That One Sad Song: Ruining Mascara and Emotional Stability Since Forever

Guys, this one is going to be a bit of a talk about music.  So if you're not ready to talk about sad songs... maybe this one isn't for you.

In some ways, I listen to music all day with my job.  I don't have it on all the time (I can't record and listen at the same time, for example), but most of the time.  And sometimes, you hear that song that just... smacks you right in the feels.  Maybe it takes you back to a certain moment in time, or reminds you of a past heartache, or it just caught you at the end of a bad day.

But, Why Do We Cry At Music?

Well, the answer is part emotion, and part sciencey.  That's a word.  It can be thought of in terms of the emotion, and the connection it makes in our brains.

Music, specifically melody, speaks to the same hemisphere of our brain where trauma resides. It also travels at the speed of light. That’s why we can be brought to tears almost instantly by a piece of music.

That makes sense, sure. So basically we all have our own issues.  That's normal. After all, it's a pain reaction, in a way.  Like when you were a kid, and you'd fall and hurt yourself, but you'd kind of wait to see if anyone saw or if an adult thought it was bad, and afterwards, THEN you'd cry.  Your brain decides what's going to bring on the waterworks.

Web MD also has a good point about hormones and how they play into your crying.

Emotional tears contain more stress hormones and natural painkillers than other types of tears. They serve a therapeutic role, also known as “a good cry.” Emotional crying, which tends to make you feel better, may be a part of the healing process.

Part of it, though, is also about the unexpected. A music professor named John Sloboda talked to NPR about this once.  They were talking about Adele's song "Someone Like You", which I'm sure has gotten you at least once.

So when we're listening to music, our brain is constantly trying to guess what comes next.....So when that...is not quite what we expect, it gives you a little bit of an emotional frisson, because it's strange and unexpected.

Surprise is part of it, huh.  I guess that's part of it.  I mean, the song that most recently  made me cry was this (yes, it's my BTS guys again.  This is in English, don't worry).

Now, just for clarity, I can listen to this song in my car without tears, just fine. It's occasionally a struggle.  But when I watch the video, and I've only seen it maybe...ten times? I am a mess every time.  It always starts around 2:10 and by 2:30 I am always, ALWAYS, close to tears.  What kills me is, this isn't even that tragic as music videos go.  I mean, did anyone die?  No.  Well, not in this one anyway.

And looking back on it, the reasons are there just as the experts said.  Or maybe I'm surprised that a song of this emotional maturity and anguish came from... this guy.

The same guy who sang a whole dang song about how much he loves fishing.  If you've never seen it, know that the humor is intentional, it's all very silly but very self aware.

I guess it just means we're all connected with music. And tuna.

What songs make you tear up every time?

Chamchi-ingly  Yours,
Behka