2000s songs, relationship problems

#279 The Reason- Hoobastank

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A reason to start over new/
And the reason is you.

In “The Reason’ the narrator is apologizing to his love for the mistakes he made. This is a great ‘apology’ song. The lyrics hit all the right themes for apologizing and even turns his mistake around and says he is going to change for the better because of the woman. He admits his mistake, says he’s sorry and says he’ll change…straight out of therapy 101. Who wouldn’t love to hear that? I bet she forgave him. Next time you screw up with your significant other just quote these lyrics…

“I’m sorry that I hurt you…it’s something I must live with everyday…and all the pain I’ve put you through…I wish that I could take it all away.”

The Reason Meaning
Hoobastank

Just try not to sing it. It might sound less sincere.

Hoobastank’s melody is incredible. Both the verse and the chorus are fantastic. Often one or the other will be great, but as we move into the top tier of songs, we get to songs that hit on both accounts. The production is top notch. The piano intro is one note—a sixteenth played for two bars or so and somehow it is recognizable. As the guitar and then the bass and drums are added it adds the perfect amount of depth to the sound.

The Reason Lyrics

I’m not a perfect person
There’s many things I wish I didn’t do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

I’m sorry that I hurt you
It’s something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That’s why I need you to hear

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you

I’m not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

I’ve found a reason to show
A side of me you didn’t know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

Songwriters: Douglas Robb / Daniel Estrin / Chris Hesse / Markku Lappalainen

1990s songs, breakup songs

#278 Don’t Cry- Guns N’ Roses

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Don’t you take it so hard now and please don’t take it so bad/
I’ll still be thinking of you and the times we had, baby.

Breakups are tough. Even though Axl is singing “Don’t Cry”, the narrative is supposed to be the words spoken by the woman who is breaking up with him. Some of the words are comforting, but most are absolutely not what you want to hear. No one wants to hear “things will be better tomorrow”. Get out of hear with your clichés and truths and let me be miserable and cry. Dammit! Her comments asking for him to remember how she never lied to him are especially brutal. Thanks!?

Don't Cry Meaning
Guns N’ Roses

The song is a standard 80s power ballad: it starts soft and by the end of the song we are rocking. It is a fun formula. We also have the famous guitar solo. How many truly unique guitar solos could you recognize outside the context of the lyrics? 50? 100? Well, this is one of the more recognizable ones. Like most Guns N’ Roses songs the song is heavily guitar driven. The banjo outro is unique.

Lyrics Don’t Cry

If we could see tomorrow, what of your plans?
No one can live in sorrow, ask all your friends
Times that you took in stride, they’re back in demand
I was the one who was washing blood off your hands

Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you, baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight

I know the things you wanted, they’re not what you have
With all the people talking, it’s driving you mad
If I was standing by you, how would you feel
Knowing your love’s decided, and all love is real?

Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you, baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight

I thought I could live in your world
As years all went by, with all the voices I’ve heard
Something has died
And when you’re in need of someone, my heart won’t deny you
So many seem so lonely with no one left to cry to, baby
Don’t you cry tonight

I still love you, baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight

Don’t you cry tonight
I still love you, baby
Don’t you cry tonight
Don’t you cry tonight
There’s a heaven above you baby
And don’t you cry tonight

Songwriters: Duff Rose McKagan / Izzy Stradlin / Matt Sorum / Saul Hudson / W. Axl Rose

2010s songs, toxic relationship

#277 Cherry Wine (live)- Hozier

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The way she shows me I’m hers and she is mine/
Open hand or closed fist would be fine.

Hozier’s “Cherry Wine” is about an intimate topic that doesn’t get discussed often–a woman physically abusing her male partner.  The thoughts and lessons are universal enough to just say that the song is about physical abuse. The stripped down mood is appropriate and we feel almost uncomfortable with the vulnerable and intimate story.

Cherry Wine Meaning

HozierTheir relationship is sometimes like a normal one, and that makes him look forward to those times even more. However, the rest of the time he walks on eggshells because he is afraid he will catch her eye when she is in a bad mood. This will often lead to him receiving a beating that leads to blood being spilled. It hurts but he wants it.

He (and she) justify this because she does it because she loves him. So, he “wants” more beatings because he wants more of her love. If that weren’t enough, the girlfriend is also cheating on him and is very suspicious of his actions…which leads to more beatings.

“Cherry Wine” does not wrap up tidily; he is still justifying her beatings because her love is divine and that is how she shows it. Her love is like cherry wine- both good and bad for him. But mostly bad. And of course,  Cherry Wine is the color of the blood that spills during their arguments.

Cherry Wine Lyrics

Her eyes and words are so icy
Oh but she burns
Like rum on the fire
Hot and fast and angry as she can be
I walk my days on a wire.

It looks ugly, but it’s clean,
Oh momma, don’t fuss over me.

The way she tells me I’m hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine.

Calls of guilty thrown at me
All while she stains
The sheets of some other
Thrown at me so powerfully
Just like she throws with the arm of her brother.

But I want it
It’s a crime
That she’s not around most of the time.

The way she shows me I’m hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
Blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine.

Her fight and fury is fiery
Oh but she loves
Like sleep to the freezing
Sweet and right and merciful
I’m all but washed
In the tide of her breathing.

And it’s worth it, it’s divine
I have this some of the time.

The way she shows me I’m hers and she is mine
Open hand or closed fist would be fine
The blood is rare and sweet as cherry wine.

Songwriters: Andrew Hozier Byrne