Final answer:
The rhythm in 'Big Yellow Taxi' is designed to enhance the song's message through a catchy and pronounced rhythm, which contrasts with the seriousness of the environmental lyrics. Ezra Pound's view on rhythm underlines its importance in conveying meaning in poetry and song, and 'Big Yellow Taxi' is a prime example of how rhythm and message can be closely interlinked.
Step-by-step explanation:
The rhythm in Big Yellow Taxi contributes significantly to the overall impact of the song. In this song, as in much of the poetry of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan, the rhythm and rhyme are pronounced and critical, as these elements help accommodate the poetry for singing.
This is in contrast to many modernist poets who often employed free verse without a fixed meter. The rhythm of a poem or song is not merely for aesthetic appeal, as Ezra Pound stressed; it must carry meaning. When the rhythm of a song like Big Yellow Taxi harmoniously accents the key words and phrases, it enhances both the lyrical and emotional resonance.
For instance, in Big Yellow Taxi, the rhythm might be bright and catchy, reflecting the song's critique of environmental disregard in a way that is engaging and memorable.
The rhythm complements the lyrics by creating a contrast between the tune's upbeat tempo and the serious message of the song. This creative juxtaposition is a hallmark of effective musical poetry, encouraging listeners to pay closer attention to the lyrics and their implications.
Rhythm can evoke different emotional responses, set the pace of a poem or song, and underscore themes, as seen in works ranging from nursery rhymes to the charged verses of Walt Whitman's Beat! Beat! Drums!
Whether it is the forceful dactyls of Tennyson’s The Charge of the Light Brigade, or the subtle shifts in a song like Cohen's Big Yellow Taxi, rhythm shapes the reader's or listener's experience.