Farewells are a rite of passage in the human condition. Farewells could be to a tangible person, place, or thing, and they could also be to a fleeting moment, a period of time, or an experience. Regardless, if the goodbye is hard, then you know you’re lucky.
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All goodbyes are difficult, don’t get us wrong. However, it seems one of the most mutually difficult goodbyes is the goodbye to youth. Whether it be graduating from college or high school, or entering your 30s, departing from youth is a common human experience. Despite the commonality, it never gets easier leaving youth behind, and if you are finding yourself in this departure, then maybe listen to these three songs for comfort.
“Rivers And Roads” by The Head and The Heart
If you omit the lyrics from The Head and The Heart‘s somberly optimistic single, you are still bound to ponder and possibly even cry. It’s attacking in the most sentimental of ways. When the lyrics come into play, it is a deep analysis of the passing of youth and the separation of friends.
While the song twists the gut and wets the eyes, it does so in a cathartic way, because the message in this song isn’t purely a “goodbye,” it is also a “till next time.” Whether your departure from your younger years is fresh or farther behind you, this song still hits all the emotional notes in all the right places.
“Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac‘s “Landslide” might be the most popular song of all time with such an existentially philosophical message. On this single, Stevie Nicks comes straight for your mind and makes you ask questions about the nature of aging and how you will progress as a person with the past behind you and the future ahead. A daunting question, but a crucial one for a positive goodbye.
No word or notion in this song isn’t honest, and for that reason, Stevie Nicks might have written one of the most personal, introspective songs about youth and aging there is. If you’re up for the test, you should go sit somewhere alone, turn this song on, and reminisce and or calculate your next move.
“When We Were Young” by Adele
Frankly, Adele could make the topic of mac and cheese sound impactful so long as she was singing it. Though she’s clearly more sophisticated, she wrote a touching piece of music about not only the departure from youth, but also about the departure of young love.
The song is heartbreaking, yet as we know, Adele is a master of making heartbreak sound pleasant. This song might particularly discuss a breakup, but it inadvertently discusses the willpower one needs to move on and age with emotional grace. It’s timeless, and always will be.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for AD
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