"Happy Returns" - Steven Wilson REACTION
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- Опубліковано 16 січ 2025
- Mind of Metal is an effort to spread awareness about mental illness. Part of this effort is made by analyzing songs based on mental illness. Be part of the movement and feel free to share and discuss!
The first time I heard this song, after listening to the entire masterpiece that is Hand. Cannot. Erase, I could not hold the tears back. A grown man, this never EVER happened to me. Steven Wilson managed to do something incredible, and I'm forever grateful his music exists!
This whole album is just a total masterpiece. I love every minute of it from start to finish. To me this song is incredibly emotional. I also interpret the lyrics on this song as a letter, perhaps found in her appartment after they have discovered the body. The line "I feel I'm falling once again, but now there's no one left to catch me" gets to me every time. I can really relate to it, as when I have been going through my rough times, that's the way I've been feeling. The thing is though, that often people are wrong. There ARE someone around to catch you if you just let them know what you go through, but as it is kinda taboo to a certain extent to admit problems (keeping up appearances...) many people keep their problems to themselves. Or there may be fear that people wont understand you, or even believe you. Whatever the reason, the person this album is about, kept her problems to herself, and as you point out really wanted the reach out, but for some reason never did. Perhaps for the reasons I mentioned...fear of not being taken seriously or understood. I think this letter could actually be a suicide letter, or an attempt at one. The line "I'm feeling kind of drowsy now...etc) could indicate that the character has taken sleeping pills or some drug and is now feeling the effect of it. An interesting point of speculation then becomes what came first...her mental problems, or a drug/addiction problem. The lyrics doesn't give an answer to that, and Steven Wilson has told on several occasions that the ambiguity is intentional, and that he knows what HE intended, but he wants the listeners to interpret the lyrics on their own, to give them their own meaning so to speak.
The beauty of the melody, and the strange upbeat feeling of the music itself, is a really interesting contrast to the lyrics. There are many ways to interpret this. One is that even through the gloom, there is always hope. But it could also be to subtly tell that the character of the album somehow has finally found her peace of mind, and that this is reflected in the fact that she tries to reach out to her brother.
Beautifully written per usual my friend.
Today this was my tune. Listened 10 times. Cried 9 times. Hope everyone is doing better today xx
This has always been my favorite song off the album for the emotion it brings with it. Beautifully crafted by Steven. Loving the spreading of mental illness on the channel as well. It's been a huge part of my life with my mom and my current fiance. It's terrible to have a mental illness and most people do not know how to deal with others who have one. The range of symptoms is massive and it scares most people away. Once you have taken the time to learn about it though it helps immensely in helping others cope and get through. Keep doing this man. Love it!
So glad that people are making excellent music like this in the age of the mediocre.
I bought the album back when it came out. The line my mind latched onto in that song was "I feel im living in parentheses". that basically nails my life experience in the last 5 years. Its as if this whole thing im living through does not count, and my actual life happens somewhere else, to someone else.
The backstory of this song is a really saddening one. The woman in question apparently was successful professionally and had a wide social circle, and yet nobody took notice/cared that she had passed away. Speaks volumes about the disconnect that there can be between one's inner life and the facade they put up everyday, and also about the extent we can go to keep up appearances until the breaking point.
They found the gifts that she had intention to send to her nephews and nieces. But she died before she could send them. Steven describes very well her last moments.
That's why the line "but I'm feeling kind of drowsy now, so I'll finish this tomorrow" hits so hard, specially with family members who have passed away too soon. Steven Wilson's music has always fucked me up.
This guy was the producer of some of the best opeth albums, and also they made albums together
This album deserves a reaction of the 8 tracks that compose it. It's probably Steven Wilson's best album (well, from the emotional Routine you already did reaction)
Nah, Raven is the best one.
I love how he references time passing like trains but they dont slow down. A throwback to his song "trains" during his porcupine tree days.
Kind of reminds me if heart attack in a layby too cause she is writing her brother trying to reconnect with no clue she is about to die just like in heart attack in a layby where he is dying but doesnt realize it and is imaging going home and his wife being happy to see him a reunion, like this one, that will never occur.
For me this song is the most grief one of Steven's work, it shows so precisely but emotionally how a person was beaten and abandoned by life. Love your reaction, nice pick.
Steven Wilson is without any doubt someone who knows how to make music, as a musician and a lyricist. Can't wait to see him this June in Italy!
Dark Charade - Rishloo next? It would be great!
Dear God Beau. It's been a while and I'm sorry for being such a lazy bastard and not commenting, but I have to say you are so great at this. Reaction videos are nice, because you get to experience someone else's impression of the stuff you like, and that's always kinda fun. But you give so much more than every other "reactor" out there. Such in depth analyses every single time, and with no cuts to think. My god, you have a talent for this. And the way you immerse yourself in the music... I'm happy you're doing this. If only there was like an academy award for best reaction video. I have huge respect for your craft.
I haven't listened to this album yet, time to change that. Excellent dialogue as always, Beau.
Thank you, Matt! Give it a whirl!
It's definitely worth listening to from start to finish a couple of times.
I really like your reactions to the music you have been reviewing. For the most part, it is some of my very favorite music, and your reactions are not only authentic, but they mirror those of my own. So, thank you!
Steven Wilson has a thing for the sound of trains and uses them frequently.
Since you are on a Steven Wilson/PTree kind of vibe, take a look at some of John Wesley's solo stuff. Particularly his album Disconnect. Very moving. As you know, John toured with PTree for years.
ascendant here on is the true masterpiece of this album
When he mentions Trains it makes think of the song Trains by Porcupine Tree.
Definitely crossed my mind!
Steven Wilson IS the man behind Porcupine Tree.
Que buena canción.
Muy!
I've never really heard much of his solo stuff, but have always thought of him as a master in the studio. He produced some of my favorite tracks by Opeth. He has a very good mind/ear for music and I thoroughly enjoyed this piece. I'll have to check out more of his stuff. Hopefully things are going good your way...
“I’m feeling kinda drowsy now, so I’ll finish this tomorrow.” Tomorrow never came.
Wow what a beautiful song
Man that's a great song. I'm totally getting pink Floyd vibes from that and I love it. And that's one fucked up story, that's one of the saddest things I've ever heard. But I'm diggin what you're doin with the channel now. Keep it up.
Whole Album is a masterpiece of Progressive Rock writing.
John Doe A huge masterpiece indeed
Awesome song. I'm a casual fan of Porcupine Tree and haven't heard much of Steve's solo work. I'll have to remedy that. I was recommending Angry Chair before, but I think Frogs by Alice in Chains fits this series better. It might be my favorite song of all time for its ability to really put you into Layne Staleys head when he finally realized that his addiction and depression would be the end of him. I think it would help people to understand what its like to live with mental illness. Anyway, great vid as usual Beau, keep it up!
Please listen to Song of Unborn by Steven Wilson. It's a letter to an unborn child about the problems waiting for them. Very sad. Ultimately though there is hope at the end of the song. Really great song especially for addressing an otherwise depressing theme
that was kinda relaxing musically speaking, that was a nice one.
You are a good man Beau
You do understand that you must listen to the whole 2nd CD of degrees of inner turbulence how huh. That album is basically all about mental illness :) (allthough I wouldn't classify autism to be one all the time).
Gonna do a livestream on that bad boy
Beau Cardwell let us know when!!
I think you should do a full album play through, but then again I'm biased...(and also include 4&1/2 with it....sort of outtakes of HCE)
The tragic lies in the last line of the letter:" I'm feeling kind of drousy now, guess I'll finish this tomorrow." But she never had the chance to finish it. She died and was found weeks or even months later.
Great song, Hank Scorpio
don't remember which hacride song I suggested back when you announced the project, so just in case : To Walk Among them - Hacride
Thank you my friend!
Haken - Deathless
React Steven Wilson - Refuge, PLEASE!!!!!
I think I'd rather die alone and have nobody miss me. The only person I care about chose to leave me anyway, so...
Please reach out to me via email if you would like to talk beaureallylistens@gmail.com
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Hey, ich gehe bei deinem Namen mal von deutsch-sprachigem Hintergrund aus: Dein Kommentar stimmt echt traurig, ich hoffe, Beau kann dir irgendeine Art von Hilfe anbieten...? Trennungsschmerz ist immer schlimm, klingt aber mit der Zeit ab... Ich drück die Daumen und wünsch dir von Herzen das Beste.
Thank you for kind words, guys. Now I feel a little embarassed :)
Keep you chin up friend