Sober

Best American Idol Winner Ever

Sober by Kelly Clarkson

Recommended by Gina

"You know I'm Kelly's obsessed #1 fan and EVERYONE should go see her perform. This has always stuck out as one of my favorite Kelly songs ever. This came from one her most emotionally raw albums, and you can feel it in this ballad. The build-up is haunting, and it really starts around the 3:00 mark of the song. I dare you not to feel it when you listen to it."

Yo, I would love to go see her perform. Hit me up next time she's in town.

I embedded a live performance because she doesn't have a music video for this song, and I'm glad that's the case. She gives the song a little intro and says that the entire thing was based on a single line: Pick the weeds and keep the flowers.

I like the simplicity of Kelly's voice paired with just an acoustic guitar. (Although, let's be real, you can't really call these vocals simple. When she starts belting it out? Nice.) It sounds great, and it drives home the message of shedding everything that's extra.

Of course, that's easier said than done. It's hard to let go of people who have been an important part of your life, even if you know the relationship isn't healthy for either of you anymore. You just keep remembering what you used to have. The song opens with this could break my heart or save me, but I argue that it's bound to do both.

Did you know dandelions are weeds?

I'm about to take this metaphor too far, but listen...that's how it is. Dandelions are pretty and golden, and they actually do a lot of great things. They add minerals and nitrogen to the soil. They attract pollinators.

...But they can also cause allergic reactions. They can irritate the skin. They've been known to infest fields and cause major problems with crops.

Likewise, I think most relationships have a lot of good qualities. But you have to be able to get to the root of it and decide whether the good still outweighs the bad.

Overview:

Genre:
Pop Rock / Alt Rock

Favorite Lyrics:
Picked all my weeds and kept the flowers. Obviously.

I could crash and burn, but maybe
At the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me.

Verdict:
This is a flower.