The narrator’s dad lacks sympathy for the boy, claiming he “never had a lick of sense” this is completely disrespectful to the boy, and minimizes his pain by blaming his suicide on his supposed lack of intelligence. There is a lot of controversy over the exact meaning of this song, but it is evident that Billie Joe’s suicide affects the narrator more than everyone else surrounding her. This song tells the story of a young man who commits suicide by jumping off a bridge in the Deep South. This song is the perfect example of how joking around about committing suicide was perfectly acceptable at this time in the early 1960’s-and suggests that many people didn’t take the issue very seriously. Yet, it’s discussing something as serious as wanting to take one’s own life, and poking fun at it. It’s played on a banjo!!! That’s literally the happiest instrument I can think of. I can’t think of anything funny whatsoever about suicide, and the mood conveyed in this song is happy-go-lucky and carefree. Upon first listening to this song, all I could feel was total anger and disgust. Purposefully comical or not, the way this song is presented demonstrates the lack of sensitivity people at this time may have felt for those who were potentially suicidal. The cheerful mood conveyed in this song is not appropriate for the lyrics involved, and is so ridiculous that I am inclined to think that it’s satirical. Rockabilly music is a collection of blues, country, gospel, and pop sounds, and is in no way suited for a song about committing suicide. Yes, it’s just as disturbing as it sounds. This rockabilly hit combines singing “bop ba ba ba” and “I think I’m gonna kill myself” into one song. The 7 songs in this list demonstrate society’s increasing acceptance of suicide as a legitimate issue, while also proving that there is still an incredible amount of progress to be madeġ. Through looking at the progression of country music since the late 1950’s, some of these changes regarding society’s view on mental health-specifically suicide-are quite shocking. It remains one of the most misunderstood and under-discussed topics in the world today, especially because it is estimated that 1 in 4 Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.Īnd although topics regarding mental health are often difficult to talk about in 2015, the situation has only improved in recent years. Just like any physical ailment, disease, or disorder, mental illness can happen to anyone-often without reason or warning.
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