Music Monday!
Music can be a great source of comfort and inspiration when you’re feeling down.
Today’s song is: “Going Through the Motions” from Once More With Feeling, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer musical episode.
Listen to the song here:
Lyrics:
“Every single night, the same arrangement,
I go out and fight the fight.
Still I always feel this strange estrangement,
Nothing here is real, nothing here is right.
I’ve been making shows of trading blows,
Just hoping no one knows,
That I’ve been going through the motions,
Walking though the part,
Nothing seems to penetrate my heart.
I was always brave and kind of righteous,
Now I find I’m wavering.
Crawl out of your grave, you find this fight
Just doesn’t mean a thing
(Henchman) She ain’t got that swing.
(Buffy) -pause- Thanks for noticing.
(Demon & Henchmen) She is pretty well with fiends from Hell
But lately we can tell
That she’s just going through the motions
Faking it somehow.
(Demon) She’s not even half the girl she…owww!
(Buffy) Will I stay this way forever?
Sleepwalk through my life’s endeavor?
(Handsome Young Man) How can I repay…?
(Buffy) Whatever!
I don’t want to be
Going through the motions,
Losing all my drive.
I can’t even see,
If this is really me,
And I just wanna be alive.”
Why this song’s so cool: At this point in Buffy’s story line, Buffy is really struggling to readjust to ‘normalcy,’ cause… you know… she DIED. Also, when she was dead, she was in some version of heaven. Her friends brought her back to life because they thought she was trapped in a horrible hell dimension, but in all actuality, she was safe and at peace. It’s just a very fun song that packs an emotional punch. It’s a great way to visualize the feelings of depression as something more tangible, even if it is fantasy-based.
Why this song’s helpful: Buffy’s feelings are so applicable to someone struggling with depression.
Season six is probably Buffy’s darkest season. And this makes her especially relevant for those struggling with depression. Buffy doesn’t enjoy the things she used to, she struggles accomplishing basic, everyday tasks, no one understands why she is so sad and changed and her friends want her to just get over it already. She feels lost, alone, guilty, worthless, helpless, empty, directionless: THESE ARE LITERALLY SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. She doesn’t know who she is anymore, and that is what depression feels like.