An ANALYSIS OF DENOTATIVE AND CONNOTATIVE MEANING IN SONG LYRICS OF INSHAA ALLAH BY MAHER ZAIN

Semiotics Analysis by Roland Barthes

Abstract

Song lyrics as a part of literary works is basically an art of language use. Song lyrics can be used by musicians for expressing their ideas, thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a form of artistic words. The object of this research is a song lyric by a famous musician, namely Maher Zain. Maher Zain is a singer, songwriter, and also a music producer of Swedia origin. One of his famous songs is Inshaa Allah that translated into several languages, include Indonesian. This research uses descriptive qualitative methods. Besides, the theory of this research uses semiotic studies of Roland Barthes which is focused on three signification terms or sign system, namely denotation, connotation, and myth. Therefore, this research aims to analyze denotation and connotation meaning as well as myths in the song lyrics of Inshaa Allah by Maher Zain. The results of this research show that there are several symbols in this song, such as sun, night, home, lamp (light), and road (way). One form of myth which is found in this study is the word of lamp (light) that is used by Maher Zain at the end of the last stanza of Inshaa Allah’s song lyric. The word ‘lamp (light)’ here means helper. In this case, the word helper itself refers to God (Allah) that always helps people who are willing to be patient during trials and tests that are given by Allah to them. This song also gives a motivational message to its listeners, which is said that as humans we have to believe that Allah will always by our side if we never despair and never lose hope.