Music plays a major role in the everyday life of teenagers globally. Whether that be in the form of rolling over to hit snooze on your alarm in the morning; or shoving your AirPods into your ears during fourth period because you can't stand your teacher; we all value our music. As teenagers, we more than often feel misunderstood.
That's why when we hear a song lyric that specifically relates to a feeling we have experienced, the song becomes special to us. This list collects the most powerful song lyrics for you to resonate with, share and listen to on repeat throughout the day.
1. "I made you my temple, my mural, my sky / Now I'm begging for footnotes in the story of your life."
From the lyrically riveting album Evermore, Taylor Swift produced the deeply sad song 'Tolerate It'. It delicately weaves the tale of a woman who does not feel valued by her partner within her relationship and rather feels as though he only tolerates her love, rather than celebrating it. This heartbreaking lyric beautifully highlights the way in which it feels to be in an ill-fated relationship with a person who you desperately wish would value you like you do them.
2. "Although I guess if I knew tomorrow, I guess I wouldn't need faith / I guess if I never fell I guess I wouldn't need grace. / I guess if I knew His plans, I guess He wouldn't be God."
This comforting lyric from the track 'Maybe IDK' is plucked from Jon Bellion's album The Human Condition which (you guessed it) extensively explores the faucets of the human condition. In this lyric, Bellion urges the listener to have faith in the universe and trust that everything happens for a reason. Personally, this lyric deeply supports me whenever life feels messy. When I question the direction in which my life is going, whether I should have made that comment or why something is happening to me, I resort back to this song and melt into the lyrics.
3. "I am your sweetheart, psychopathic crush / drink up your movements, still can’t get enough / I overthink your punctuation use / not your fault, just a thing that my mind do"
Lorde! From the blazing album filled with intriguing perspectives and unbelievable metaphors; Melodrama, of course. Lorde uncovers the crazy in all of us with this track, “The Louvre.” She insists that it can be a rush to act a little crazy with someone else, even when you recognize that the relationship is unstable and probably endangering.
However, those thoughts are pushed aside as we live out our teenage romances freely and carelessly. Also, it is a totally normal thing to stress over somebody's punctuation... we've all been there.
4. "Young once, then you're old forever"
Read that again.
Its brilliance lies in its simplicity. “Got On My Skateboard,” a song chosen from the easy-going EP Holiday Food by Skegss, bluntly opens our minds to the fact that we will not be the age that we are forever. The song is based around being outside and feeling the wind in your hair while you push off on your skateboard. It subtly urges teenagers and young adults to go outside and to simply breathe in the air. Recognize that you're aging and to appreciate life from a young perspective before that isn't possible anymore.
5. “Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on its sword. Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me, I should know.”
Within this line, extracted from the song 'From Eden', Hozier outlines a man tragically in love with a woman who is already in a committed relationship whose partner is being unfaithful to her. He plays the role of the comforter by revealing that such ruinous things have happened to him as well, so he understands how devastating it is to have the idealism/chivalry/innocence of your relationship “die screaming.” Nevertheless, he is aware that his intentions are not unalloyed, and just like the snake in the tale of the Bible, he depicts a man sneaking his way through the lonesome woman's door, in the impure hopes of coaxing her into having sex with him; regardless of whether she remains in her ruined relationship.
These lyrics are poetically incredible, and truly illustrate a vivid picture in one's mind. As are the rest of the tracks on his album, Hozier.
6. "I don't want your body, but I hate to think about you with somebody else / Our love has gone cold. You're intertwining your soul with somebody else."
Of course, The 1975 had to be included in this list. Their music is extremely compelling, challenging and controversial. However, this song, titled 'Somebody Else', from the album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It, falls amongst their collection of sorrowful ballads.
To listen to this lyric, is to be standing alone at a party, watching the person you love light up at the touch of another. This line implies that he has begun to move on from this person. However, when you see them with somebody else, the envious part of you reveals itself, and you begin to realize that you are not completely healed from the breakup.
8. "Your lips are like a rose / The petals I won't ever know / and it hurts my heart, sit in the dark and bury my sorrow."
From a band known for ripping your heart out with their music, Tiny Little Houses never fail to kick you in the gut when you're already down. Have you ever had a crush that drove you crazy? The more you longed for them, the more you realized that you were never going to be anything more than friends?
It is an unbelievably painful feeling. With the track “Easy” from the heart-shattering EP You Tore Out My Heart, the band absolutely nails how it feels to experience this. The clever use of an extended simile sharpens this line to the point where it cuts the listener deep. An unbelievable lyric, song and EP.
9. "I think I went crazy / trying to remain / trying to make some sense of the mess in my brain."
Overwhelmed, directionless, a total mess. The band Luca Brasi pin-points the way in which this state of being feels like in the track 'Clothes I Slept in'. The song surrounds the feeling of confusion which is often associated with a blurred sense of yourself and what you want.
This line can be interpreted to mean that the song-writer was trying so unbelievably hard to unravel the inner workings of his mind, he got lost within the mess. Although simple, penetrating and extremely relatable. This song has been taken from the track list of the album, Stay.
10. “My brother bought us a six pack / Bad smokes and a cask of we don’t care / My brother bought us a six pack to share.”
Dune Rats’ ‘6 Pack’, from album The Kids Will Know It's [censored], provokes a vivid image of the uncomplicated and sneaky joy of using your older relations to stock yourself up for a party just before you’re quite allowed to. Short, fun, and catchy as they come, Dune Rats do what they are known for, and cause their listeners to remember the great (or not so great) experiences of their past or present teenage years.
Music is an integral part of our lives. I hope that this list helped you feel understood and introduced you to some new songs, artists and albums. Music can often be an outlet for you to feel your feelings; which is something we all struggle with sometimes.
However, this is important! While listening to these songs, know that it is perfectly okay to cry in your car or bedroom, smile while begrudgingly doing your homework or drifting off to sleep to; in preparation to tackle the day tomorrow.
