu and Feby Putri, which is currently popular, is an example of lyrics rich in symbolism and meaning, making it interesting to study semantically. Abdul Chaer's semantic theory, which focuses on determining lexical and grammatical meaning, forms the basis of this approach. Lexical meaning, which includes synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, hyponyms, polysemy, redundancy, and ambiguity, is the dictionary meaning or actual meaning. However, meanings that have undergone composition, reduplication, and affixation are known as grammatical meanings. To correctly and thoroughly understand the message conveyed by the song “Kembali Pulang” by Suara Kayu and Feby Putri, this study aims to clarify the lexical and grammatical meanings contained in the song lyrics. A descriptive qualitative approach was used in this study, which included analysis of the song lyrics along with recording, listening, and reading strategies.

This study examines the words structure of two selected songs, “Kekal” and “Di Akhir Perang”, from Nadin Amizah’s album Untuk Dunia, Cinta, dan Kotornya, with a focus on identifying and interpreting the functions of open class words and closed class words within the lyrical composition. The background of this research lies in the growing interest in understanding how contemporary Indonesian songwriters construct meaning through linguistic choices that contribute to the emotional depth of their works. The objective of this study is to analyze how open class words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs contribute to semantic imagery, while closed class words such as pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and aspects establish grammatical cohesion and narrative continuity. Using qualitative descriptive methods, the lyrics were segmented, categorized, and interpreted based on linguistic theory to reveal the semantic and grammatical roles of each word class. The findings show that open class words dominate the emotional and metaphorical landscape of the songs, functioning as carriers of imagery, personal vulnerability, and symbolic representation of healing, love, and existential reflection. Meanwhile, closed class words serve as structural anchors that link ideas, mark relationships between clauses, and maintain narrative fluidity, particularly in expressing inner conflict and the resolution of emotional war depicted in the lyrics. The study concludes that Nadin Amizah’s lyricism is not only aesthetically expressive but also linguistically strategic, revealing a deliberate interplay between lexical creativity and grammatical precision. These findings imply that linguistic analysis can enrich the appreciation of contemporary Indonesian music and open new perspectives for future studies in stylistics, discourse analysis, and cultural semantics.

This study aims to analyze the idiomatic expressions found in the song lyrics of “Birds of a Feather” by Billie Eilish. Idioms are an essential part of figurative language that enriches the meaning of lyrics and contributes to the emotional and cultural depth of a song. Using a qualitative descriptive method, this research identifies and classifies the idioms based on Makkai’s (1972) typology and interprets their contextual meanings through Leech’s (1981) theory of semantics. The analysis reveals various types of idioms, including phrasal verb idioms and tournure idioms, that reflect themes of emotional connection and loyalty. The findings demonstrate how idioms enhance lyrical expression and offer deeper insight into the artist’s intended message. This study contributes to the understanding of idiomatic usage in contemporary music and provides a linguistic perspective on lyrical interpretation.