Zach Bryan - Reaghan Fredenberger
Lyrics:
Question:
How do Zach Bryan’s songs “East Side of Sorrow” and “Tourniquet” use imagery and voice to represent their similar themes?
Answer:
In “East Side of Sorrow”, Zach Bryan seems like he is addressing himself and the hard ship he is going through. Throughout the song, he recognizes the hardships he is facing, but still having hope for the future. This is seen throughout the chorus of the song when he says, “ the sun's gonna rise tomorrow / Somewhere on the east side of sorrow”. This image represents a new day coming and that pain won't last forever. Towards the middle of the song, Bryan says, “You better pack your bags west / Stick out your chest, and then hit the road”, which creates a visual of someone physically getting ready to move on with their life. The song starts in the east, but when he says pack your bags west it is showing him starting a new journey and new opportunities. Bryan also adds in his song “Don't give it a reason to follow / Let it be, then let it go”, where he implies it is important to move on from hardships so they do not control your future. The overall theme throughout this song is going through pain and finding the strength to move forward.
In “Tourniquet”, Bryan makes the song feel like he is addressing another person rather than himself. Specifically, helping someone who is struggling with mental health. He explains to this person, “You bled your whole soul into things you can't control / In a world you'll never satisfy”, showing the hurt that can come from an imperfect world. Throughout the song, he uses the word “you”, which shows him directly speaking to someone going through emotional pain. He also uses imagery through the idea of a tourniquet, indicating it stops emotional bleeding. The main theme of this song is being saved from emotional pain through support. Although the themes in “East Side of Sorrow” and “Tourniquet” are not the exact same, both emphasize the need to overcome emotional pain. One song focuses on the reliance of yourself to get through the pain and the other emphasizes the help other people can give you.
Prompt 1. Any associations, personal connections, daydreams triggered by the reading/listening? What insights do these offer about the text and about you as a reader/listener?
While listening to these songs I can understand their messages and relate them to my own life. The song “East Side of Sorrow” not only is about moving on and letting go, but it is also about grief. Bryan says, “Doctor said he did all he could / You were the last thing I had that was good”. These lyrics show someone important to him passing away, which he now has to learn how to live without. Many people have to deal with grief from loved ones passing, which is why “East Side of Sorrow” is an easy song for me to relate to. The song “Tourniquet” is also easy to connect with because it talks about the struggles with mental health and trying to support someone going through it. I have had to help someone close to me battle mental health so I feel a strong personal connection to this song.
Prompt 2. What words, phrases, use of language, images particularly struck you? Why?
In the song “East Side of Sorrow”, lyrics that struck me were “Do you ever get tired of singin' songs / Like all your pain is just another fucking sing along?”. These lyrics stuck out to me because Bryan is expressing the exhaustion and pain that can come from his songs. It seems like his pain is being looked over and just became a “sing along” for his fans. Another set of lyrics that stuck out to me were from the song “Tourniquet” when Bryan says “If you need a tourniquet or if you wanna turn and quit”. The word “tourniquet” and the phrase “turn and quit” are very similar wordings but mean completely different things. The choice to use a tourniquet would mean to keep going and trying to get better, or you could do the exact opposite and “turn and quit”.
Works Cited
Bryan, Zach. "East Side of Sorrow." Zach Bryan, Warner Chappell Music, 2023.
Bryan, Zach. "East Side of Sorrow." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/eastsideofsorrow.html
Bryan, Zach. "Tourniquet." Zach Bryan, Warner Chappell Music, 2023.
Bryan, Zach. "Tourniquet." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/tourniquet.html
To answer the question about how he uses voice and imagery, I think Zach Bryan creates a strong difference between looking inward and looking outward. In “East Side of Sorrow,” the voice feels like a private conversation with himself where he uses the image of the sun rising to show that "the sun's gonna rise tomorrow" no matter how bad things feel ("East Side of Sorrow"). This makes the listener feel like they have the power to keep moving even when they are tired. Then in “Tourniquet,” the voice shifts to a protective tone as he tells someone they "bled your whole soul into things you can't control" ("Tourniquet"). The imagery of a tourniquet is so smart because it literally means something that stops a person from bleeding out, which shows how much we need other people during a crisis. He uses the phrase "turn and quit" to show the scary alternative to getting help, which really shows the theme of choice in the middle of pain ("Tourniquet"). Even though one song is about self reliance and the other is about support, the imagery in both makes emotional pain feel like a physical wound that can be treated. By using directions like "west" and locations like "the east side," he makes the journey of healing feel like a real path someone can actually walk on ("East Side of Sorrow"). His voice sounds raw and honest in both, which helps the listener trust what he is saying about grief and mental health. I think these songs work so well together because they remind us that sometimes we save ourselves, and sometimes we let others save us.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Bryan, Zach. "East Side of Sorrow." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/eastsideofsorrow.html.
Bryan, Zach. "Tourniquet." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/tourniquet.html.
For the both prompts you repeat a lot of the same information. It is good information but it might be good to provide different portions of the song. Moreover, when you talk about how it relates to you or how it hits you, add more information or give more examples. If you are uncomfortable with sharing personal information maybe find fan reactions to the song and how it made them feel. In the song "East Side of Sorrow," you talk about his pain, however, you don't really talk about what that pain was. Maybe add that his sorrow started when we went to fight for a war that had no meaning to him. He lost comrades and he likely has trauma from the fighting and his depravity of happiness impacted him deeply, but he is still fighting. I really like these songs and you wrote very well about them!
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Bryan, Zach. "East Side of Sorrow." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/eastsideofsorrow.html.
Hi Reaghan! I love the information you have so far and I have a lot of ideas you can add! In “East Side of Sorrow,” Zach Bryan not only reflects on personal hardship but also emphasizes the process of self-realization and emotional growth. The imagery in the song reinforces this internal journey. For example, when Bryan sings, “The sun's gonna rise tomorrow / Somewhere on the east side of sorrow,” he creates a vivid metaphor for hope, showing that even in the darkest times, a new day, and a chance for healing, exists. Additionally, lines like “You better pack your bags west / Stick out your chest, and then hit the road” combine physical movement with emotional progress. The westward movement is symbolic of leaving pain behind and seeking freedom, suggesting that personal growth requires both action and courage. Bryan also adds, “Don't give it a reason to follow / Let it be, then let it go,” which not only emphasizes letting go of past struggles but also evokes the imagery of releasing something tangible, almost like untethering a weight that has been holding you back. Beyond just enduring pain, the song encourages an active pursuit of hope, blending the literal and metaphorical to represent resilience.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, “Tourniquet” uses imagery and voice to address emotional pain, but the perspective shifts outward. By directly addressing another person, Bryan personalizes the song’s message of care and support. For instance, the lyric “You bled your whole soul into things you can't control / In a world you'll never satisfy” portrays vivid emotional suffering, likening the person's struggles to a physical bleeding. The repeated use of “you” throughout the song strengthens this connection, making the listener feel the intimacy of his concern. Furthermore, the metaphor of a tourniquet is central, it symbolizes intervention, something that can staunch the “bleeding” of emotional wounds, showing that healing often requires outside help. The imagery of stopping bleeding underscores the fragility of human emotion and the importance of support in recovery. Bryan also offers reassurance, saying “I'll be the hand that holds you / When the night gets too cold,” which not only provides a comforting image but aligns with the song’s theme of emotional rescue.
Together, both songs explore the navigation of pain, but they do so through different lenses. “East Side of Sorrow” highlights self-reliance and the personal journey of overcoming hardship, using movement and natural imagery to depict emotional growth. “Tourniquet,” on the other hand, emphasizes empathy and external support, using the metaphor of a tourniquet and direct address to show the power of connection in healing. In both cases, Bryan’s use of imagery, whether the rising sun, westward journeys, or the stanching of emotional bleeding, enhances the listener’s understanding of vulnerability and resilience, illustrating how emotional struggles, whether internal or shared, can be navigated with courage and care.
Works Cited:
Bryan, Zach. "East Side of Sorrow." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/eastsideofsorrow.html.
Bryan, Zach. "Tourniquet." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/tourniquet.html.
Zach Bryan uses imagery and voice in both songs to show emotional pain and how people deal with it. In “East Side of Sorrow,” it feels like Bryan is mostly talking to himself while he is going through grief and trying to move forward. When he says, “the sun’s gonna rise tomorrow / Somewhere on the east side of sorrow,” the image of the sun rising shows that even though someone is going through pain, a new day will still come and things can get better (Bryan, “East Side of Sorrow”). This line shows how he is trying to remind himself that the pain will not last forever. He also creates imagery when he says, “You better pack your bags west / Stick out your chest, and then hit the road,” which gives the visual of someone physically moving forward and starting a new chapter in life (Bryan, “East Side of Sorrow”). In “Tourniquet,” the voice changes and it feels more like Bryan is speaking directly to someone else who is struggling emotionally. When he says, “You bled your whole soul into things you can’t control,” it shows how exhausting it can be when someone gives everything they have but things still do not work out (Bryan, “Tourniquet”). The imagery of the tourniquet represents stopping emotional pain, just like a real tourniquet stops someone from bleeding. Overall, both songs deal with emotional struggles, but “East Side of Sorrow” focuses more on relying on yourself while “Tourniquet” focuses more on helping someone else get through their pain.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited
Bryan, Zach. “East Side of Sorrow.” Zach Bryan, Warner Records, 2023.
Bryan, Zach. “Tourniquet.” Zach Bryan, Warner Records, 2023.
Hi Reaghan! I love your blog post. One part of the language that stood out to me in both songs by Zach Bryan is how he uses strong imagery to describe emotional pain and healing throughout his music. In “East Side of Sorrow,” the line about the sun rising on the east side of sorrow creates an image of a new day meaning that the pain will eventually pass. This imagery makes the theme of hope and moving forward. In “Tourniquet,” the title is a powerful metaphor because a tourniquet stops bleeding, which symbolizes stopping emotional pain or helping someone through a difficult time. Both songs use these images to show different ways people deal with hardship.
ReplyDeleteWorks Cited:
Bryan, Zach. "East Side of Sorrow." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/eastsideofsorrow.html.
Bryan, Zach. "Tourniquet." AZLyrics, 2023, https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zachbryan/tourniquet.html.
Hi Reaghan! I enjoyed the songs you picked and although I am not a huge fan of Zach Bryan, I found these songs to be very good. In the beginning when I first listened to Tourniquet I believed it was a pledge of loyalty and love to a significant other. A line that led me to believe this was "I bandage up your body and your bones and your bad days too Take care of the blood that your love runs through" (Bryan, Tourniquet). At first, I believed he was saying this to a loved one going through a very hard time. The line portrays him wanting another through the good and the bad, that he will be there for them. However, a line later in the song was strange to me and made me rethink my stance. Later in the song he states, "But your face is getting thinner and you’re praying for the winter and I heard you fucked it up with her" (Bryan, Tourniquet). This line leads me to believe the song is a message to his past self or a message from his past to his present. This is supported by imagery within the song. An example of this is the line, "You’ve been playing your guitar from arenas to the bars, Since you were old enough to rhyme a word" (Bryan, Tourniquet). This line is like a reflection of his life and the struggles he went through to get where he is now.
ReplyDeleteThe song "East Side of Sorrow” talks about the loss of his mother. It describes him enlisting and going off to war at eighteen years old. Throughout the verse it talks about how he lost friends as a result of war and turned to God as a source of grounding. The song states, “And I lost you in a waiting room after sleeping there for a week or two, Doctor said he did all he could, you were the last thing I had that was good” (Bryan, "East Side of Sorrow”). This is a pivotal point in the song. It depicts him losing his mother and the reason he turned away from God. As the song continues he slowly starts to regain his faith. This can be seen in the line, “Somewhere on the east side of sorrow Don’t give it a reason to follow Let it be then let it go” (Bryan, "East Side of Sorrow”). This line is telling him to move on and strengthen himself from the passing and to grow from it.
Works Cited
DeleteBryan, Zach. “East Side of Sorrow.” Zach Bryan, Warner Records, 2023.
Bryan, Zach. “Tourniquet.” Zach Bryan, Warner Records, 2023.