It has been 9 years since BTS pre-release this single for their compilation album The Most Beautiful Moments in Life: Young Forever.
For me, this song is one of few songs that could immediately start the waterworks. There’s such a raw blend of emotions and vulnerability to it that I couldn’t possibly capture it into words…I’m no Namjoon.
The start is of the song is a whisper confession. Hesitant. Self assuring.
Was there any mistake today How was the facial expression of the audience But I’m happy because I became who I am because I can make someone scream out loud
You can feel like they’re listing things that they should be happy about. But there’s something oddly disconcerting with that line of thought. Namjoon’s delivery feels both listless yet contemplative. Then the anxiety manifests;
Standing on the empty, but hot, stage, I get scared of the idle emptiness In my complicated mind, and on the verge of death in life, I pretend to be more numb, for no reason It’s not even the first time, and I should be used to it by now,
The feeling is so bleak. “I should be used to it now” felt like he’s conveying “shouldn’t it stop hurting at some point?” But anxiety is a knife that keeps slicing at old hurts and create new wounds. Yoongi’s delivery here felt a little short of breath. Like something is heavy sitting on his chest. Then comes the resolve:
The huge applause can’t be mine forever I talk to myself, shamelessly, “Raise your voice, to reach farther” Even if there is no everlasting audience, I will sing I wish to remain forever as today’s myself I wish to remain forever as a boy Ah
This is not hope. But resolve. Hoseok felt like he is winded from a performance but muster the strength to scream at the void. No matter how hot the stage is under scrutiny, not matter how it cools and echoes without audience they will stand there as they dream themselves to be;
Forever we are young In the fluttering flower petal rain, I wander and run in this maze
Forever we are young Even if I fall, get wounded, and it aches, I run endlessly to my dream
Forever ever ever ever (Dream, hope, forward, forward)
Just go forth. No matter the world falling short of expectations, no matter when it cuts deep, no matter if you perhaps give yourself a breather, go forth again and again. I particularly love the gang vocals at the end, it felt like we were in unison, praying the same mantra to ourselves.
This song has never failed to breathe in a new breeze to my sails when I falter and I can’t thank BTS enough for its existence. Happy 9th Young Forever <3
(Dream, hope, forward, forward)
submitted by /u/Illustrious-Power518
[link] [comments]
