We’re not unfamiliar with songs that talk about crazy parties, with loud music thumping in your ears and an unhealthy, uncountable number of drinks being passed around; to party so hard that you lose yourself in the music and atmosphere. The genre of K-pop is not foreign to this concept either. While these songs may be frowned upon — advocating loafing and irresponsibility — their lyrics are usually not as bad as they seem. Sure, they may encourage partying all night and forgoing responsibilities, but it’s for a reason. Sometimes life just gets too much, and we need a break with a good night out. Other times, these crazy parties let us move on from something or someone we couldn’t before.
I mean the fact that Eric Nam, the sweetest guy on the block, is singing about partying and losing yourself in it means that it can’t be that bad, right?
Right.
In his attempt to get over a girl, Nam sings about “pour[ing] it up” just this one night in “Potion”. With this last night of letting go, he vows that it would be the last time he ever thinks of the girl. He acknowledges that “time won’t heal, we all know it’s a lie” and relies on the music and the atmosphere of this night to help him get over her.
Gonna burn everything that’s bothering me inside my head Once I take this shot, I’ll be cool
So let’s get wild and drink tonight
Get drunk to this rhythm and into this light
Forget about it
Cause when we wake up, it’ll all have been a dream
Admittedly, it’s probably not the healthiest coping mechanism to get over someone. Yet, it can’t be denied that all you need is night out to relieve yourself of bad memories. The lyrics of “Potion” cleverly make you want to party and get wrapped up in the music without feeling too bad about it — it’s just one night, yeah? That’s pretty okay.
Like Nam, DBSK goads their listeners to party in “Bounce”.
Loosen up your shoulders
No need to be self conscious
Burn it up with this rhythm that captures your heart
Hey, lady, till the night is over
Scream a little louder, like you’re crazy:
“I just wanna do my thing”
Bounce
In “Bounce”, DBSK sing about enjoying yourself without being affected by the judgements of others. With lyrics like “no need to be conscious of others”, “trust yourself” and “don’t hesitate anymore”, the song incites its listeners to ignore their haters and enjoy themselves. The repeated use of the word “Bounce” also reiterates one should dance without restrictions, and the message of one doing their own thing is echoed throughout the song. It hypes up its audience to let go and have fun without restraint because the opinions of others don’t matter.
“Beautiful Night” by Ulala Session is another song that touching on partying without restraint. This pop band tells its listeners to switch off their phones, to ignore everything else and fall deep into the atmosphere. The narrator asks the woman of their affections to focus on the present and the party and to let loose and ignore the rest of the world. Since the beautiful night mentioned would only be there once, they shouldn’t get distracted by anything else and appreciate the present.
Tell her that you have no battery left,
so you need to hang up, everybody
We don’t get interfered by the world
We don’t care about anything
Without holding back, without anything remaining
Baby, baby, baby
Beautiful night
From time to time, we forget that we should detach ourselves from our digital lives, distance ourselves from our phones, and cherish the moment we’re living in. Ulala Session’s “Beautiful Night” is a reminder of this, although the message may be hidden under the guise of partying.
Party songs, while usually enjoyable, have lyrics that are considered inelegant. While such songs may not have the most graceful lyrics, they do remind us to take a step back and relax. In our current, digital, fast-paced lives, an increasing number of people could be finding it difficult to acknowledge that they deserve a break too. Hustling and grinding may be the mottos of many, but tracks such as the above prompt us to remember to take a breather and liberate ourselves from our stresses and worries for a while.
(Lyrics via Colour Coded Lyrics, Melodia Muse, Images via B2M Entertainment, SM Entertainment, Ulala Company)
