beabadoobee explores grief and acceptance in her new single, ‘the way things go’.
Break-up songs at present are centred on the other person in the relationship. In contrast, this release shifts the focus towards self-awareness, revealing the kind of maturity and introspection that comes with choosing to move towards acceptance.
The song zooms into a failed relationship and puts the process of moving on from it in crisp focus, with simple, yet impactful lines such as “Can’t remember how to say your name // Let alone count the freckles on your face”.
In terms of the music itself, she keeps it short and sweet with the repetitive guitar plucking that sticks with the listener just as its lyrics do. Unlike beabadoobee’s other songs, it uses little to no effects, contributing to its simplicity and charm.
‘the way things go’ is a comforting song articulating the final stage of grief in a personal way. beabadoobee’s ability to turn a complex feeling into a song proves to stay sharp, with previous releases such as ‘Glue Song’ doing the same. It’s about forgetting someone, and in the same breath, remembering that indeed, it’s just the way things go.
Words by Marinel Dizon
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