music meme! day 04
+ day 04: a song that makes you sad
easy: "the drugs don't work," the verve [download]. this song devastates me for several reasons.
first is the context i first heard it in: my roommate and fellow mental health counselor gave it to me. my automatic association was to our clients. now the drugs don't work / they just make you worse. there is no way to ever explain this if you don't experience it yourself, but to work with the aging population of mentally ill, who were institutionalized from the 60's all the way through the 90's, you see apathy that nothing can touch. no amount of chemical on the planet is going to give a lot of these people the ability to care about themselves, or have interests, or develop hobbies, or experience personal growth. they are done. out to pasture. the drugs don't work.
devastating.
(things are better, now.)
the other thing about this song is that the writing is so strong - like, almost graphic. like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown. that is an image you can't flush out, if you let it in. if you let it in, there's no way that isn't upsetting. you can't get around it.
the other line that's super-disturbing to me is, if heaven calls, i'm comin' too / just like you said: 'you leave my life, i'm better off dead. richard ashcroft said he wrote it as a love song, which it clearly is, but it is a deep, dark, desperate corner of love. it's the kind of love you only have when you don't have anything else to live for. and to me, that is inherently terrifying.
and then, the obvious thing about it: dark, sad place? totally gorgeous melody. just pretty, delicate stuff. it's serious, but it's also pretty neutral. matter-of-fact. i'm better off dead. SO DISTURBING TO ME.
anyway, that's my spill on this track, and all the thinks i think when i listen to it. i put it on a 5x22 coda a month or so ago, along with a handful of other songs that make me debilitatingly sad [ download.] listen to it when you're having a shit day and need a catalyst for release. this mix will do it.
Day 01 - Your favorite song
> "hallelujah," leonard cohen
Day 02 - Your least favorite song
> "cleaning out my closet," eminem
Day 03 - A song that makes you happy
> "the story," brandi carlile
Day 04 - A song that makes you sad
> "the drugs don't work," the verve
Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06 - A song that reminds of you of somewhere
Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to
Day 09 - A song that you can dance to
Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 - A song from your favorite band
Day 12 - A song from a band you hate
Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15 - A song that describes you
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 - A song from your favorite album
Day 20 - A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 - A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 - A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 - A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 - A song from your childhood
Day 30 - Your favorite song at this time last year
easy: "the drugs don't work," the verve [download]. this song devastates me for several reasons.
first is the context i first heard it in: my roommate and fellow mental health counselor gave it to me. my automatic association was to our clients. now the drugs don't work / they just make you worse. there is no way to ever explain this if you don't experience it yourself, but to work with the aging population of mentally ill, who were institutionalized from the 60's all the way through the 90's, you see apathy that nothing can touch. no amount of chemical on the planet is going to give a lot of these people the ability to care about themselves, or have interests, or develop hobbies, or experience personal growth. they are done. out to pasture. the drugs don't work.
devastating.
(things are better, now.)
the other thing about this song is that the writing is so strong - like, almost graphic. like a cat in a bag, waiting to drown. that is an image you can't flush out, if you let it in. if you let it in, there's no way that isn't upsetting. you can't get around it.
the other line that's super-disturbing to me is, if heaven calls, i'm comin' too / just like you said: 'you leave my life, i'm better off dead. richard ashcroft said he wrote it as a love song, which it clearly is, but it is a deep, dark, desperate corner of love. it's the kind of love you only have when you don't have anything else to live for. and to me, that is inherently terrifying.
and then, the obvious thing about it: dark, sad place? totally gorgeous melody. just pretty, delicate stuff. it's serious, but it's also pretty neutral. matter-of-fact. i'm better off dead. SO DISTURBING TO ME.
anyway, that's my spill on this track, and all the thinks i think when i listen to it. i put it on a 5x22 coda a month or so ago, along with a handful of other songs that make me debilitatingly sad [ download.] listen to it when you're having a shit day and need a catalyst for release. this mix will do it.
Day 01 - Your favorite song
> "hallelujah," leonard cohen
Day 02 - Your least favorite song
> "cleaning out my closet," eminem
Day 03 - A song that makes you happy
> "the story," brandi carlile
Day 04 - A song that makes you sad
> "the drugs don't work," the verve
Day 05 - A song that reminds you of someone
Day 06 - A song that reminds of you of somewhere
Day 07 - A song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 - A song that you know all the words to
Day 09 - A song that you can dance to
Day 10 - A song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 - A song from your favorite band
Day 12 - A song from a band you hate
Day 13 - A song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 - A song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15 - A song that describes you
Day 16 - A song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17 - A song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 - A song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 - A song from your favorite album
Day 20 - A song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 - A song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 - A song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 - A song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 - A song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 - A song that makes you laugh
Day 26 - A song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 - A song that you wish you could play
Day 28 - A song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 - A song from your childhood
Day 30 - Your favorite song at this time last year