I just wish that I could wake up my mind...” Those are simple, yet powerful and relatable lyrics from pop musician Lauv (Ari Staprans Leff). The key word from the lyrical excerpt is ‘mind,’ as he addresses personal mental health issues on “Sad Forever.” Interestingly, Leff touched upon such issues on the preceding single, “Drugs & the Internet”, dealing with anxiety and depression. He expounded on them even more in an interview with Zach Sang. Focusing on “Sad Forever,” the rising pop star doesn’t dwell on sadness despite the gloomy title, but rather looks to move beyond it – ‘atonement’ of course.
What makes “Sad Forever” intriguing is the arc of the narrative. On the first verse, Lauv is in the midst of his depressed state. Beyond the aforementioned lyrics, he sings, “Whispers in the nighttime / Voices always keeping me up / Telling me that I should give up.” He realizes on the following pre-chorus that he’s allowed the sadness to consume him: “Lately I’ve been in the backseat to my own life / Trying to take control, but I don’t know how to.” On the chorus, led by ripe falsetto, he’s determined to reclaim his life, but without the “war” of medication:
“I don’t want to be sad forever, I don’t want to be sad no more
I don’t want to wake up and wonder
What the hell am I doing this for
I don’t want to be medicated; I don’t want to go through that war…”
Where the first verse was negative, the second shows progress; Lauv is ‘coming out of the wilderness.’ The big takeaway is the importance of addressing mental health and preventing it from utterly destroying you – GET HELP. Interestingly, a statement by Lauv featured on the single cover art supports that takeaway and being unafraid of assistance via medicine:
“I wrote this song at the peak of my obsessive anxiety before I decided to get on anti-depressants. If there’s one thing I learned, medication is not the enemy.”
You can learn more about Lauv here:
About The Curator - Brent Faulkner
Slightly eccentric with interests that seem to know no ends, restless ‘Renaissance Man’ is the best way to characterize Brent Faulkner, a native of Kentucky. A certified music educator, multi-instrumentalist, and composer known for his incredibly sharp ear, he lives and breathes music of a variety of styles. In addition to passion for educating, performing, and writing music, he’s equally passionate blogging and writing about it, managing his own site, The Musical Hype (https://themusicalhype.com). When he’s not intensely analyzing music, you can find him reading or watching a movie, reality television or some sporting event.
