Kelly Clarkson
Album: Breakaway
Song: Since U Been Gone
Reviewed by: Krystal Burns
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Band
Kelly Clarkson was a cocktail waitress in Texas, when the first season of American Idol rolled into town. She had always dreamed of making it big in the music business and had actually moved to LA to try to start a career, but had to move back home when her apartment burned down. America, with the possible exception of the other American Idol contestants, was thrilled when she won first place. Her 2003 debut album, Thankful, went over well, but still left audiences wondering if she could emerge from the American Idol shadow to become a musician in her own right.
The Music
Kelly’s sophomore album, Breakaway, released November 30, 2004, is a much stronger musical statement than her debut. This time she brings a youthful maturity which appeals to a broader audience. The sound is more rock than pop, and the lyrics edgier. The title track “Breakaway,” first released as a single, was actually written by Avril Lavinge. Ben Moody and David Hodges of Evanescence were recruited to help write and produce the album. Most songs on the album are about the struggles and disappointments in relationships, “You Found Me” is one of the few positive songs. “Because of You” and “Beautiful Disaster” use mild language, and “Addicted” compares love to a drug or demon.
The Song
Oh, the clarity that comes with hindsight! “Since U Been Gone” is basically about a girl moving on after a break up. She’s relieved to be free of the relationship, and in retrospect can point to all the red flags hinting at the disappointment sure to come.
“Here’s the thing,” she sings, “we started out friends/ It was cool, but it was all pretend.” As it turns out, the boy she was so hopeful about didn’t genuinely feel the same way about her. “I even fell for that stupid love song…How come I’d never hear you say, ‘I just wanna be with you’…”
This girl is not one to wallow in self pity. “But since you been gone/ I can breathe for the first time/ I’m so moving on . . . Thanks to you, now I get what I want.” But there is still a lot of angst in song, as the last verse makes clear. “Out of sight, out of mind/ Shut your mouth I just can’t take it/ Again, and again, and again, and AGAIN!!!!!...”
While this certainly isn’t a bad song in the sense that has strong language or explicit lyrics, I wouldn’t say it’s a positive song either. It’s a girl venting about a breakup. Of course, it’s natural to be upset and feel betrayed when you’ve been lied to or deceived by someone you care about. And in many ways, breaking ties with the person who hurt you is very freeing. Our gut reaction when we’ve been hurt is often something hinted at in the song—a sort of in-your-face confrontation and see-how-okay-I-am-without-you attitude. It’s easy to lash out in anger—in case you have any doubt that this is an emotionally charged, angry out burst, just watch her tear up her apartment in the video.
Anger in and of itself is not a sin (Psalm 4:4). However, it takes a lot of maturity and self-control not to fall into sin when we are angry. Too often we are angry for selfish reasons and allow those emotions to take root in our hearts. The Bible says, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold . . . Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:26-32).
It’s tempting to let our emotions get the best of us when we’ve been offended by someone else. Ask God to help you forgive that person and show Christ’s love to him/her. Do the emotions expressed in “Since U Been Gone” have a place? Maybe. Just don’t put the song on repeat.
So What Do You Think?
1. Can you spot the grammar mistake in the title?
2. Of all the American Idol winners, who do you think has the best chance
of a lasting career?
3. Kelly’s second album is a lot different than the first. Do you
think artists should stick with one genre or is it okay to experiment
around?
4. What are good reasons to get angry? (Hint: think of the kind of things
that made Jesus upset) What are some bad reasons to get angry? (Hint:
think of selfish motives)
5. If you have a good reason to be angry, how can you keep from sinning
in your anger?