Will Adele’s new album renew your faith in modern music? Maybe.
But one thing it certainly will do is leave you with tears in your eyes and respect for the woman who experienced all that emotion firsthand.
Although Adele has stated before that her new album, released on Friday, isn’t a “break-up album” I certainly think that it at least qualifies as a heartbreak album.
With every song, Adele shows us her maturity and ability to turn the most simple and universal ideas into poetry. And her lyrics aren’t only heart-wrenching, they’re educational; speaking from the perspective of a woman who has gone through much (including having a baby and career-threatening vocal problems) all before she has even turned 30 years old. So my conclusion is that as a recent twenty-something, I can learn from the woman whose music speaks so openly and truthfully to her experiences, and turn the tables on my own future.
Here are some of my favorite lines from Adele's new masterpiece "25," and what I think they can teach us about moving on, moving up and breaking down.
1. "Hello from the other side, I must've called a thousand times, To tell you I'm sorry for everything that I've done, But when I call you never seem to be home" -- "Hello"
The Lesson: Trying to make amends with someone who you’ve lost, or even left, is natural, but it doesn’t always leave you with a happy ending. Don’t be afraid to let things end, and say what you need to say, even if there’s no one listening.
2. "I'm scared to death if I let you in that you'll see I'm just a fake." -- "River Lea"
The Lesson: Although this lyric is the most beautiful way to say "I feel alone" that I have ever heard, at its core, "River Lea" is saying that we all feel like a shadow sometimes, and are afraid of people forgetting us.
3. "I know I'm not the only one, Who regrets the things they've done, Sometimes I just feel it's only me, who never became who they thought they'd be" -- "Million Years Ago"
The Lesson: The thoughts of regret and self-doubt that fill this verse are universal. And so are the thoughts of loneliness that surround them. What this teaches us is that obviously, there is someone else out there feeling the same way that we are, and we can find hope in that.
4. "Take your eyes off me so I can leave, I'm far too ashamed to do it with you watching me, This is never ending, we have been here before, But I can't stay this time cause I don't love you anymore" -- "Love In The Dark"
The Lesson: Leaving, whether it be a relationship, friendship, job, or even your major, can be hard, and that’s ok. What’s not ok is pretending to be happy and lying to yourself and others. You’re not just hurting you, you’re hurting everyone around you.
5. "I don't need your honesty, it's already in your eyes and I'm sure my eyes, they speak for me” -- "All I Ask”
The Lesson: This one’s more about being strong than anything else, but speaks to one of the constant themes for this album, which is endings. You know in your heart when something needs to end, and chances are, so does the other person. Respect each others’ feelings and know that they probably feel just as bad as you.
6. “When the world seems so cruel, and your heart makes you feel like a fool, I promise you will see that I will be your remedy” -- “Remedy”
The Lesson: You have people who are on your side, and just as they are there for you, you should be there for them, whenever the heartbreak strikes.
7. "And a part of me keeps holding on, Just in case it hasn’t gone, I guess I still care, Do you still care?” -- "When We Were Young"
The Lesson: Pretty much everyone goes through breakups, and also pretty much everyone feels regret for those breakups. And that’s totally OK. Even Adele wonders if her ex still feels for her, and if there might still be a flame of romance there.
8. Sometimes I feel lonely in the arms of your touch, But I know that’s just me cause nothing ever is enough” -- "River Lea"
The Lesson: Sometimes love just isn’t what you wanted it to be, and sometimes the relationship you wanted just isn’t enough to keep you happy.
9. "If you’re not the one for me, Why do I hate the idea of being free?” -- "Water Under The Bridge”
The Lesson: Another drop of wisdom following 25’s central theme of self-doubts, validating the thought pattern that everyone wanting to get out of a failed relationship goes through before the end.
10. "I want to live, And not just survive” -- "Love In The Dark”
The Lesson: Self-explanatory. But the truth sounds better when Adele is singing it.
