Chloe Heinz
Some emotions are just too complicated to explain. Thanks to the lyrics from highly-acclaimed artists, angsty teens can just quote a relatable line to peers to easily decipher unexplainable feelings.
Perhaps one of the most common of mental states is despair. Lucky for melancholy moods, there are a wealth of sad songs to perfectly embody every situation.
One such line is “When you try your best but you don’t succeed” from the song “Fix You” by Coldplay. This line is the perfect fit for academic failure, a missed attempt at a Pinterest recipe, or even the tragedy of mis-buttoning a flannel.
Another depressing mantra includes a famous line from Simon and Garfunkle’s tune “The Sound of Silence”. The verse, “Hello darkness my old friend” can be used in varying extremities – from the ominous black screen of a dead phone, to the brief blindness experienced from standing up too fast, to plain old loneliness. Your pick.
Another great one comes from the beloved Killers song “Mr. Brightside.” That feeling of freedom after crossing the school gates after a long, traumatic day goes something like, “Coming out of my cage and I’ve been doing just fine”.
This next line goes out to the kids who are misunderstood, the kids who think no one could ever relate to the difficulty of growing up. Shoutout to “The Fairly Odd Parents” theme song for “Timmy is an average kid and no one understands”. Timmy remains a saint among the lost souls who need to know their efforts are not in vain.
Apart from sorrow and tears, songs can also be great for expressing how fabulous you know you are.
One such song, “Obsessed” by sass queen Mariah Carey, has provided the perfect motto to boost egos everywhere. “Why are you so obsessed with me” is just the thing to tell yourself to feel important, especially to others. Everyone likes to fantasize about being someone else’s waking thought each day, and Mariah does it best.
Another gem from the music industry is Beyonce’s song “Single Ladies”. The entire song is a solo girl’s saving grace amidst the excruciatingly nagging slow dance homecoming songs. These independent women can scream their anthem for three minutes and 19 seconds of pure joy. “If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it” serves as an extension of L’oreal’s encouragement, “because you’re worth it™”.
Lastly, one cannot fail to acknowledge the spelling tool that Gwen Stefani gifted the world with her song, “Hollaback Girl”. Nineties kids rejoice as they happily croon, “it’s bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S” when faced with a grocery list mental block. Never again will the fruit’s name be maimed and given an extra vowel.
Music acts as another language that aids in communicating, empathising, and educating. Lyrical geniuses can be quoted to help enforce the truth in responses to the dreaded “how are you”. Rather than inserting the typical “I’m good”, an Adele line can suffice as an honest and concise answer.
