Composition
"Because of You" is a piano ballad with a length of three minutes and thirty-nine seconds. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, it is set in common time and has a moderate tempo of 69 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of E minor with Clarkson's vocal range spanning over two octaves from G#3 to E#5. Bill Lamb of About.com described the song as "a big pop ballad that expresses raw emotion." Tony Heywood of MusicOMH noted that the song's piano arrangement is reminiscent of Tori Amos. Lyrically, "Because of You" is a fiery ode to Clarkson's father, which is a dark exploration of emotional pain from a damaging relationship. The song begins with Clarkson singing "oohs" over a somber piano which creates a "wintry tone." As the song launches into the chorus, the roaring guitar is evident, and the lyrics, "Because of you I never stray too far from the sidewalk / Because of you I learned to play on the safe side so I don’t get hurt," were deemed as "touching" by Dave Donelly of Sputnikmusic.
Read more about this topic: Because Of You (Kelly Clarkson Song)
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