Wake Me Up

I Swear We Were Infinite

Wake Me Up by Avicii

Recommended by Ciera D.

"I realize it's old and a pseudo pop culture phenomenon, but this song immediately spoke to me because of the lyrics - in particular, the lyric all this time I was finding myself, and I didn't know I was lost. The music is upbeat, and it's a catchy song, but when I listened to the lyrics I felt it told an important story of self-discovery by someone who realizes after a long time that they can't do everything on their own, and when they tried, they lost themselves.

I personally identify with the song because in my life I've also tried carrying the weight of the world and only recently discovered that I, too, only have to hands. This song helped me realize what was wrong with me and why I was feeling so angry during a trying time in y life. It's like after listening to this song, it all made sense. That line [mentioned above] that really resonated with me was actually so impactful in my life that it's my next tattoo idea, so I can look at it and remember."

Hey, Ci, beautiful explanation of why this song is special to you! I adore all of the lyrics you cited. In fact, upon rediscovering this song, I adore all of the lyrics in this entire song. When I listened to it a couple of years ago, I was focused on the catchy melody of the chorus and repetitive broken chords in the background.

Listening again now, I still like all of that, but I'm also able to see the song through your eyes and appreciate the lyrics more than I did last time.

At first I thought it was really interesting how this song says, wake me up when it's all over - when I'm wiser and I'm older because that's just such a contrast from the typical "live in the moment" motifs that you hear all the time in pop music. It's usually like, "Turn up! They say kids are dumb, but really old people have just forgotten how to have fun! Live while we're young, ayyy!" and this guy is like, "Yo, I hate being 20. I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Wake me up when I have my life together."

On the other hand, it's kind of tongue-in-cheek. He deliberately quotes all of the bits of advice and "wisdom" that young people hear all the time just to prove how contradictory they are and how impossible it is to do the "right thing."

It's like...

They tell me I'm too young to understand and that I won't understand until I'm wiser and I'm older.

But also, life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes.

It's a cross between Search your feelings, you know it to be true! and You know nothing, Jon Snow.

AKA: "These are the best years of your life, so enjoy them. But also you don't get it."

Being young honestly does feel like a bunch of contradictions. You want to feel like you're in control, but you also just want to let loose before you enter "the real world." You want to be independent, but you don't want to give up the safety of home.

My favorite line is I wish that I could stay forever this young, not afraid to close my eyes.

This is the ultimate contradiction for me. Everyone is telling you to enjoy everyday of being young because it doesn't last forever...but the whole reason it's awesome is because it DOES feel like it's going to last forever. You're not worried about the future. You don't worry about that until you're old.

When you reach back towards your youth, you're not usually reaching for specific events. You're reaching for a time when "tomorrow" felt like a certainty.

P.S. I'm so glad you still love the song even though it's "a pseudo pop culture phenomenon." I find it so sad when people subscribe to the hipster ideology that something is only worth liking if you're the only person on the planet who knows about it. What's wrong with sharing something beautiful?

Overview:

Genre:
Soul / Folktronica (my new favorite genre title ever)

Favorite Lyrics:
Feeling my way through the darkness,
guided by a beating heart.

Life's a game made for everyone,
and love is the prize.

Hope I get a chance to travel the world,
but I don't have any plans.

Verdict:
Wake me up before it's over!