Julie Cavallaro
October 7, 2020
Writing 101
Mr. G
Rhetorical Analysis of “Chicken Fried”
If you’re a country music fan, or honestly a fan of music in general, then you have probably heard of the song “Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band. A classic country music anthem that is perfect for blasting in your car with the windows rolled down. This song was first recorded and sung in 2003, and was then rerecorded in 2008 and featured on their album The Foundation. The September 11th terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers was the main inspiration behind this song, as well as all the finer things in life. The lyrics in this song all feature influences of pathos, ethos, and logos and are used to paint the picture of all things and characteristics of the South. This song is the perfect song to play at a family barbeque or even at a tailgate with your friends.
Zac Brown Band uses pathos, the first of the three appeals in his lyrics. Pathos, which is used to evoke emotion. For example, in this lyric verse from the song pathos is visibly shown. The verse is “I thank God for my life And for the stars and stripes May freedom forever fly, let it ring Salute the ones who died The ones that give their lives so we don’t have to sacrifice All the things we love” This verse can be seen as having an emotional appeal because it connects all the sacrifices people have made for our country. I can relate emotionally to this verse because my dad was deployed in the military a few years ago, and I can relate to the sacrifices they make, as well as the sacrifices families of those loved ones make too.
The next of the three appeals is ethos. Ethos is usually a method of persuasion or a characteristic of a culture. In the song, ethos is also used multiple times. For example ethos is used by explaining all the finer things in life. Some verses of ethos include “A cold beer on a friday night” or “A pair of jeans that fit just right” and even “I like to see the sun rise.” These are all examples of persuasion because they make the listener want to do those things, such as watching the sunrise or finding a nice fitting pair of jeans.
The last of the three appeals is Logos. Logos are used to explain facts and not opinions. Logos are not mentioned in this piece. This song is about how Zac Brown Band feels about life, and it can be very different from how other people view their lives.
This song is personally one of my favorites and I always enjoy listening to it, especially the lyrics.