Romance, Not Love -by Christian

MetelskyRomanticism looks at life with excitement, mystery, and sometimes the darker human emotions. I chose these songs because I feel they best explore the themes of

Transcendentalism and Dark Romanticism. They explore happiness, truth, individuality, anger, darkness and

more. I do not relate to all of these songs, but definitely to some of them.

Nocturnal Rainbows – Hopsin In this song, we explore the feelings of an individual in a time where everyone wants to be something they are not. He discusses doing good deeds and being honest in a time where it’s ‘cool’ to be dishonest and do the wrong thing. He speaks about how being unique and an individual is a good thing, and that doing good things for others is better than doing the “wrong” thing to fit in.

“If you lost your wallet, and I found it, I would not commit to stealing it. If the tables turned, you would pocket it – I’m not a devil, I’m not speaking in tongues. I just wanna touch your heart, I try to reach it in songs. I’m from where a child’s future is on the streets with the bums because it’s hard to become something so unique where I’m from.”

This Is The End (For You My Friend) – Anti FlagPunk rock band Anti-

Flag sings about how individuality is important, but mass media and society tries to tell you otherwise and that society tries to force everyone to fit into a certain image to be deemed acceptable. The song talks about how this is wrong and evil.

“Seems every station on the TVis selling something no one can beIf every page was torn from the magazineWould cash still drive the media machine?The products, damage and pursuit are endlessidentity can leave you selfless”

Fireflies – Owl City

In this song, we simply explore the fascination of a man who wakes up to see thousands of fireflies. He is amazed by this, and just wants to stare and observe them. He is amazed by the beauty of them, and feels as though others would not understand his fascination with them.

“You would not believe your eyesIf ten million firefliesLit up the world as I fell asleep'Cause they'd fill the open airAnd leave tear drops everywhereYou'd think me rudeBut I would just stand and stare”

Ramble On- Led ZeppelinIn this song, we hear from a man who is traveling the world in search of love and a purpose, all while enjoying the beauty of nature around him during his journey. He enjoys the adventure and the nature around him. There is also a direct reference to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings at the end, where the plan to find love failed as Gollum kidnapped the damsel in distress.

“Leaves are falling all around, it’s time I was on my way. Thanks to you, I’m much obliged for such a pleasant stay. But now it’s time to go, the autumn moon lights my way. Ramble On, And now's the time, the time is now, to sing my song. I'm goin' 'round the world, I got to find my girl, on my way. I've been this way ten years to the day, Ramble On, Gotta find the queen of all my dreams. -- Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear. How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air. T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair. But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her....yeah.

Do It Now, Remember It Later – Sleeping With Sirens

Here, we see a perfect example of intuition over reason. This song talks about not listening when someone tells you that you shouldn’t do something. Just do it, don’t think about it. Make the memory. You’ll have something to look back on, no matter what it is.

“We’ll stare straight faced, don’t hesitate - Thank God I got this chance, now I can say, so now we’ll say we’re gonna do what we want remember when they said that what we want can never be doneWhen it all comes falling downWe'll do what we want toSaid we'll do what we want toYeah, yeah, yeah”

Cupid’s Chokehold – Gym Class Heroes

This is a light hearted song about “falling in love” with different people on a regular basis, much to the chagrin of the singer’s parents. He is definitely ignoring reason and following his intuition, as he is jumping in and out of relationships as well as falling in love for silly and ridiculous reasons.

“It's been some time since we last spokeThis is gonna sound like a bad jokeBut momma I fell in love againIt's safe to say I have a new girlfriend - I mean she even cooks me pancakesAnd Alka Seltzer when my tummy achesIf that ain't love then I don't know what love isWe even got a secret handshakeAnd she loves the music that my band makesI know I'm young but if I had to choose her or the sunI'd be one nocturnal son of a gun”

Happy? – Mudvayne This song takes a darker turn. We explore the darker side of human emotions. A man who feels lonely is being put down and hurt, and he asks the person who is doing this to him “does it make you happy?” I feel as though people who have been bullied or treated badly could identify with this song. Many people who are hurt or put down by others without reason wonder why it gives them the pleasure it does. It talks about how the hurt, the insults and the attacks make the victim feel. Alone, abandoned, sad and lifeless.

“I feel into me, so overwhelmedAll this pressures sent arisingMy life overturned, unfair the despairAll these scars keep ripping openPeel me, from the skinTear me, from the rindDoes it make you happy now?Tear me, from the boneTear me, from myselfAre you feeling happy now?In this hole, that is meA life that's growing feebleIn this hole, so limitingThe sun that's settle darkens”

Coming Undone – Korn This song talks, in depth, about the singer’s depression and suicidal thoughts. It shows the thoughts that go through the mind of a man who wants to kill himself. That death is the only escape he knows. We see from a first person perspective that the singer has felt nothing but sadness since childhood. That since he was a child he “tasted sorrow on his tongue”. He refers to his suicidal thoughts as “the black thoughts”. This is a scary and in depth look at what goes through one’s mind when contemplating suicide.

“Keep holding onWhen my brain's tickin' like a bombGuess the black thoughts have come Again to get meSweet bitter wordsUnlike nothing I have heardSing along mocking birdYou don't affect me - Choke choke againI thought my demons were my friendsGetting me in the endThey're out to get meSince I was youngI've tasted sorrow on my tongueAnd this sweet sugar gunDoes not protect me”

Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked – Cage The Elephant

This song is a story about a man who, while going about his day, sees the evil in the world in many ways and comes to terms with the fact that it must exist. He sees this through his discussion with a criminal, and towards the end he makes peace with this newfound knowledge.

“She said oh, there ain't no rest for the wickedMoney don't grow on treesI got bills to payI got mouths to feedAnd ain't nothing in this world for freeNo, I can't slow downI can't hold backThough you know I wish I couldOh, no, there ain't no rest for the wickedUntil we close our eyes for good – I saw a preacher man in cuffsHe'd taken money from the churchHe'd stuffed his bank account with righteous dollar billsBut even still I can't say muchBecause I know we're all the sameOh, yes we all seek out to satisfy those thrills”

For All Have Sinned – Impending Doom

Christian death core band Impending Doom uses a fire and brimstone style of singing/preaching about how we are all sinners and repentance is the only way to salvation. While this shows how humans are prone to sin, it also displays the dark romantic theme that the divine is real but threatening. It is a very fear inducing song and very fitting for it’s genre and for dark romanticism.

“Violators be damned for your desecration proud, blasphemers your wickedness will not go unpunished, for he crushes his oppressors and embraces his righteous – But I am a good person, oh no we're not!Evil men walk in heaven through repentance, good men sizzle through ignorance.Do not talk down on what you don't know, or there will be hell to pay.For he crushes his oppressors.”