The meaning and lasting legacy of ‘Back to Black’ – Amy Winehouse
Part of her best selling album ‘Back to Black which was released in 2006, no song captures so beautifully and so starkly the loss of what you thought you held true about someone who was close to you. Describing the break-up between Winehouse and her partner Blake Fielder-Civil, it conveys the inner turmoil she experienced in light of their break-up.
There is no doubt that ‘Back to Black’ touches on the most fundamental emotions that make us human. The lasting legacy of such a masterpiece is it’s ability to convey the pain of the human condition – pain we have all felt and can relate to. If you have ever had your heart ripped apart and been discarded, the reality of this song becomes even more palpable for the listener.
Written in 2007 by Winehouse and Mark Ronson, for me, this song embodies the pain of someone struggling to be loved and appreciated by someone who just doesn’t appreciate her worth. It is truly heartbreaking to listen to. It is raw emotion and the message conveys that she is resigning herself to the reality and hopelessness of the situation. The pattern repeats and once again she finds herself going ‘back to black.’
The lyrics at 1.37:
“You go back to her
And I go back to…
