Sickbeats - Pining Edition Pt 1

Written By: Darius Chen (22-E4), Elina Ong (23-E3), Eris Kek (22-I6), Hannah Lai (23-E1), Hannah Phua (23-O4), Shervonn Tan (23-E6), Tan Zhi Shan (23-I1)

Designed By: Darius Chen (22-E4), Elina Ong (23-E3), Eris Kek (22-I6), Hannah Lai (23-E1), Hannah Phua (23-O4), Shervonn Tan (23-E6), Tan Zhi Shan (23-I1)

Introduction

To pine for, is to miss or long for something or someone. This has been a hot topic among songwriters throughout time. The theme of pining for someone is often seen in many songs, highlighting the significance of longing in life. That’s why we have made a playlist (consisting of 2 parts!) for you when you pine.

Sukidakara 好きだから (translated: Because I Loved You), written by Japanese artist Yuika, tells the story of a pair of classmates who pine for each other. The song is written from the POV of both the girl and the boy, expressing their thoughts and emotions (“I want to see you on weekends / And fall asleep on the phone with you”). Despite the song being in a foreign language, the melody of the song and Yuika’s singing transcends the language barrier and perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet feeling of pining for someone. There is even a duet and piano version (personally, my favourite is the piano version as it adds to the emotion).

People Watching by Conan Gray has a very melancholic and longing melody that, when paired with the lyrics of the song, paints the picture of someone seeing their friend in a relationship and yearns for the same (“I’m only looking just to live through you vicariously”). Conan Gray’s lyrics portray the desperation one feels to find someone, especially in the line “But I wanna feel all that love and emotion”. It is a song that just screams “pining”. 

Released in 1998, Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls is a familiar tune to many. The first indication of the great lengths and sacrifices the persona would go through just to have their feelings reciprocated lie in the first line of the song, “And I’d give up forever to touch you”. If that wasn’t already a clear enough indication of it being a song about pining, the repetition of the lyrics “I just want you to know who I am”, suggests the desperation for the other party to simply recognise the persona, as he reduces his expectations. It stands out greatly to me as it is relatable to those who have/are pining for someone. While we hope for our feelings to be reciprocated, it may not necessarily happen, and we eventually have to come to a compromise of getting them to just recognise who we are. 

UP ALL NIGHT by N.Flying, a South Korean rap rock band, is a must-listen song for all the desperate singles who are searching for some affection. This song differs from their usual upbeat, fun-loving style, taking on a more melodramatic and pining tone. The lyrics “I can't sleep at the thought of you who left“ detail the all too familiar process of trying to get over a crush, although one’s mind is constantly plagued by thoughts of them. The juxtaposition between the up-beat drum instrumental and the painful lyrics reminds us about the beauty of puppy love, despite how painful the pining period can be.

Enchanted by Taylor Swift revolves around the intense infatuation and connection that is felt upon meeting a mystery person. It conveys feelings of strong yearning and how enamoured one feels upon meeting their love interest. (“I’m captivated by you”) The title itself already elucidates the strong desire and fascination she has with the love interest. Yet, this feeling may not necessarily be returned as she continually repeats the lines “please don’t be in love with someone else”, as though pleading her love interest not to hurt her by leaving her for someone else. Overall, this song encapsulates the feelings felt when one pines for someone else who may not reciprocate their feelings. 

Come Back...Be Here from the album Red is the classic pining song. With multiple repetitions of the lyric, "I don't wanna miss you like this; Come back, be here, come back, be here", the song expresses Swift's endless desire for her to be together with her loved one, especially since they are physically separated in two countries, as mentioned in the song. The melancholic melody also adds to the overall vibe of dearly missing one’s loved one, particularly in the bridge where even more emotions of pining for someone come in. If you are missing someone who may not be next to you or someone you have not seen for a long time, this song is for you.

You know the movie. You’ve heard the song. You’ve most definitely heard the broken recorder version. Almost synonymous with the movie Titanic, Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On is about loving someone even after their passing, so much so they see their beloved in their dreams. Very fitting if you know how the movie ends. It speaks of the undying love that the persona has, and how it overpowers the fear and despair she feels moving forward. Losing someone we love could feel like the end of the world, but we can choose to walk the path of recovery and make peace with our loss. My Heart Will Go On is a song full of emotion and longing, tinged with optimism and healing, that fits right in with the theme of “Pining”.