I’m convinced that 99.5% of Amy Winehouse‘s lyrical content is about some misfortune, regret, or pain. There are tons of underrated Winehouse songs I’d like to feature on the blog, because musically they’re awesome, but they’re all so darn depressing! Don’t believe me? Listen to the (amazing) Back to Black album- none of them were cheery songs. Nothing but Addiction, Denial, Tons of Heartache, Regret, and Lonliness…and the only fun song on the album (“Me & Mr. Jones”) was about Disappointment!
So you can imagine how surprised I was today when I listened to the under-the-radar tune “Brother.”
Absent were the forlorn tales of bitterness, misbehavior, and misfortune that brought Winehouse to heightened fame: for the first time I’m listening to a musician with wisdom and a wholesome message. The throwback, neosoul-tinged track has a structure much like The Roots’ musical ode to then codeine-abusing member Malik B called “Water”in 2002′s Phrenology. Winehouse gently but firmly admonishes a loved one (her actual older brother Continue reading
