If you’ve lived a day in 2016, you’re most likely more than familiar with the phrase: “EAT, SLEEP, GRIND, REPEAT.” Plastered on t-shirts, screensavers, and office walls, the expression defined the year. A lot of time has passed since, and though its popularity has died down, the sentiment behind it has only further flourished. Hustle culture, defined by working long and hard hours to achieve success, today is at the forefront of American society. “I been on my grind for years / And I’m out here grinding still,” raps Lil Baby on his 2022 track “In a Minute.” Throughout all forms of media, the idea that working relentlessly, at your own expense, is encouraged and even celebrated. What isn’t so acclaimed is the consequence that typically ensues. Burnout. A state of chronic physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. Different people cope in different manners. Solange — American singer, songwriter, and actress — chooses to do so musically. “Cranes in the Sky,” from her critically acclaimed album A Seat at the Table, is a beautiful exploration of exhaustion and the search for relief. The song captures the ways people attempt to escape their grief — through distractions, avoidance, and materialism — only to find the weight of exhaustion remains. Through vulnerable lyrics and melodious production, Solange captures the struggle of battling burnout, while also providing solace for herself and others in a world that often demands constant resilience.
What is Burnout?
Burnout can be defined as a chronic state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion. It’s often difficult to identify, those experiencing it commonly find themselves labeled as lazy or lacking in passion. Dismissive attitudes can make the struggle that much harder. Feelings of hopelessness, despair, and apathy may loom behind every action, turning the life you once loved into a stale, empty shell of its former state. Work-stress, emotional labor, and societal expectations are all common causes of burnout, although it’s not limited to these three things. Whatever the cause, one thing for certain is its destructive nature. Coping can take various forms, including unhealthy ones. Distractions may feel welcome regardless of their efficacy in actually resolving the issue at hand. “Cranes in the Sky” follows Solange as she sings just how destructive this path can be.
Analyzing “Cranes in the Sky”
The track begins with a drum instrumental. The beat is soft and inviting but also melancholic. From the start, the listener is drawn in by the comforting melody which helps build into the the first stanza:
I tried to drink it away
I tried to put one in the air
I tried to dance it away
I tried to change it with my hair
Escapism and avoidance are a central theme throughout the track, and these lines exemplify that idea. Solange begins her journey at a party. Parties are a space where the lines between reality and illusion blur, so it makes perfect sense why Solange would attempt to forget her strife here. Drinking, smoking, and dancing are all cathartic actions that provide out-of-body experiences. Through this, she’s able to dance her night away, avoiding the reality of her mental state and instead trying to avoid the feelings all together. Her sadness doesn’t go away, so she turns towards something different.
I ran my credit card bill up
Thought a new dress make it better
I tried to work it away
But that just made me even sadder
In the second stanza, Solange attempts to drown her sorrows in materialism and consumerism. Retail therapy is a common coping mechanism, and Solange isn’t an exception. “I ran my credit card bill up” exemplifies how our society turns to spending as a means of creating value within our lives. Often, we hold people onto pedestals for it. “I tried to work it away, but that just made me even sadder” can be interpreted in two ways. For one, Solange puts her efforts into the hustle culture I mentioned earlier, pouring her heart into her career to ultimately find herself uninspired due to the constant mental strain work causes. Secondly, the line also considers her identity. A central theme of A Seat at the Table surrounds the experience of Black women in America. For centuries, Black women have been subjected to racist, sexist, and cruel treatment. To this day, communities disgrace the human race with that same bigotry. It was revealed in the past years that Black women are among the most underpaid workers in America, regardless of any qualifications. As such, Solange’s line here takes new meaning. When she attempted to work her sorrows away, she found herself even sadder than before because she realized the treatment she was being subjected to. Having worked twice as hard to be where she is, only to be overshadowed by her white counterparts who haven’t put nearly as much work in. Her identity also ties into the line in the previous stanza, “I tried to change it with my hair”. Her hair changing, which is stated to be closely tied to her Black identity throughout the album, is indicative of adopting a new persona. Possibly one to fit an image others want to see her become.
Well, it’s like cranes in the sky
Sometimes I don’t wanna feel those metal clouds
The chorus serves as a metaphor for Solange’s feelings. In an interview with her sister Beyonce, Solange states “I remember thinking of it as an analogy for my transition — this idea of building up, up, up that was going on in our country at the time, all of this excessive building, and not really dealing with what was in front of us.” The cranes in the sky are a physical manifestation of Solange’s problems. They are omnipresent, never quite leaving her space. Although, it’s here where a transition seems to happen where Solange begins to realize the only way out is through.
I tried to run it away
Thought my head be feeling clearer
I traveled 70 states, thought moving round make me feel better
I tried to let go my lover, thought if I was alone then maybe I could recover
To write it away or cry it away
Solange nears the end of her journey. Her exhaustion reaches its peak as she quite literally tries to run away. By isolating herself, she realizes her loneliness, and how it doesn’t work out the way she intended. Ultimately, she cries it away. She repeats the lines “Away, away, away,” her voice getting higher in pitch each time, almost signifying the struggle flying away. The piano plays in the background with an almost hopeful strum.
A Lesson From Solange
Throughout the track, Solange attempts to numb herself to her exhaustion. Each time, it doesn’t work, not until she’s able to recognize her harmful patterns. Recognizing the importance of intentional healing is integral to alleviating feelings of burnout. It is through this intentional healing that peace will arrive. Burnout is very real, but so is healing.