Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Listening” by Tonight Alive
The song ‘Listening’ by Tonight Alive is a heart-breaking anthem about trying to keep your head up and move on after a heartbreaking loss. The song begins with singer Jenna McDougall singing about how she can still feel the pain of losing someone and how it has left her feeling empty and shaken: “I still feel the burn, of broken memories that just won’t die, and it left me so undone, I had to move on, to learn to survive”.
The lyrics then go on to talk about how she’s trying to cope with the pain and a how she’s “listening to her heart again” after the hurt and loneliness: “I learned how to listen to a heart that hurts again, I’m sober, I’m overtaken by the sound, of a love that’s fading into nothing now”. Despite the pain, the lyrics suggest that she’s still learning from the experience and that she’ll get through it and find healing: “Lessons to be taught, that I never thought, I’d have to learn, I’ve changed and I’m listening, no more fear, every inch of me is healing”.
The song’s powerful lyrics and electric guitar riff make it a perfect anthem for anyone who’s gone through the pain of losing someone, yet still wants to find hope and strength within their own voice, even if it’s just “a whisper in the wind”. The inspiration for the song may have come from McDougall’s own personal experience of heartache, but it also serves as an ode to anyone who’s had that same feeling. No one’s loss is the same, but we can all come together and listen to each other’s stories to bring strength and comfort.
The chorus of ‘Listening’ rings loud and clear: “I’m listening, I’m listening, I’m finally listening, to a voice that I ignored for so long”. The message of the song is simple yet powerful, urging us to listen to our own hearts, believe in our own stories, and never give up hope despite hard times.