Black Friday

Tom Odell's 'Black Friday' is a poignant exploration of the internal struggles one faces while seeking happiness and acceptance in a world that often feels overwhelming. The song's lyrics convey a sense of yearning for joy and a desire to understand how to achieve it, as the narrator asks to be shown how to have fun and be happy. The imagery of someone looking 'pretty like the Sun' suggests an admiration for another's ability to bring light and joy to those around them, which the narrator longs to emulate.

The repeated phrase 'It's all in my head' highlights the internal nature of the narrator's conflict, suggesting that the barriers to happiness are self-imposed or psychological. The contrast between the narrator's self-perception and the perceived kindness of another person underscores a sense of inadequacy and the struggle with self-esteem. The desire for a 'better body' and 'better skin' reflects societal pressures to conform to certain standards of beauty and perfection, which can lead to feelings of insecurity and dissatisfaction.

The song's title, 'Black Friday,' traditionally associated with consumerism and the pursuit of material satisfaction, serves as a metaphor for the search for happiness in external things. The use of 'black' could also imply a sense of darkness or emptiness that accompanies this pursuit. The repeated questioning of 'What is happening to us?' at the end of the song suggests a relationship strained by these internal battles and the difficulty of maintaining connection when one is lost in their own mind.