Trumpets

"Trumpets" by Jason Derulo is a vibrant pop and R&B song that explores the theme of intense physical and emotional infatuation. The core meaning revolves around the concept of being so captivated by a lover that their presence, particularly their physical appearance, translates into hearing music. Derulo uses the metaphor of a symphony in his head to describe the overwhelming feeling of attraction and arousal he experiences. He explained that comparing his lover to music is the "ultimate compliment" because music is his everything.

The lyrics are filled with direct and playful declarations of this attraction. The central line, "Every time that you get undressed / I hear symphonies in my head," sets the stage for the entire song. The "trumpets" of the title serve as the primary symbol for his arousal and excitement. Some interpretations take this symbolism further, suggesting the trumpets and the low-swinging drums are explicit phallic and sexual metaphors.

The song also weaves in contemporary pop culture references to further illustrate his lover's specific attributes. He compares her "ass" to a Kanye West song, her eyes to a Coldplay song, and her bra to a Katy Perry song. Derulo confirmed the Katy Perry reference was inspired by her iconic "California Gurls" music video. These comparisons serve to ground the abstract feeling of love and lust in concrete, modern terms, making the song both a personal ode and a culturally resonant track.

The song chronicles a man's overwhelming infatuation with his partner, expressing how her very presence and actions trigger a full-blown musical symphony inside his head. This auditory experience is the ultimate compliment, as music is his everything. The narrative begins with the central theme: every time he sees her undressed, he doesn't just feel attraction; he hears magnificent symphonies. He confesses that the song itself was written while simply looking at her, a testament to her being his muse. This internal orchestra has distinct sections, with the low swing of the drums and the triumphant blast of trumpets playing specifically for her.

The singer then poses a series of rhetorical questions starting with "Is it weird that...?" to describe the peculiar and powerful effect she has on him. He wonders if it's strange that he hears sad violins when she's away, equating her absence with a somber melody. In a more modern and pop-culture-infused comparison, he questions if it's odd that her posterior reminds him of a Kanye West song, a reference to the prominent bass and rhythm in West's music. The core metaphor returns as he asks if it's weird that he hears trumpets when she's turning him on, directly linking the brass instrument to his arousal. In another pop culture nod, he compares her bra to a Katy Perry song, likely alluding to the iconic, fun, and visually striking style Perry is known for, such as in her "California Gurls" video.

The chorus repeats, reinforcing the central idea of this internal symphony. The drums swing low, and the trumpets sound out, a recurring motif symbolizing his peak moments of attraction and excitement. The song continues with more of these unique comparisons. He asks if it's strange that he hears angelic choirs every time she moans, elevating her sounds of pleasure to something divine and beautiful. He then wonders if her eyes remind him of a Coldplay song, perhaps referencing the emotional depth and ethereal quality found in the band's music. The repetition of hearing trumpets when she turns him on, followed by the Katy Perry reference, solidifies these as key elements of his infatuation. The entire composition is a playful, modern love letter that uses the language of music and pop culture to articulate a profound, all-encompassing, and very physical attraction to his beloved.

"Trumpets" was written by Jason Derulo (under his birth name, Jason Desrouleaux) and Jon Bellion, who was also the producer. The collaboration began when Derulo received a beat from Bellion, who at the time was a lesser-known producer working out of his bedroom studio rather than a professional one. Derulo found the experience of working in a more stripped-down environment to be a "dope" change of pace. Jon Bellion is credited with writing and producing the entire track before Derulo came to the studio, and his backing vocals are reportedly audible in the song.

The song was recorded at Atlantic Studios in Hollywood, California, by Vince Watson, with additional recording by Josh Collins and Juan P. Negrete. It was mixed by Roberto "Tito" Vazquez at Plush Recording Studios in Orlando, Florida, and mastered by Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound in New York.

"Trumpets" was released in 2013 as the fourth single from Derulo's third studio album, Tattoos, in European and Australian markets. Interestingly, Derulo initially thought the song might be too "corny" to include on the album, but positive reactions from friends convinced him to keep it. It was not initially released as a single in the United States but was included on the US version of the album, retitled Talk Dirty (2014). Following its international success, it was officially released as the fifth single in the US on August 19, 2014.

"Trumpets" features a straightforward and effective rhyme scheme and rhythmic structure that contributes to its pop appeal.

Rhyme Scheme:

The rhyme scheme is generally simple, focusing on couplets and consistent end rhymes within the verses, making the lyrics easy to follow and remember. For instance, in the first verse, "gone" rhymes with "song," and the following couplet rhymes "on" with "song." This AABB-like structure is consistent throughout the verses. The chorus ("undressed" / "head" and "low" / "go") also uses simple, effective rhymes to create a memorable hook.

Rhythm and Meter:

The song is a midtempo pop and R&B track with a runtime of 3 minutes and 37 seconds. The rhythm is largely driven by the steady, yet somewhat restrained, drum beat which gives the song its R&B feel. The lyrical rhythm is conversational, especially in the verses structured as questions. Derulo's vocal delivery flows naturally over the beat, moving between the sung falsetto of the chorus and the more rhythmic, almost spoken-word delivery of the verse questions. The most significant rhythmic element is the titular trumpet hook, a syncopated melody that provides the song's primary rhythmic and melodic identity. This interplay between the steady vocal rhythm and the punchy, energetic brass motif creates the song's dynamic and catchy feel. The song is set in the key of C Major and maintains a consistent tempo throughout.

"Trumpets" employs a blend of musical and literary techniques to create its catchy and sexually charged atmosphere.

Musical Techniques:

• Instrumentation: The song is defined by its prominent brass hook, which aurally represents the lyrical theme. The use of actual trumpets provides an amplified, literal interpretation of the lyrics, making the central metaphor more impactful. The beat features a distinctive drum pattern that some critics felt was a bit dragging but which provides the R&B swing.
• Vocal Delivery: Jason Derulo showcases his impressive falsetto, particularly in the sweet-sounding chorus, which contrasts with the more rhythmic, declarative verses.
• Arrangement: The song follows a conventional pop structure. It's a midtempo Pop and R&B track written in the key of C Major, the most common key in popular music. The arrangement builds around the trumpet hook, ensuring it's the most memorable element.

Literary Techniques:

• Metaphor and Simile: The entire song is an extended metaphor comparing feelings of arousal to hearing music. It also uses similes, such as when he says her physical attributes "remind me of a... song."
• Rhetorical Questions: Each verse is structured around a series of rhetorical questions beginning with "Is it weird that...?" This framing creates a conversational and somewhat self-aware tone, as if he's marveling at the strange power his lover has over him.
• Pop Culture Allusion: The song is rich with allusions to contemporary musicians like Kanye West, Katy Perry, and Coldplay. This technique grounds the song in a specific cultural moment and uses shared knowledge to quickly convey specific characteristics and feelings.

"Trumpets" was a significant commercial success for Jason Derulo, solidifying his status as a global pop star. Released as a single from his album Tattoos (2013) and its US repackaging Talk Dirty (2014), the song performed well on charts worldwide. It peaked at number 14 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 10 in the UK, peaking at number 4. The song was particularly successful in Australia, where it hit number 1. The single has sold over a million copies in the US and achieved platinum certification.

The song's music video, which Derulo co-directed, became very popular, featuring a literal interpretation of the lyrics where a marching band interrupts his romantic moments. This playful video helped cement the song's catchy and memorable nature. Derulo performed the song live on various television shows, including The Paul O'Grady Show in the UK and Good Morning America, boosting its visibility.

The track's unique use of pop culture references (Katy Perry, Kanye West, Coldplay) was a notable feature, making it a topic of discussion and analysis. While no major cover versions have achieved mainstream success, the song was featured in the 2015 film Pitch Perfect 2, further embedding it into popular culture. Within Derulo's discography, "Trumpets" is considered one of his signature platinum-selling hits, alongside tracks like "Talk Dirty," "Wiggle," and "Whatcha Say."

The song "Trumpets" is built around a central, extended metaphor: the sound of a symphony representing the singer's feelings of intense attraction and arousal.

• The Symphony and Trumpets: The most dominant symbol is the sound of trumpets, which Derulo hears whenever his partner is "turning me on." Trumpets, known for their loud, triumphant, and fanfare-like sound, are used here to symbolize the peak of his excitement and sexual arousal. Some listeners interpret this, along with the "drums they swing low," as a direct and thinly veiled phallic metaphor. Hearing a full "symphony" when she gets undressed broadens this metaphor to encompass an all-consuming, multi-layered feeling of awe and adoration.
• Musical and Artist References: Derulo uses other musical elements and artists as metaphors to describe specific attributes of his lover.
  • Violins: He hears "violins whenever you're gone," using the instrument's association with sad, melancholic music to symbolize his loneliness and longing in her absence.
  • Kanye West Song: Her posterior reminds him of a "Kanye West song," a metaphor for something bold, rhythmic, and attention-grabbing, much like West's musical style.
  • Katy Perry Song: Her bra reminds him of a "Katy Perry song," which Derulo explained was a reference to her fun, epic, and pop-culture-defining look in the "California Gurls" video. This metaphor connects his lover to a sense of playful, vibrant pop artistry.
  • Coldplay Song: Her eyes remind him of a "Coldplay song," suggesting they evoke a feeling of emotional depth, introspection, or ethereal beauty, characteristic of the band's music.
  • Angels: He hears "angels every time that you moan," a metaphor that elevates her sounds of pleasure to something divine, pure, and heavenly.

The song "Trumpets" is structured around several key recurring lyrical and musical motifs that reinforce its central theme.

Lyrical Motifs:

• "And the trumpets they go": This is the central lyrical and musical hook of the song. It appears in the chorus and is often followed by a vocalization of the trumpet melody ("Da da, da ra ra da, da, da"). Its repetition drills the core metaphor of trumpets-as-arousal into the listener's mind, making it the most memorable part of the song.
• "Is it weird that...": This phrase opens each line in the verses. Its recurrence creates a consistent structure for the verses and establishes the singer's tone of playful disbelief at the powerful effect his lover has on him. It frames his intense, sometimes strange, comparisons as genuine questions of wonder.
• "I hear symphonies in my head": This phrase, which appears in the pre-chorus, establishes the overarching metaphor of the song. It sets the stage for the more specific "trumpets" and other musical references, framing his attraction as a grand, all-encompassing musical experience.

Musical Motifs:

• The Trumpet Hook: The most significant motif is the brass melody itself. It's a catchy, vibrant riff that immediately follows the lyrical mention of "trumpets." This direct musical illustration of the lyrics is a powerful and memorable technique that defines the song's identity.