Song Lyrics and Mental Illness
88 unread replies.88 replies.
Hello everyone,
I know we haven’t begin our readings and discussions yet, but here is an opportunity to start thinking about the ways in which media send messages about mental illness.
For this first discussion, please identify a song (any genre, any time period) that incorporates themes or vocabulary related to mental illness. (think about Mad, Mad World, for example?). You won’t be surprised to see that there are MANY!
For the song you chose, what do you think about:
1) What is the mental illness or symptom you found in the lyrics? How is this symptom demonstrated?
2) Who is the most likely target audience of the music you selected? (e.g., age, gender, reference group; e.g., fans of Hip Hop as opposed to those who favor Frank Sinatra)
3) What do the lyrics tell the listener about the mental illness or the symptoms?
4) How does the the “image” or personal characteristics of the artist contribute to the meaning or impact of the message?
I think it is in my blood by Shawn Mendes can be a good fit.