Hey, legend! What did you get up to this weekend? I had a good friend’s birthday dinner and he slow-cooked a giant beef brisket in a smoker that he made himself for twelve hours. Yes, it was as divine as it sounds. I was going to throw up another film review – forgive me, there’s just so many awaited horrors hitting the big screen this winter! – but I thought I’d change the subject from the last two posts. So, before I hit you with that, let’s get mushy and dive into my other big passion: music. More specifically, sad songs with a profound message.
As a songwriter, lyrics always resonate deeply with me – and sometimes when I least expect them to. They can make me stop and think about things that I usually wouldn’t and change my mindset when I’m stuck in a rut. It’s comforting to know that someone else out there feels the same way, or to hear the advice that you’ve probably given to others. Perhaps you can relate? At least, it helps me to hear an artist articulate what I can’t when I’m most vulnerable, especially with the right chords tugging the heartstrings. Sure, I might listen to nothing,nowhere. or Julien Baker on repeat in my bedroom every now and then because it just hurts so good. But I’ll also jump around in the mosh pit to Mudvayne with my dad, or Trophy Eyes with my best friend, and have the time of my life. So, whether it be through witty wordplay or moving metaphors, these are words that I didn’t know I needed to hear.
Dream On Dreamer – “Hear Me Out”
I’ll start with one of my oldest and most personal comfort songs. The sophomore album from the Melbourne melodic metalcore favourites made it onto my list of 10 records that changed my life – and for good reason. This track in particular encapsulated how I felt at the time, overwhelmed by the stress of finishing high school and forming an identity before going out into the real world. It was probably my first experience of depression and this band was a guiding light for me. The opening lines ‘It’s like every breath I take is a debt/ How am I going to pay it back by myself?’ convey a sense of hopelessness, but it shifts to one of resilience with the lyric ‘Accept the person I am will never give up this fight’. Even the title suggests that what may seem confronting at first is actually reassuring, so don’t give up on me. Dreamer showed me that aggressive music can have a positive message.
Missy Higgins – “Steer”
This is one of the most liberating songs that I know and it always puts me at ease when things get a bit much. I just feel like a weight has been lifted whenever I hear that upbeat acoustic guitar kick in. It literally starts with the lyric ‘Feel it falling off like clothing’, after all. The reminder throughout that things don’t have to be as complicated as we make them out to be is like the sage advice that we all know and offer but forget to remember in times of need. No matter how chaotic life gets, when it feels like you’re speeding out of control and getting pulled in the wrong direction, ‘you can steer’. Maybe it’s the husky Aussie accent, or maybe it’s the memory of growing up with this song on the radio, but Missy’s voice is so warm and homely. She was a guilty pleasure of mine for years until I realised that everyone loves her, even Ed Sheeran. Just try to listen to this without smiling – I bet you can’t.
Being as an Ocean – “Forgetting is Forgiving the I”
I mentioned this band and their self-titled concept album in my Defeater post a while back, so consider this your nudge to check them out. The California spoken-word hardcore outfit have explored many styles over the years – and I must admit that I was late to the party, having only discovered them through Waiting for Morning to Come – but none have been quite as poignant and profound as their third album. I love the hook ‘Languish in the mire of the past or steel our resolve’, which is unpacked in the lyric ‘If the past be our only present then so becomes our future’. This song brought attention to how much time I spent focusing on what I couldn’t control in the aftermath of a breakup. Furthermore, the refrain ‘We play the victim’ reminded me that even though I had been wronged, there’s at least two sides to every story. We were both right, just in different ways.
Horrorshow – “Own Backyard”
It’s safe to say that this country doesn’t have a commendable history, something that I addressed in my own song “Astraylia”. These guys are one of my biggest influences and the album King Amongst Many soundtracked my uni days, although this track in particular opened my eyes to how it must feel to be an Indigenous Australian. It features Elefant Traks (R.I.P.) labelmate Jimblah – a proud Larrakia man – who offers his own experience, which makes for a compelling listen. Solo’s deft delivery and considered outlook had me hanging on every word as he painted a chilling scene of colonisation with the bars ‘Stalking through the bush silently ’cause society told ’em to do it quietly’. He makes a point of stating that this subtle oppression is ongoing, dropping bombshells like ‘Cops roll past in red, white and blue of the Union Jack’. Genius.
Paramore – “Last Hope”
I’ve been a Hayley Williams fanboy for many years and – hot take – the self-titled record is my favourite Paramore album. Like “Hear Me Out”, this song also pulled me out of a depression by teaching me that happiness is only really achieved when you stop trying to force it. As Hayley reinforces sixteen times, sometimes you’ve just ‘gotta let it happen’. There’s also a lot to be learned from the lyric ‘It’s not that I don’t feel the pain/ It’s just I’m not afraid of hurting anymore’. Pain is inevitable, but to suffer is a choice. What makes mine worse than anyone else’s? Besides, we need a certain amount of resistance to grow, which is the overarching theme of the album. I love how the track builds from gentle strums and soft vocals in the first verse to the big final chorus, particularly those driving drums and wholesome harmonies. Do yourself a favour and spin the epic closer “Future”, too.
Capstan – “Stars Before the Sun”
Let me begin by saying that I adore this band, with their verbose poetry and intricate riffs – not to mention a bit of tasty sax here and there. The entire record Restless Heart, Keep Running absolutely bangs and showcases the best that they have to offer over a diverse selection of tracks. I’ve discussed my relationship with time management on here before and this song helped me make peace with my own mortality in a period of existential dread. I find solace in the meaninglessness with lines like ‘Such sweet entropy, it’s comforting as the world crashes in on me/ Admire all beauty in its brevity’. In the grand scheme of things, nothing really matters – and that’s a scary thought, but it’s also kind of freeing. Even now, the gentle reminder to ‘Be present in every fleeting second before it all becomes the past’ never goes astray. Also, the internal rhymes and meter of Anthony DeMario’s delivery is very appealing.
Illy – “Truce”
Another of my biggest influences from the ten life-changing records post, Illy was one of the first local hip hop acts who I heard open up about mental health struggles. Too often rappers would traditionally flex their bravado to evade vulnerability, but my main man ain’t afraid to admit he’s got some demons. I’ve spoken about my own internal battles in my music, most recently in “Treading Water” – the first mix of which made me cry – and I probably wouldn’t be so candid if it weren’t for him. More specifically, it tackles the self-doubt and paranoia of a tortured artist. After all, it’s not easy putting your heart on the line for the world to tear apart if it so chooses. The lyric ‘When success is self-worth, lines blur’ really got me and I particularly love the line ‘Two hands either end of an olive branch’ – I ought to get that image tattooed one day. This is also where I got the title of my poem from.
Movements – “Seneca”
I’ve already told you that the debut album from these guys got me through a tough time, but it was a deep cut on their next record that allowed me to see the positives in ending an unhealthy relationship. While “Forgetting is Forgiving the I” made me consider alternate perspectives, this reminded me that some breakups are for the greater good (I wrote a song about that, too). After choking on resentment for far too long, it taught me to be grateful for what we had and accept that they are better off with someone who makes them happy. Sure, there may be a wave of jealousy at first, but hindsight is 20/20 and the past should stay dead. Though I learned that the hard way, the lesson stuck nonetheless. There are few lyrics that have hit me as hard as ‘It’s bittersweet ’cause you look so happy/ Do you say the same when you look at me?’. Of course, the titular Stoic also helped me manage my mixed emotions.
Lewis Capaldi – “How I’m Feeling Now”
I’m very selective with pop music, yet there’s something about Lewis Capaldi’s rich vocals and unusual adjectives that just clicks with me. Give me a sad song with acoustic guitar and a string section and I’m yours. This song summarises the predicament that I often find myself in and couldn’t have come at a more perfect time in my life. Remember how I tend to think that something is wrong when I’ve got it good? Well, turns out that he does, too. I had all my ducks in a row, yet I still felt like something was missing. The relatable refrain ‘I know I can, I won’t’ stings, but it’s the hook ‘So here’s to my beautiful life that seems to leave me so unsatisfied’ that really hits a nerve. The bridge offers some respite from the negativity with the lyric ‘I’m a mess, yeah, but I’ll get there’, though it breaks my heart to hear it from one of the biggest singers in the world. The documentary on Netflix of the same name is a must-see for any anxious artist.
Slowly Slowly – “God”
Lastly, a more recent revelation goes to one of my favourite songwriters, who I mentioned in my very first post. Ben Stewart is a master of storytelling and this song is pretty much one long verse over the same picked riff with a singalong bridge. It’s written as a conversation with the man upstairs, discussing the ways of the world and why life isn’t all puppies and sunshine. I played this on repeat for days and was stoked to see them perform it live on their Daisy Chain tour. The message is simple: love conquers all. We are only here for a moment and we can only make everything better by being better. More importantly, it undermines the necessity of a higher power with sly lyrics like ‘Everybody talks to you, but no one’s heard you speak’, instead implying that it’s us who perform miracles. I also like the meta references to the band and how God is portrayed as a shifty bartender in the video.
While most of these are sad songs, they all have hopeful undertones. Music is some pretty powerful stuff and brings people together through shared experience. There’s a reason that they call it a universal language. Sometimes it just takes one line to wriggle its way into your head and inspire a new thought, or strike you in the heart and settle at the bottom of your soul. Every now and then you hear something that just hits different and leaves you in altered states. These are some of mine that I still turn to when I need them. What are yours?