SYMBOLIC MEANING IN KASABIAN’S “GOODBYE KISS”: A SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS USING ROLAND BARTHES’ THEORY OF SIGNS

Abstract

This study explores the symbolic meaning embedded in the lyrics of “Goodbye Kiss” by the British band Kasabian through Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework. The objective is to examine how the song functions as a cultural text that communicates multi-layered meanings through signs and symbols. The research employs a qualitative-descriptive method with a textual analysis approach, focusing on the tri-level meaning: denotation, connotation, and myth. Each verse is examined to identify the emotional, ideological, and social messages hidden within the poetic language of the lyrics. The findings reveal eight significant symbolic lines that represent themes of emotional disintegration, lifestyle criticism, identity fracture, and romantic myth. This article contributes to understanding how popular song lyrics serve as powerful vehicles for cultural meaning-making and ideological construction. The study affirms that even mainstream rock music can be critically analyzed as a form of literary expression and cultural discourse.

Keywords: Barthes, ideology, lyric analysis, semiotics, symbolism.