Songs

5 Top Songs About Direction In Life

Songs about direction in life
Written by Corey Morgan

Songs about direction in life

When you’re in your early twenties, it can seem like everything is up in the air. You might feel like you don’t know what you want to do with your life, or you might feel like there are so many paths open to you that it’s hard to choose just one.

There are so many different ways to express uncertainty about your future and how you plan on getting there. Music is an excellent medium for exploring these feelings and discovering new ways of feeling about them. These songs about the direction in life will help get you thinking, and hopefully, inspire you to figure out where your life is headed…

5 Songs about direction in life

1. “Why” by NF

NF, an American rapper/songwriter, sings “Why,” a song in which he celebrates his immense success while simultaneously questioning its significance. He also questions the truth of widely held beliefs like “success” and the course his life is currently taking.

The music video, which was released on the same day as the single, further emphasizes the song’s themes of the artist’s alienation from popular culture, his pent-up rage, and his sadness.

Some of the song’s verses also reveal the singer’s insecurity. While the song’s hook is happy (its subject is a triumph), its resolution is tragic (confusion).

2. “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi - It's My Life (Official Music Video)

The singer declares his intention to enjoy life to the fullest in this song. In particular, he draws inspiration from people like Frank Sinatra, who isn’t afraid to do things their way. Thus, the idea of asserting one’s individuality is prominent. In addition, the vocalist acknowledges that it will be difficult to take such a stand, in part because of the larger societal problems.

While he acknowledges the challenges he faces, he is committed to “standing tall” in the face of adversity and challenges his listeners to do the same.

The philosophic bent of “It’s My Life” is thus readily apparent. The artist is aware of the finite nature of human life and has decided to take control of the direction his life is going. This seems to be another force that is propelling him forward in the present moment. In general, he is singing this song in honor of individuals who, like himself, have refused to give in to oppression.

So, he implicitly urges such people to continue with their behavior. This is even though he is aware that living in such a way, i.e., with courage and following one’s heart, is difficult in many respects.

3 “A Place In This World,” song by Taylor Swift

A Place in this World

In this song, Taylor Swift confidently expresses the feelings of most young singers who are just starting. She seems to be figuring out who she is, even though she has a clear vision of the kind of life she hopes to lead.

The song depicts a universal stage of development in which a young person has trouble pinpointing her desires. Taylor is being completely authentic by showing that she is working toward an unknown future despite this fact.

As the chorus emphasizes, she thinks she’s on her own, and that makes her resolve to keep going all the more imperative. The encouraging part is that even though she recognizes she may make errors and face challenges, she will not give up.

The second verse features the performer in a more upbeat and happy mood. She doesn’t discount the importance of being careful, but she is confident that she has what she needs to succeed on her trip (hint: it’s her music). This is made abundantly obvious by her use of the word “radio” to express her enthusiasm for the music. At the end of the day, she concedes that she may not know everything right now, but that she can get closer to the truth as she continues to learn and grow.

This is a powerful expression of her desire to find herself and leave an indelible musical mark. It dives into her self-doubt and the potential roadblocks she is aware of as she pursues her goals.

4. “Still Have Me” by Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato - Still Have Me

Demi Lovato’s “Still Have Me” is a heartfelt ballad about the sting of abandonment. Despite everything, the singer is making an effort to find herself and not give up on herself.

There’s an indication that the singer was feeling reflective in the song’s beginning and coda. In the first stanza, she laments that her happiness has been snatched away. Additional details on her frailty are provided in the pre-chorus.

The refrain describes the methods she uses to encourage herself to keep going. She’s trying to convince herself that even if she loses hope, she will never give up on herself because the only person she needs is herself.

In the second verse, she describes how she has lost the ability to enjoy even the happiest of occasions. Then she says she doesn’t give a damn and enjoys being on her own anyway.

After Demi’s engagement with actor Max Ehrich ended, she reportedly created this song as a kind of catharsis. They called off their engagement just two months in.

5. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” song by Green Day’s

Green Day - Boulevard Of Broken Dreams [Official Music Video]

This is a song about being alone. It has been taken both literally and metaphorically, with the latter reading suggesting that it represents a microcosm of the larger concept of the decline of the American Dream.

Billie Joe Armstrong, the song’s primary author, wrote it while “feeling alone” in New York City. And he included it on Green Day’s concept album American Idiot because he thought the song fit perfectly with the album’s overarching themes of detachment and inner struggle.

Or, to put it another way, it’s safe to assume that the narrator is “walking alone” since he’s following his path. Further, he would embark on this adventure because he was attempting to flee what might be summed up as an unfulfilling life.

In addition to his hopes and dreams being “broken,” or not materializing in a way that makes him happy, he also experiences a crushing sense of isolation. That latter point is what Armstrong means when he says that this guy is “fighting (his) own inner demons.”

To put it another way, he would have some sort of character weakness that contributed to his isolation. Moreover, the chorus suggests that this defect is somewhat analogous to shyness, at least in terms of interpersonal interactions. The fictional Jesus of Suburbia, the song’s protagonist, demonstrates how such a trait might emerge when a person is placed in an unfamiliar area.