Stop this Train: A Metaphorical Analysis of John Mayer's Album Continuum

John Mayer’s album Continuum is his third studio album and includes some of his best work. This analysis used a five-step metaphorical approach, as referenced to Ivie (1987), to understand the rhetorical invention of Mayer’s album Continuum and to interpret the metaphorical concepts employed by Mayer. This analysis discovered six tenors: Peace, Spirit, Darkness, Hope, Violence, and Cruelty and their accompanying vehicles. Rhetorical techniques in Mayer’s lyrics can be associated to references to nature, contrasting abstract with concrete terms, and the use of opposites (God/Devil terms). Continuum is an album that incorporates the trials and tribulations of romantic relationships using a combination of blues, soul, and contemporary pop music to underscore the lyrics.