As this school year comes to an end, the Pinnacle staff has been buzzing. Many of us have spent a lot of time reviewing and reminiscing about our experiences during this past year, and, specifically, the music and media that has accompanied us through it. As a result, we’ve decided to piece together some song reviews—and, within them, describe how the songs have affected us and how they represent our year. The songs are listed below in alphabetical order by the writer’s creative title, which is then followed by the song’s name.
Inside the Icon: “Girl So Confusing Featuring Lorde” by Lorde and Charlie XCX
Written by Zoe Brown
“Girl, So Confusing” by Lorde and Charli XCX is surprisingly uplifting, even though it’s rooted in insecurity and miscommunication. It starts with tension but ends in empathy. In a world where pop culture loves drama, this song takes a different route, reminding us how important understanding can be. The line “Forgot that inside the icon / There’s still a young girl from Essex” shows how even celebrities have real struggles. Lorde admits her own insecurity made her misjudge Charli. Realizing that helped her see the person behind the image. That moment feels a lot like what students go through—just in a different way. At school, it can feel like every assignment is a big deal. One late homework assignment or bad grade can seem like a huge failure. We stress about tests like they define our future. There’s constant pressure to be perfect, like we’re always being judged. But this song reminds us that everyone feels that way sometimes. We’re not just our grades or academic successes—we’re people trying to figure things out. A little more kindness, to others and to ourselves, can really help.
Learning the Rhythm: “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak
Written by Hailey Pease
Chris, my man. The creator of this wicked song to represent this wicked year. The dizziness of the beat within “Wicked Game” represents the constant confusion in students’ minds that this school year nurtured. Isaak lures in listeners with the first 34 seconds of non verbal melody, a rhythm shaking the soul and mind, yet not the body. He sings like Elvis in the chapel, like heartbreak, mourning and passion overpowering his voice. The authentic pain of a grown man with a guitar, voice gently shaking on the cusp of tears, comforts listeners in their own emotions. With such feelings assumed to be gained from this song, this game was instead played on repeat as a comfort. Isaak never dreamed he would “need somebody like you,” students alike are shaken at some point in their highschool careers to learn that they need somebody (themselves), more than they ever would have dreamed.
Living With Meaning: “Can’t Have It All” By Leon Bridges
Written by Kepler Orton
In the midst of life’s exhausting game of tug-of-war, Leon Bridges’ song “Can’t Have It All” offers his listeners a difficult but much needed reminder: Life moves forward whether you use your time wisely or not. On July 1, I attended Bridges’ concert at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, and became overwhelmingly inspired as he took the stage adorned in snakeskin boots and a matching jacket. Singing and dancing my heart out, I was overcome with a satisfying wave of gratefulness and appreciation. Hearing the lyrics, “A life that’s worth living / Take me away / Each night I pray / But, baby, if you say no / I’ll be living in my misery / Heart stop, can’t breathe / But you can’t have it all, oh no,” Bridges’ message became even more clear: you can’t spend all of your energy on unattainable desires, for it’ll take you away from the better and more important aspects of life. When putting this song’s context into perspective as the school year comes to an end, Bridges lyrics become grounding. With an air of stress and eagerness for finals to end and summer to begin, Bridges helps to prompt listeners to remain focused on achievable goals, and to not overstress about what you cannot realistically attain.
Moving Forward: “Male Fantasy” by Billie Eilish
Written by Scarlett Tucker, photo sourced from official “Male Fantasy” music video.
Billie Eilish’s “Male Fantasy” begins with a subdued, soft guitar melody, and short, descriptive lyrics that illustrate her home alone and watching pornography. Throughout the piece, Eilish explores feelings of loneliness and recurring bad habits, encapsulating the varying layers of emotions that can result from healing, and, particularly, the hardships that rise from it. While I have never watched porn, I’ve felt myself relating to Eilish on the more fundamental level of her lyrics throughout my school year: the constant need for distraction, the looming, consistent reminder of the prominently male focused industry and the needy, lonely child within me that misses having time to see friends. And while Eilish’s song is fundamentally sad in these ways, it’s also, in the same way, extremely soothing and gentle. It’s reminded me numerous times that healing isn’t always as straightforward and simple as it seems. With her soft confession, “I’m going back to therapy,” and lilting chorus, “If I’m getting over you / Or just pretending to / Be alright, convince myself I hate you,” Eilish gently reminds me that this sort of emotional unstableness—this feeling of being lost emotionally when trying to move forward—is something others feel as well. The tender melody has grounded me throughout a difficult year, and planted a sense of peace within me during every listen.
Vulnerability and Resilience: “More Than Friends” by Aiden Bisset
Written by Lucy DeMeester
Aiden Bisset’s song “More Than Friends” is a catchy and invigorating tune that highlights the vulnerability of putting your heart on the line—and for some, it represents both the euphoria from summer and the academic fatigue from the school year. The song starts with a raw indie beat, which evokes a sense of youth and carefreeness, similar to a chaotic summer night. In the beginning of the song, the narrator is asking someone to be “more than friends starting now,” signaling a leap into something uncertain yet hopeful. We see Bissett’s hope and attraction through the powerful lyrics he sings while describing the phone call, saying “You’ve been replaying in my head \ You make me feel like I can be myself instead.” Bissetts stark vulnerability reveals how deeply he’s fallen and the risk he’s taking by expressing his feelings. However, the phone call doesn’t seem to end in the way he wanted because when he attempts to call her again, hoping for another chance, he’s met with silence: He’s been blocked. Bissetts tension within this moment is represented with a powerful beat drop and the call still beeping. However, rather than his spirits being crushed and the moment transforming into something distressing, the chorus simply restarts, signaling his continued attraction despite the challenges he’s encountered.
Final Words
Overall, our year has been a mostly hectic one, and we’re sure it was the same for many. However, we hope these songs will help you going forward and give you the same comfort and confidence they’ve given us. Cheers to the 24-25 school year, from the Pinnacle staff!
