Music Review: "Misery" (CD single)
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this single gives a darker take on
the average breakup, with somewhat morbid lyrics like "I am in
misery, there ain't nobody who can comfort me / Why won't you
answer me? Your silence is slowly killing me." The video also
depicts a girl trying to physically hurt a guy by knifing him,
hitting him with a car, and more. That said, the lyrics
themselves are largely free of graphic language, sexual
descriptions, or references to substance use. In the end, the
song itself is acceptable for teens.
- Families can talk about how to handle an especially bad breakup. What are five things you can do to cheer yourself up after your heart's been broken?
- What are five lessons you can learn from a bad breakup that can help you have more successful relationships in the future?
Hot pop band Maroon 5 has released the first single, titled "MISERY," off their third studio album, Hands All Over. The story behind the song involves a guy who's lamenting a painful breakup, giving a somewhat dark and more adult rendition of post-breakup emotions: "I wrote two hundred letters I will never send / Sometimes these cuts are so much deeper than they seem / You’d rather cover up, I’d rather let them bleed ... I am in misery, there ain’t nobody who can comfort me ... The silence is slowly killing me." Despite the melancholic overtone, the lyrics don't include explicit language or graphic descriptions of sex. However, the video is another matter -- showing the band members under various forms of physical attack by an extremely violent woman. Though the song itself is OK for teens, watch out for the video.
" Misery" features the classic sound that's made other Maroon 5 songs famous: bubbly pop beats combined with lead singer Adam Levine's unusually high vocals. While the formula is nothing we haven't heard before, it still results in a catchy enough tune that will appeal to die-hard Maroon 5 fans and anyone who appreciates good, solid pop.
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