Songwriters write about their lives since their lyrics are a reflection of their personal experiences. Often, a coping mechanism for dealing with a problem is to bring the issue out in the open. The lead singer and song writer of alternative rock band Blue October, Justin Furstenfeld explains on a suicide prevention video that he has “battled with bipolar disorder, psychiatric tendencies as well as anxiety issues throughout much of his life and admits he self-harmed during his teenage years and has reoccurring suicidal thoughts” (Freunde fürs Leben, 2010). Many songs that he wrote are about his mental illness and problems he faced because of it. In the song X Amount of Words, Furstenfeld clearly wrote this song about his mental illnesses. The purpose of this song is Furstenfeld’s way of describing what living with bipolar disorder and how it affected his relationships with those he cares about and how he copes with it. Despite its catchy techno sound the lyrics are a stark contrast and reveal the emotional roller coaster that affects those afflicted with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disorder According to Butcher, Hooley and Mineka, bipolar I disorder is major depression coupled with mania. Bipolar I disorder is distinguished from bipolar II disorder because manic episodes and major depression last for an extended amount of time; at least one week (Butcher, Hooley, & Mineka, 2014, p. 239). Symptoms of patients who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder include depression, anxiety, guilt and suicidal thoughts and energetic periods which include irritability, short temperedness, and erratic judgment (Butcher, Hooley, & Mineka, 2014, p. 240). Furstenfeld mentions in the song about being triggered into a relapse and becoming high stru... ... middle of paper ... ...Mood Disorders and Suicide. In Abnormal Psychology (16th Ed.) (pp. 211-262). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Freunde fürs Leben (2010, April 27). frnd.tv - Blue October, Part 1 (no subtitles) [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkNfbfWc_fs&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL97E39E500CB56A94 Furstenfeld, J. S. (2005). X Amount of Words [Recorded by Blue October]. United States of America. Langer, A. (2013, August 17). A Musical Switch From Self-Pity to Gratitude - NYTimes.com. Retrieved February 15, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/us/a-musical-switch-from-self-pity-to-gratitude.html?_r=0 Ramirez, C. (2011, June 14). Blue October’s Justin Furstenfeld Talks About His Mental Breakdown. Retrieved February 14, 2014, from http://noisecreep.com/blue-october-justin-furstenfeld-talks-about-mental-breakdown/
Howard, John Tasker. Our American Music. 1946. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1954. 666. Print.
Sheff references Kurt Cobain’s suicide note saying “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.” This seems to comes to represent what seems to be Nic’s ending unless he gets the help he needs. Nic was on a path that was seeming to lead to death by overdose, in which he would “burn out” instead of being able to “fade away like an old soldier”. Kurt Cobain is referenced again when Sheff states that he “wants to scream like Kurt Cobain. I want to scream at him.” This gives insight as to how the musical stylings of Kurt Cobain seem to be a trigger for David Sheff’s memories of his addict of a son. These references illustrate the emotion that is being felt by the author while making connections to the life of a famous man who was a great influence on Sheff’s
...rly 20s when symptoms of bipolar disorder first appear. Bipolar I disorder is one or more manic episodes or mixed episodes (symptoms of both a mania and a depression occurring nearly every day for at least one week) and one or more major depressive episodes. Some symptoms would include, feeling hopeless, sad, or empty, feelings of worthlessness or guilt, thoughts of death or suicide. Treatment for bipolar mania may include lithium, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines.
Hoffman, Frank. The British Invasion. Ed. Robert Birkline. Survey of American Popular Music. Sam Houston University, n.d. Web. 3 May 2014. .
for the years of this abuse” (5-6), these line reveal that sense of regret the writer has over their actions regarding their addiction. The lines mentioned before also show that the writer is feeling as if an impending punishment for their waste if time during the actions caused by their addiction. Towards the end the song repeats the line “You won’t go away” (38), this line is repeated a total of nine times to represent the writer’s paranoia during his addiction and alludes to the listener that the addict feels trapped. By that addiction and feels isolated to the point where his addiction “won’t go away”
Willoughby, David. "Chapter 11." The World of Music. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. 249-53. Print.
At one point, my friend played me ‘Migraine’ by Twenty One Pilots and I became obsessed. I was amazed that I could relate to it so much. Eventually, I had a playlist with every single Twenty One Pilots song I could find. This was during a time when I felt I was entirely alone and even suicidal at one point. Tyler’s words helped me cope and feel like I had someone there for me. Thank you, Josh and Tyler, for saving my life”
Bipolar disorder is also known as manic-depression disorder, may cause unusual changes in mood and behavior such as grandiosity, decreased energy, distractibility, diminished interest, insomnia, pressured speech, suicidal thoughts, and decrease in the ability to carry out day to day tasks (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; 5th Ed.; DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013). According to Jann (2014) the symptoms of bipolar disorders are severe alternating between normal ups and downs leading in damaged relationships, poor job and school performance, and even suicide among the most severe. There are four types of bipolar disorder which include bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, and cyclothymic disorder Jann (2014).
In Coldplay’s song, “Paradise”, the songwriters use exaggerative language, personification, and rhetorical techniques to tell the story of a little girl’s escape from the harshness and disappointment of reality. The listeners of this song are treated to a beautifully written story about a girl’s maturity through the struggles and disappointment that life has offered to her. Some of the most effective ways that the songwriters explain the plight of the girl are when they attach the listener emotionally with her plight through their use of exaggerated language and personification. Ultimately, the girl copes with her situation and shows signs of maturity; which, enforces the emotional connection that the audience feels with her.
Rytell, David. “Music Worthy of a Riot.” David Rytell’s Home Page. 1989. Web. 17 September 2011.
For many of us, one of the most accurate and effective ways to express the feelings that really matter to us is through music. We don’t only grow to attached to songs that are catchy, but also those with lyrics that we can relate to. It is not uncommon to feel like sometimes, artists can convey the way we feel better than we could ourselves. The storybook-like lines you read at the start of this page are a collection of lyrics
far-fetched to infer through complex pessimism and the perspective of a mental illness that this song
The Beach Boys were a sensation throughout the 1960s. While it has been said that their best albums weren’t respected until many years later, there is not a doubt that they were one of the most popular and influential musical groups in history. The Beach Boys’ front man, Brian Wilson suffers from mental illness (Moverman, 2015). For many years he had a greedy psychotherapist that misdiagnosed him in an attempt to essentially drug him to death (Moverman, 2015). A documentary showcasing the life of Brian Wilson depicts the struggles he faced, and still faces with what is now known as schizoaffective disorder (Moverman, 2015). He called it Love & Mercy, after a song he released after finally receiving the proper treatment for his
“You begin to forget what it means to live. You forget things. You forget that you used to feel all right. You forg...
"We're broken people." On the outside, this may seem like a disturbing proclamation, but not to those who know Tyler Joseph of the Grammy-winning duo Twenty One Pilots. It is such a powerful thing to admit to yourself that you are not well; that you carry around sadness until it spills into your heart, and that you can't even face existing some days. But you keep trying, in spite of your doubts. You soon realize that brokenness is not synonymous with unwholeness, and that it takes true bravery to face those three short words down - but even more to take them to heart. Being broken does not mean your life cannot be complete. You can surround yourself with friends, hold a job, have a family that you love, and still possess the introspection to