Final Analysis: Mental Illness Through Alternative Music

    The genre of alternative music is extremely diverse along with its subject matter and tone. This is clearly shown in each of these songs, as they cover a similar issue in entirely different ways and tones. I initially chose Goner as the first song of this analysis because it appears as a typical song about depression. Both sad and angry, plenty of poetic devices are used along with a weak and struggling tone to put listeners in the shoes of someone struggling with depression. I went on to choose Swim because its the complete opposite of Goner. Its use of an extended metaphor of pulsing tides drowning victims to represent depression is the most accurate depiction of depression I’ve come across. However, the song holds an optimistic outlook that the others don’t. These qualities made Swim stand out among other songs covering a similar topic. Finally, I chose Camisado because it’s a song I’ve listened to for years but never quite understood. I knew vaguely of the subject matter being discussed, but I never took the time to break down the song’s devices to further understand the narrative being told. Through further inspection as well as some research on the song’s writer, I was able to break down the story being told. It made me pay more attention to songs I may have in the past just listened to but didn’t further invest in. These three songs cover the same issue in varying ways, because depression is different for most who suffer through it. Some find it easier to tackle while others struggle from day to day, and others are taken as prisoners by it. Each of these songs tell different stories of this mental illness in a way that shows depression’s profound diversity.