Shortlings

Meaning of Growing Sideways - Noah Kahan

EN - FR - DE
EN - FR - DE
The human experience is a complex tapestry of emotions, memories, and experiences. Noah Kahan's song "Growing Sideways" captures the intricacies of emotional growth in a poignant and relatable way. The lyrics describe the speaker's journey towards healing and self-discovery, using metaphors of medication, trauma, anger, and forgetfulness.

In the song, Kahan paints a picture of someone taking their medication to pour out their trauma, arguing with a middle-aged man about religion, and dividing up their anger into thirty parts. These actions are attempts to confront past wounds and find some semblance of peace. Yet, the speaker acknowledges that they still carry anger towards their own parents for their parents' actions. This recognition is a step towards healing, but the speaker also admits to ignoring things and moving sideways to forget what they felt in the first place.

The overarching themes of "Growing Sideways" are emotional healing, self-discovery, and acceptance. The lyrics reveal a sense of fear of the past and uncertainty about the future, but also a determination to keep moving forward. Kahan uses the metaphor of sideways growth to illustrate how people cope with pain by ignoring it or forgetting about it, in order to survive.

The lyrics of "Growing Sideways" offer a glimpse into the complexities of emotional healing and self-discovery. The speaker's actions indicate a willingness to confront past traumas, but also an inability or unwillingness to fully process and move on from them. This ambiguity creates a sense of tension and uncertainty, reflecting the reality that emotional growth is a messy and often nonlinear process.

The song's themes resonate deeply with many listeners due to their universality. We have all experienced pain and trauma in our lives, and we have all found ways to cope with it, even if those coping mechanisms are not always healthy. The lyrics invite us to reflect on our own emotional journeys and the ways in which we have grown or remained stagnant.

The poetic brilliance of "Growing Sideways" lies in its use of vivid imagery and relatable metaphors to explore complex emotions. The references to medication, trauma, anger, and forgetfulness are common experiences that many people can relate to. The use of the metaphor of sideways growth adds a unique twist to the narrative, highlighting the ways in which people cope with pain by ignoring it or forgetting about it.

In conclusion, Noah Kahan's song "Growing Sideways" offers a poignant and relatable exploration of emotional healing and self-discovery. The lyrics invite us to reflect on our own emotional journeys and the ways in which we have grown or remained stagnant. Through its use of vivid imagery, relatable metaphors, and poetic brilliance, "Growing Sideways" captures the complexities of emotional growth in a way that resonates deeply with listeners.

Trending NOW