Soundtrack of My Life

"Youth" by Daughter

"Youth" by Daughter

Shadows settle on the place that you left
Our minds are troubled by the emptiness
Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time
From the perfect start to the finish line

And if you're still breathing, you're the lucky ones
'Cause most of us are heaving through corrupted lungs
Setting fire to our insides for fun
Collecting names of the lovers that went wrong
The lovers that went wrong

We are the reckless, we are the wild youth
Chasing visions of our futures
One day we'll reveal the truth
That one will die before he gets there

And if you're still bleeding, you're the lucky ones
'Cause most of our feelings, they are dead and they are gone
We're setting fire to our insides for fun
Collecting pictures from a flood that wrecked our home
It was a flood that wrecked this home

And you caused it
And you caused it
And you caused it

Well, I've lost it all, I'm just a silhouette
I'm a lifeless face that you'll soon forget
My eyes are damp from the words you left
Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest
Ringing in my head, when you broke my chest

And if you're in love, then you are the lucky one
'Cause most of us are bitter over someone
Setting fire to our insides for fun
To distract our hearts from ever missing them
But I'm forever missing him

And you caused it
And you caused it
And you caused it

Here is a beautiful dance routine set to a beautiful song with beautiful lyrics. It was choreographed by Bonnie Su, who did a great job of capturing the energy and angst of "youth" in the movements. The way the dancers seemingly spontaneously break off into groups and then all come back together creates a really cool effect. The choreography really ties in with the song's meaning and captures the essence of the music.

The interruption and incorporation of the phones was an interesting addition. It's a highly recognizable and salient sound that causes an automatic reaction in most people. It seems that Bonnie meant this as a commentary on technology and phones taking control of people's lives. Although I don't really think that's what the song was originally about, it is an interesting take on it. At face value, the lyrics seem to mostly be about the end of a relationship (or multiple relationships). "Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time / From the perfect start to the finish line." I've definitely felt that way before.

There's also-- as the title would suggest-- an undercurrent of "youth" and a look at the perspectives and struggles of the younger generation. I see references to a nihilistic generation who don't see a future at all; Who don't believe they will even live to see it because of the state the world is in. I see references to vaping ("Setting fire to our insides for fun"), social media, intense pressure and general anxiety, fears about climate change ("It was a flood that wrecked this home / and you caused it"), modern dating, social isolation, a lot of issues that the youth are grappling with.

Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's the feeling I get. And that's the beauty about art, everyone will interpret it through their own personal lens and take their own meaning from it.

Anni