Lyrical device

Repetition of the same word(s) at the start of successive lines or clauses, creating rhythmic insistence (e.g. Because: 'Because the world is round... Because the wind is high...').

A line carries a second reading the surface sense conceals.

The words are played with for their own sake: puns, invented compounds, choices driven by sound.

Explicit comparisons using 'like' or 'as'

A sustained metaphor carried across multiple lines or the entire song

Non-human things given human qualities – the sun smiles, loneliness talks

Affectionate imitation of an existing style or genre.

The lyrics quote or nod to another Beatles song.

Repeated consonant sounds at the start of nearby words for rhythmic effect

A question asked for effect rather than for an answer, where the asking itself carries the point.

Words that imitate sounds – bang, buzz, tick-tock

The lyrics say one thing but mean another – sarcasm, understatement, or deliberate contradiction

Deliberate exaggeration for emphasis or comic effect.

The lyrics quote or nod to a song by another artist.

Contrasting ideas set in parallel for effect (e.g. 'love is old, love is new').

Repetition of the same word(s) at the END of successive lines or clauses. The mirror of anaphora – e.g. 'I love you, I love you, I love you' closing successive phrases.

A section opens and closes on the same word or phrase, returning to where it began.

Repetition where the last word(s) of one line become the first word(s) of the next, chaining lines together – e.g. '...end of the road / The road that goes...'.

A phrase or clause is repeated with its key terms reversed, e.g. 'all you need is love / love is all you need'.