Some Hearts

The theme of heartache and failed relationships is one that has been prevalent in country music since its beginning. Something about that southern drawl and slow, steady beat that is common in this genre allow for these songs to be all the more powerful. Carrie Underwood is a master at using break-ups and heartache to her advantage by allowing them to fuel the inspiration for her music. In her album “Some Hearts” released in 2005, heartache is a very common theme. In this album she describes how relationships can be wrought with issues such as alcoholism and infidelity, which can cause the relationship to end in an even worse manner. However, failed relationships are something that almost everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives, making it a topic that is easily relatable and can evoke emotions from a variety of people. Examining the psychology behind Underwood’s break-ups is a way that this album can be examined further, since the type of person she is and the situations she faces are what primarily fuels her emotions. The reasons for the termination of her relationships, along with the ways in which she dealt with them afterwards are intertwined to create tracks that rose to the top on the Billboard charts.

                This album starts off with the track “Wasted,” which title reflects its message. This song plays with the double meaning of the word wasted when Underwood sings about how she does not want to “wake up one day and find that [she] let all these years go by wasted,” and then when she talks about her alcoholic boyfriend getting wasted to try to forget their relationship troubles. The almost pleading tone in her voice and dramatic build-up at the chorus add to the sincerity of her message. The slower parts of the song when only the drumbeat and steady electric guitar are present also show that she is going through a tough period of heartbreak at the end of a bad relationship. Addiction is a serious issue that can put people in a relationship through a tremendous amount of strain. Audiences are usually able to sympathize with people facing this issue because of the suffering the addict faces and hard-won knowledge they earn from going through this ordeal (Ross vii). Integrating such a topic into her song creates a sense of pathos by allowing the listener to get a sense of the heartbreak Underwood feels due to the man she loves being an addict.

                “The Night Before (Life Goes On),” follows in this theme of a relationship coming to an end. However in this track it is due to Underwood going off to college and having to leave behind her hometown boyfriend. Instead of there being animosity between the two, they are cherishing their last night together before what will most likely result in a break-up. Underwood’s soaring voice is the main focus of the song, allowing the minimal instrumentation of the acoustic guitar and its slow and steady rhythm to set the tone of lingering sadness mixed with a sort of new hope for the future. This song represents what many teenagers have to go through in the transition to adulthood. Leaving behind people they love and going off to an unfamiliar place are common scenarios which Underwood aptly describes the underlying feelings of.

                In “Lessons Learned,” Carrie Underwood is able to find the good that comes out an ended relationship. As she states it, “I’m thankful, for every break in my heart.” This track is a reflection on the past mistakes she has made and how she has grown from them to improve herself. She starts out slow and soft on the track, but her voice builds at the chorus to show she is no longer ashamed of what she has done. Instead, she is coming to terms with everything that has happened to her and showing that she is strong as ever. Heartbreak is extremely difficult to deal with no matter who you are. However if someone is secure with their own identity prior to being in a relationship they will be able to deal with it ending in a much more productive fashion (Choo, Levine, Hatfield 143). Underwood shows young women to be confident in themselves, including their past, to grow from such experiences. This is one reason why this is a great album; it goes beyond talking just about being sad after a failed relationship, and instead explores how it can change you for the better.

                “Before He Cheats” is that guilty pleasure song that we all need to hear after a difficult break-up. No longer is Underwood soft and gentle with her words; she is pissed and going to do something about it. The chorus is hard-hitting and filled with emotion. She is not holding back anymore, and the listener can hear it in her voice. Infidelity has been described as one of the top four reasons relationships fail, since it can cause the other partner in the relationship to have feelings of anger, betrayal, and insecurity (Melanie). Underwood felt these emotions following her boyfriend cheating so she, “dug [her] key into the side of his pretty little suped up four wheel drive.” There has actually been research conducted on this topic of women versus men and how they handle break-ups. Researchers at Binghamton University conducted a study in which they asked participants to rate their levels of physical and emotional pain following a break-up. The study showed that while women reported higher levels in the short run, there was a switch in the long run to men reporting feeling more pain (Prigg). While Underwood is expressing her anger now, her boyfriend will have to deal with the consequences of his actions for a long time after this. As she puts it, “'Cause the next time that he cheats... oh, you know it won't be on me!” She has had her revenge, dumped him, and showed all of us that she is a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man.

                The album takes a sharp turn at the next track, “Starts with Goodbye.” Underwood is breaking up with her partner, knowing that it will be a very tough road ahead without having him by her side. However, she knows it is what needs to be done, and therefore is following through. This track has a much slower, depressing vibe than the previous. The piano and violin featured in this song diverge from the normal instrumentation in her more upbeat tracks. Severing ties with an individual that one was previously very close with is an extremely difficult situation, as it is described in this track. When people are in a relationship for an extended period of time they begin to rely on each other throughout their daily activities. Learning how to cope being on one’s own is not an easy process. A study was done on this topic in regards to college students’ emotions following a break-up, and many recorded more negative intrusive thoughts, and an increased use of first-person singular words (Boals, Klein 252). Underwood knows she is going to have to deal with a lot of pain following this decision of hers, but she is staying strong because she knows it is what is best for the long run.

                In “I Just Can’t Live a Lie,” Carrie Underwood describes how she is in a bad relationship in which, “hurtful words are all that [they] exchange.” However, she still is deeply in love with this man, and does not want to lose him. This track differs from the rest of the album in that even though she knows that she is in a worsening relationship, she is attempting to still save it. In this album the listener is able to see all sides of Underwood, even the struggling, unsure of what to do part of her. Break-ups are something that do not come easy, even for country/pop stars like her.

                Carrie Underwood’s hit album, Some Hearts, describes break-ups in all their forms. Some with a silver lining, some with trouble letting go at all, and others with anger and revenge. Dealing with a failed relationship is something that is experienced and can be understood by people world-wide, making this album one that can be personally related to by a variety of people. She is able to further this albums reach by also including a mix-up of various genres including country, pop, rock, and singer/songwriter. One way that this album can be understood further is by examining the psychology behind her motives described in these tracks so that the listener can understand her point of view and how she handles these situations. In Some Hearts Underwood explores multiple themes of how relationships fail; such as alcoholism, infidelity, and simply growing apart. Her overall theme seems to be that everyone has to deal with these situations, and it is only how you come out in the end of dealing with it that defines who you are as a person.

Works Cited

Boals, Adriel and Klein, Kitty. "Word Use In Emotional Narratives About Failed Romantic Relationships And Subsequent Mental Health." Journal of Language & Social Psychology 24.3 (2005): 252-268. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

Choo, Patricia, Timothy Levine, and Elaine Hatfield. "Gender, Love Schemas, and Reactions to Romantic Break-Ups." Journal of Social Behavior & Personality 11.5 (1996): 143-160. Academic Search Complete. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.

Greenberg, Melanie. “The Top 4 Reasons Relationships Fail.” Psychology Today. Web.

Prigg, Mark. “Break-ups Hurt Women More in the Short Term but Men NEVER Recover, Researchers Claim.” Daily Mail. 6 August 2015. Web. 20 November 2015.

Ross, Don. What Is Addiction?. Cambridge, Mass: A Bradford Book, 2010. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 12 Nov. 2015.