Mental Illness: Songs For the Journey
Ranked #4,557 in Music, #126,828 overall
Music: Comfort and Inspiration
"I have these moments so steady and strong, feeling so holy and humble/ Next thing I know I'm all worried and weak, and I feel myself starting to crumble..." I don't think Dan Fogelberg intended that song to be about bipolar disorder, or about mental illness --and yet one can find suggestions of it throughout the song if that's what they're looking for.
Isn't that the way of music? Sometimes the topic is spelled out for us, or we can extrapolate it from what we know of the artist's life. Often, though, we're left to embue the words with our own meanings. Those particular lyrics were part of an email I sent to a friend who was struggling with his bipolar diagnosis and his mind -- they were lyrics much lyrics much appreciated.
In preparation for writing this lens, I did a search for lists of songs that related to mental illness. I noticed that many of the songs were quite dark. Some people might take that as a given for the particular topic; I don't.
Ultimately each individual decides the 'theme songs' for their life, their journeys, their belief systems. This is my lens about mental illness and music. It's not so dark in here -- this is music for a journey
Isn't that the way of music? Sometimes the topic is spelled out for us, or we can extrapolate it from what we know of the artist's life. Often, though, we're left to embue the words with our own meanings. Those particular lyrics were part of an email I sent to a friend who was struggling with his bipolar diagnosis and his mind -- they were lyrics much lyrics much appreciated.
In preparation for writing this lens, I did a search for lists of songs that related to mental illness. I noticed that many of the songs were quite dark. Some people might take that as a given for the particular topic; I don't.
Ultimately each individual decides the 'theme songs' for their life, their journeys, their belief systems. This is my lens about mental illness and music. It's not so dark in here -- this is music for a journey
Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot (Video)
It appears that the creator of this video did have mental illness in mind when s/he selected the images.
Positive Portrayals and Negative
On the lists I encountered on Google, I found many songs I'd never heard of -- and others that I disagreed represented a mental illness theme. Songs that use the word "crazy" are more often than not not about mental illness. And if they are, there's a pretty good chance they're in bad taste. (Not always of course -- the term goes for quite a rollicking trip with Joshua Kadison at the helm.)
I love Sting's "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot", but "Lithium Sunset", on the same album, has always felt to me to be in poor taste. And Daniel Powter's "You tell me you're life's been way off line,/You're falling to pieces every time" sounds more authentic to me than some of the more sensationalist songs!
I love Sting's "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot", but "Lithium Sunset", on the same album, has always felt to me to be in poor taste. And Daniel Powter's "You tell me you're life's been way off line,/You're falling to pieces every time" sounds more authentic to me than some of the more sensationalist songs!
Mental Illness Playlist
Code of Silence -- Billy Joel
I Go to Extremes -- Billy Joel
Fallen -- Sarah McLachlan
Angel -- Sarah McLachlan
Part of the Plan -- Dan Fogelberg
Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot -- Sting
Carousel Horses -- Joshua Kadison
Shake the Disease -- Depeche Mode
Bad Day -- Daniel Powter
Two Faces -- Bruce Springsteen
Candle in the Wind -- Elton John
My Immortal -- Evanescence
I Go to Extremes -- Billy Joel
Fallen -- Sarah McLachlan
Angel -- Sarah McLachlan
Part of the Plan -- Dan Fogelberg
Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot -- Sting
Carousel Horses -- Joshua Kadison
Shake the Disease -- Depeche Mode
Bad Day -- Daniel Powter
Two Faces -- Bruce Springsteen
Candle in the Wind -- Elton John
My Immortal -- Evanescence
Carousel Horses
By Joshua Kadison
Here Joshua Kadison sings the haunting song of a woman who saw the carousel horses running free.
Spotlight on Billy Joel
One gets the sense that Billy Joel was indeed an "angry young man" once upon a time. He tried to kill himself when he was just beginning his music career. I believe one of the first musical references to this came in the song "Code of Silence" in the album The Bridge. In more recent years, this is something he's talked quite a bit about.
I hope I don't offend anyone when I say that I admire Billy Joel for having the courage to both grow up and grow old. Elton John was speaking of Marylin Monroe when he sang, "Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did." Those words, however, also apply to a lot of the bright flickering lights in the music world.
I hope I don't offend anyone when I say that I admire Billy Joel for having the courage to both grow up and grow old. Elton John was speaking of Marylin Monroe when he sang, "Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did." Those words, however, also apply to a lot of the bright flickering lights in the music world.
Video: I'll Stand By You
powered by Youtube
More Perspectives On Music and Mental Illness
- Music Therapy Soothes Mental Illness
- Study from the University of Melbourne.
- Readers Recommend Songs About Mental Illness
- A blogger's perspective on mental illness and music.
- Music Therapy in Hong Kong
- Across the globe, people are learning how music can help soothe mental illness.
Always On Your Side
This version is performed by students in a talent show, but I think it's every bit as good as the original.
Amazon Spotlight
Touched with Fire: Manic-Depressive Illness and the Artistic Temperament
Amazon Price: $6.47 (as of 06/03/2012)
The author, who knows bipolar disorder from two sides (as a medical doctor and as a patient) explores the premise that mental illness and creativity often go hand in hand.
Through My Eyes
Thanh Bui's "Through My Eyes" invites the listener to see the world through another's eyes.
powered by Youtube
More Mental Health Lenses...
... And a Bit More Music
Spotlight on James Taylor
James Taylor is another well-known artist with a history of depression.
powered by Youtube
Credits
- Treble Clef
- The photograph in the intro is from Salvatore Vuono's photostream on Free Digital Photos.
Still Another Perspective on Mental Illness Through Song
... And Still More Songs!
At the Intersection of Music and Mental Illness...
Thoughts to Share?
-
-
LiteraryMind
Mar 28, 2012 @ 1:10 pm | delete
- I guess at some level I realized that some songs related to mental illness or could be interpreted that way. Never thought of such an in depth correlation as you presented here.
-
-
-
darciefrench
Nov 23, 2010 @ 9:18 pm | delete
- This is a great lens on music as therapy for mental health. Angel blessed and featured on November Blessings under improving mental health.
-
-
-
lisadh
Jun 27, 2010 @ 11:02 pm | delete
- What an absolutely FABULOUS idea for a lens! Very well done. 5*
-
-
-
Alfiesgirl Feb 24, 2010 @ 12:39 am | delete
- Fabulously well thought out lens with some great songs 5*****
-
-
-
LotusMalas Feb 22, 2010 @ 8:17 pm | delete
- This is an incredibly lovely lens. I've listened to almost all these songs and appreciate the bittersweet quality in many of them. A wonderful highlight to this niche of music themes!
-
-
-
mulberry
Feb 2, 2010 @ 8:18 am | delete
- Enjoyed all of the music here. Mental illness is so mistunderstood, I really appreciate your efforts to educate and open minds.
-
-
-
Sibelius
Jan 29, 2010 @ 1:43 pm | delete
- Great idea for a lens, Karen. If you want a more historical figure to add to this page, consider the composer Robert Schumann. He said "When I write songs of love, they turn to songs of sadness. When I write songs of sadness, they turn, for me, to songs of love." I believe he spent the last few years of his life in an asylum as well. Didn't Neil Diamond also go through a period of mental distress?
Very thought-evoking idea for a lens.
-
-
-
mysticmama
Jan 25, 2010 @ 8:22 pm | delete
- Excellent lens about a tough subject...I believe that music is very healing!
Blessed!
-
-
-
_Joan_
Jan 20, 2010 @ 4:38 am | delete
- Another musician with a history of mental illness is James Taylor. I've always thought that his song "Another Grey Morning" was painting a picture of depression (possibly postpartum depression).
-
-
-
GrowWear
Jan 19, 2010 @ 11:22 pm | delete
- I love your choice of mental illness songs. Lenses like this help us overcome the stigma of mental illness. Very creative. Kudos!
-
by KarenTBTEN
Hi. I'm a teacher and a writer. I believe music can be a healing part of many of life's journeys.
- 144 featured lenses
- Winner of 25 trophies!
- Top lens » The Little Prince: Truth in Metaphor
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
Explore related pages
- Struggling to Pass Brain Chemistry Struggling to Pass Brain Chemistry
- Bipolar Disorder Through Music Bipolar Disorder Through Music
- Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified Dissociative Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
- Listening in on Joshua Kadison Listening in on Joshua Kadison
- Anatomy of a Nervous Breakdown Anatomy of a Nervous Breakdown
- Symptoms of BPD Symptoms of BPD
