Meet Sam Fender, an artist you should listen to.
If you’ve never heard of Sam Fender, let me introduce you to him. A musician from North Shields, UK, his music stems from inspiration of Bruce Springsteen and other greats. His original music is a mix of rock, indie and pop with lyrics telling of his experiences about his childhood and his mental health. Thanks to my dad (shoutout), I was recently introduced to Fender’s music and all I want to do is share it with the world.
So, navigate to your Spotify, Apple Music, SoundCloud or whatever it is you listen to music and find Sam Fender as I give you some brief info about each song on his most recent album: Seventeen Going Under.
1. Seventeen Going Under
The lead single on the album and the title track, this song highlights his life at 17 and the struggles of standing up to those standing up against you.
2. Getting Started
The second song of the album takes us to the next stage of Sam’s life. He starts with the line “Eighteen, failed dream.” Here, we find the second story of growing into adulthood.
3. Aye
A song criticizing the upper class and the government working against the working class. A lesson on superiority complexes, the plague of the top 1%.
4. Get You Down
The fourth track on this album focuses on mental health and being led in the wrong direction by your own mind. Detailing poor self esteem, insecurities and negative feelings, this song is for those struggling with themselves.
5. Long Way Off
Another song on current politics, the political divide and how even though it seems our society has progressed, we are still a long way off from where we need to be.
6. Spit Of You
A story about Fender’s relationship with his father and lack of emotional connection with him. A song detailing how a relationship that should be close is actually so distant.
7. Last To Make It Home
The seventh track is a metaphor for the attention we seek from others and how we truly are all just losers at the end of the day.
8. The Leveller
The Leveller is about depression and rising out of it. It’s a fighting song.
9. Mantra
The first lines of this song give you all you need to know: “Please stop trying to impress people who don’t care about you.” A mantra we should all follow, a mantra the world needs to hear.
10. Paradigms
This is one of the most important songs on the album, in my opinion. It is a song detailing that no one should have to feel pain or suffer within themselves.
11. The Dying Light
It is about the feeling of wanting to die. This song depicts a true feeling of depression and what feels like the last thoughts before wanting to take your own life.
12. Better Of Me
This is about somebody you thought you were over coming back in your life.
13. Pretending That You’re Dead
With a title that reflects its purpose, this song discusses the feeling after a relationship that ended dramatically.
14. Angel In Lothian
Named after an area in Scotland, Fender writes about his battle with thoughts of his childhood and what they mean to him.
15. Good Company
A song I relate to a lot, depicting the way we are sometimes good company, and sometimes we aren’t.
16. Alright
“There’s time to put the world to rights. We’re alright, we’re alright.’
17. Poltergeists
The final song on the original album. “This place is full of poltergeists. And tonight, I’ll join them when I die.”
While I only gave you brief sentences for each song, I hope this helps you realize that Sam Fender is someone worth listening to. A master at lyricism, using his music to speak on important topics. Sam Fender is changing music, one song at a time.