Listening to the Sad Melody of Your Brain
There are many songs that cover the topic of mental health. The question is, why listen to them? Are songs really going to change your view as to how you perceive your self-worth or that of someone else? The answer is yes. When you listen to music, it is scientifically proven that it improves mood and cognitive abilities to be able to process situations better.
Music is also a known motivator. The chemical dopamine releases in your brain, allowing your body to feel happier, and essentially provides you with energy to help you complete tasks. “Some use musical stimuli and activity to stimulate and encourage reflection, verbal interaction and physical coordination” (Duerksen). For example, when working out at the gym, you hear the beat and lyrics to one of your favorite jams, and these musical components will allow you to continue to push yourself through motivation, therefore completing the workout.
So, what is it about music exactly that allows you to feel better? Well, of course many factors such as instruments, rhythmic beats, and even the use of vocals help reduce anxiety. However, today the focus is on lyrics and the thematical messages they provide. Each artist deals with earnest emotions, and these emotions will allow for a deeper connection within your music and give you the point of view you need to evaluate your struggles within. Simply put, music in many forms provides the mind with the organization it desperately needs to process various emotional situations.
Music and its relatable content, such as thematic messages, will allow us to express our deepest desires while confronting our darkest truths. For example, I most recently had the melancholiest pleasure of watching the comedian and musician Bo Burnham’s Netflix comedy special about his progression through pandemic life. It is a documentary-style piece that contains original songs covering his mental decline, and even provides a visual of how negatively mental health can affect the body. With content like Bo Burnham’s special, you can create a safe space to take the lyrics of your songs and assist yourself, by reaching out about your own mental health issues, while receiving attention and care.
Simply put, the more people talk about what is going on within their minds, the more awareness it might bring. Musicians use their situations to embed powerful conversations into the lyrics of their songs. Artists will often say the lyrics for the song they wrote were predicated on the mental state they were in while writing.
So, can you write meaningful lyrics that allow you to express your own emotional state? Of course you can. In her article “Sound Health: Music and Mind,” Sandra P. Thomas concluded that “…one does not have to be a formally trained music therapist to appreciate and use the power of musical interventions.” Anyone, anywhere, can partake in the cathartic experience of writing their own lyrics about their issues.
These lyrics will be important to you, and even a provide a revelation. You have problems here that are real and are now on paper. Everything is alright, because you are human, and it is normal to feel. Listening to your favorite song can not only improve your gym experience as stated above, but also improve your mood and cognitive abilities. Listening to a song that has lyrics specific to what you are going through allows you to feel heard. You can thus relate better, knowing that in this struggle you are going through, you are not alone.
- “Stressed Out” by Twenty-One Pilots (2015)
Twenty-One Pilot songs provide lyrics that are always impactful when getting across topics like anxiety, depression and stress to others. The song “Stressed Out” talks about how it feels to be a “grown up” by modern stances. We are told as kids, that as soon as we become adults, we will have freedom and happiness, especially if we work hard. However, that is never really the case, and no matter how hard we work, we can still go through stressful situations that could deprive us of the mental stability we need. They are a huge advocate and voice when it comes to bringing this awareness.
2. “Shit” by Bo Burnham (2021)
Bo Burnham’s comedic style and his impressive vocal talents allow him to connect to a broad range of audiences. It is the material, both in his comedy specials and music, that allows his audience to see the intimately vulnerable yet concerning side of his lyrical messages. As a comedian, Burnham uses topics such as race, gender, sexuality, and even his own insecurities, to connect with his listeners. He, too, is an advocate for awareness by simply pointing out the flaws that society may deem ok.
3. “Sober” by Demi Lovato (2018)
Once again, the singer Demi Lovato wrote the song “Sober” as a cry for help. Struggling with addiction, they* bared their soul in their fight against drugs and alcohol. “Sober” is immensely private and jarring, the listener can almost feel their desperation and sadness. After the song ended, Demi told their musical peers and the world watching, this song was something only they could sing to bring awareness of their mental state, and more importantly, one last attempt to save themself from the overdose that unfortunately followed. Thankfully, they were able to get back on their feet and wade through the turbulence of their struggles.
*Lovato identifies as nonbinary, using the pronouns “they/them.”
4. “Change” by NF (2019)
“Last year I felt suicidal, this year I might do something different, like talking to God though.” This lyrical line is very much the definition of its song’s title. NF (Nathan John Feuerstein) has been known to speak on his mental breakdowns. His songs are extremely reflective, and he has had a willingness to accept his struggles to allow himself to improve mentally.
5. “Slippin” by DMX (1998)
Earl Simmons (DMX) never shied away from allowing his listeners know that he, too, struggled with stress, depression, and was even diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He formerly rapped, “3 years later showing signs of stress, Didn’t keep my hair cut or give a how I dressed, I’m possessed by the darker side, livin’ the cruddy life,” signifying the emotion and pressure he felt. However, he just could not pull himself back up, as frequently said in his chorus line. Further on in the song, you can hear his desperation and determination to find the strength to pick himself up, because he knows that it is the right thing to do.
6. “Same Drugs” Chance The Rapper (2016)
Growth within his religion and himself has allowed Chance The Rapper to compose songs that really change his perspective on relationships. He shows how his religion helps him grow to be a better individual, and essentially allow him to have more faith in his music. This song, and many others like it on the “Coloring Book” album, really show the connection he has with the people in his life, as well as how his Christianity defines his confidence within himself. With smooth rapping and spiritual vocals, Chance The Rapper’s “Same Drugs” is a reflective look into the soul of a contemporary artist.
7. “Juice” by Lizzo (2019)
This song is dedicated to body positivity, which is another important form of mental health. Positively thinking of the body will only come from improving the mind’s opinion of acceptable body image. Lizzo is famous for her dedication to shaping how body positivity is viewed by herself, and best known for refocusing how plus-sized people view themselves and normalizing stereotypes. “Juice” is a celebratory song that allows room for growth of self-esteem and positive self-realization.
8. “Pursuit of Happiness” by Kid Cudi ft MGMT (2009)
Never one to avoid the harsh reality of destructive tendencies, Kid Cudi allows the song “Pursuit of Happiness” to provide a darker message. Most of the song’s lyrics talk about taking substances to feel better or ease the overwhelming thoughts offered by the brain. More specifically, the lyric “I’ll be fine once I get it in” is very simple in saying that his “pursuit of happiness” will come after he takes these substances to allow his mind relief from whatever mental pain he may be feeling. Though Kid Cudi is no advocate for drugs or alcohol, he wants listeners to understand that, sometimes, to feel better these substances seem like a great idea, however, they are not.
A musical analysis of lyrics or the messages provided within a song is a great way to provide a deeper connection to music, to the artist who created the songs, and to the listeners who may take inspiration from them. The form of lyrics, and what they can provide to listeners, are as powerful as the rhythmic music itself. Lyrics allow the listener to compose their own painful yet hopeful concerns and aspirations, also allowing room for a safe space of representation and familiarity.
Therefore, with this in mind, the goal is to get people to feel more comfortable to talk about mental health aloud by using real, relatable, and humanizing lyrics within music to convince them that music would be the best outlet for this topic.
Mental health is an extremely underrated topic in this ever-evolving modern society. It has always been at issue, but rarely acknowledged, because it gets deemed too problematic or too uncomfortable to talk about. I have personally learned that more people want to talk about their mental struggles; however, they just do not feel safe to do so.
Nothing is more comforting than knowing the battle of mental health instability is not being fought alone. There are many who share the same concerns, and there are plenty of songs that will bring normalization to positive mental health. This is the time to allow the feeling of being represented to inspire the next step, which is to write lyrics personally. The power of lyrics is as beautiful and enduring as poetry. It is time to compose the next dose of happiness.
- Duerksen, George L. “Musical Therapy”. Oxford Music Online, doi-org.ez1.maricopa.edu/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630, 2014. Accessed 20 June 2020.
- Thomas, Sandra P. “Sound Health: Music and the Mind”: The New Initiative of the National Institutes of Health and National Endowment for the Arts.” Issues in Mental Health Nursing. Volume 38, Issue 10, 2017, pp. 779. Accessed 20 June 2020.
