004: Jelly Roll’s “Beautifully Broken,” A Memorably Moving Collection of Words Put to Music
I don’t plan on covering music all too often on this blog page. I listen to a ton of music and have my favorites across almost every genre, and to conduct any kind of extended analysis on everything I listen to would be a full-time job (and I currently pay more than I get paid to do any of this at the time of writing).
That being said, it isn’t all too often that a collection of words put to music affects me the way that Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken album has. This collection of tunes, 28 to be exact (which if I remember correctly from his conversation with Rogan was consolidated from the almost 40 he wrote), covers in unmatched depth a variety of substantive and emotionally heavy topics. When I say heavy, I mean that I am comfortable enough in my masculinity to acknowledge that several of these tunes move me to tears at this point when I listen to them. I’ll go into the themes, a few of my favorites, and why I think it’s worth a listen.
Key Themes:
As one listens to this absolute masterpiece, a few prominent points stand out that I think the superstar artist wanted to convey.
Ownership/Self-Accountability
It isn’t a secret that Jelly Roll has had his share of struggles over the course of his life, which is what makes it that much more impressive that he has reached the level of stardom that he has. He’s had his battles with drug addiction, challenges with the law, as well as struggles with his relationship with food, among other things. None of that can be discounted, and his willingness to accept it as part of his story and own the path back is what makes him and his new album so inspiring. He also doesn’t hide that there are still battles he fights and has to win on a daily basis, which is of course important to recognize.
I encourage people to keep this in mind with songs like “Unpretty” in which he directly addresses these demons. The same can be said for “Time of Day” in which he declares that he can’t change some of the outcomes in the rearview, which weren’t always optimal. This song is particularly raw for me, as a Catholic who finds it important to account for my own shortcomings and work on them. “Don’t Want To” is another one consistent with this theme, as he directly addresses that idea of fighting urges to return to what put him on a darker path to begin with. It’s a collaboration with Keith Urban, and they both brilliantly present that battle that those on the path of recovery need to win everyday.
Perseverance
When one is able to face his or her battles head-on and win, it is almost always worth a story. I often think it is tragic that it takes such trying circumstances to produce some of the best works of art we know, but who doesn’t love a good story of perseverance? Especially as Americans, we live for it.
“Born Again” hits this theme hard, as does “Liar.” “Grace” is at least in part about finding the beauty in every situation, even the dire ones. It is also one of the songs I struggle to listen to without getting emotional. It’s one that touches on a few of these themes, but this idea of persevering in the face of struggle is definitely one of them.
Empathy
This one might be the most obvious theme, the more I listen to the album. “Hear Me Out” is about making the effort to understand the trials and tribulations of others. “Winning Streak,” knowing the backstory on this due to listening (again) to Joe Rogan’s podcast with Jelly Roll, puts you into the shoes of someone struggling to fight his demons–be it addiction, mental health, or any other struggle we can think of. “Grace” touches on this as well. One of my favorite lines in this album is “When my devil meets your demons, we can find a little grace.”
An Appreciation For His Family
Throughout the album, he pays an appreciation for his wife. The value he puts on his marriage isn’t something he understates. “Woman” and “Guilty address this directly. “Hey Mama” is directed, I assume, to his mother (without knowing the backstory). It is a relatable song and makes me miss my own.
One of the most heart wrenching songs on this album is “My Cross,” in which he accounts for his own struggles and shortcomings. In his own style, he addresses his daughter and offers his prayers that his struggles don’t become hers–and that he vows to be there whenever she is needing a guide in life. “I pray everyday I can love you enough so my cross to carry won’t be yours to pick up.” The vulnerability that comes with such a line, or a statement like “I hope the apple falls far from the tree and the sins of the father stop right here with me” is present throughout this album. I don’t think that even a talented writer could put this collection of words into production without a strong faith and a willingness to be fully vulnerable. I should add that it sounds like he has his “why” pretty well cemented when he discusses his wife or daughter. That’s a big deal.
Relatability
I found myself throughout this album thinking to myself that all of us are fighting battles of some kind, and those battles might scale differently from person to person depending on status or wealth–perhaps mental state or health, other such concepts–but those battles and their effects aren’t all that different. It perhaps relates to empathy, but it is a unique relatability in its own right too.
Take “Everyone Bleeds” as an example. For me, it served as a reminder that whether you are at the top of the income bracket or hardly getting by, we all meet the same demise in the end. We all face similar battles, too. There are human struggles that remind us that we all have similar tendencies and need to address them. “Smile So Much” could be more closely connected to empathy or perseverance, but it is again a reminder that even the seemingly happiest people around us are likely processing something weighing on them the same way we are fighting through something that we also might be hiding. I’ve mentioned “Grace” in other sections but must mention it here as well.
I don’t want to go into too much detail and just spoil it all for the potential listener, but I do encourage people to keep these themes in mind when sitting down to listen to this album. And don’t just have it on while working on something else. Truly sit down and listen to these tunes and let them run through you.
My Top Five:
1.“Grace”
Something about acknowledging the trouble we’ve been through and still finding a light in the darkest of places–optimism in a sea of hopelessness–and finding beauty with others despite the fact we might also collectively carry less than pretty things with us in our stories that makes this song an emotionally moving one for me. I struggled with what order to put 1 and 2, but I don’t know. Something about this tune–I listened to it just before pulling into the church parking lot for mass this morning (as I write this), and I was trying to keep my composure together during it in front of my wife (I’m really not that emotional of a person too often, and I don’t mean to make it sound like I am). Add his vocals to it which fit this song to perfection, and you have a gem, in my humble opinion.
2.“Time of Day”
A song about understanding that our poor actions and decisions of the past will always be a part of us and our stories…sorrow doesn’t delete the past. We need to own up to that, and I think it is a big part of how we improve as people as life continues. And it is true that we might not feel worthy of prayer based on our imperfections. We are, but we all have moments of feeling that we are not.
3.“My Cross”
I think I saw that this was Jelly Roll’s favorite song on the album, and I can understand why. As a father, I can relate to this song. I think we’re doing our best as parents, but there are still parts of me that I hope my son does not get. I am sure it is the same for him. What those attributes are might differ, but the thought behind it is the same.
4.“Unpretty”
This is another one about owning what we once were, and how what we once were will always be part of who we are in some capacity. There’s no way around that. It can be difficult to accept, but it is also important to recognize. There are some things from the past we might actually want to replicate–things we’ve done well, or empathy we have shown which made a positive impact. Other things, we want to be mindful not to fall back into the same pits we might have had to have climbed out of in the past. This is important.
5.“Liar”
So I first heard this song watching WWE SummerSlam this year. Jelly Roll served up the opener (as well as one hell of a chokeslam later on in the production) with this tune and absolutely slayed it. I can only speculate as to who “you” is in this song, but I interpret it as a demon that he has conquered. It could be something more literal of physically present in nature, but I wouldn’t have such knowledge. I love the message behind the song though, of facing our destructive temptations and defeating them.
My Takeaways, Why You Should Listen:
I’m going to freestyle this section a bit, as I already addressed some of the substance in previous sections. This album moved me. It made me think, it made me emotional, and it made me want to tell everyone I know all about it. I cannot remember the last time an album did this for me. And as good as the music is, I also encourage everyone to watch Rogan’s recent podcast with Jelly Roll. When you watch the guy converse, you realize just how believable every single word of it is.
It isn’t only that it is an at times heart wrenching, other times inspiring, and also thought-provoking album, it’s that it also prompted me to conduct a self-reflection of my own. It made me look at some of my own imperfections and to try my best to make sure those around me aren’t caught in the crosshairs of my battles with my own afflictions. It made me more understanding of others and the struggles they go through–that I should not think less of someone who might have a ding on their file from a previous chapter in life…or that maybe the person I’m interacting with who is apparently having a bad day deserves a little bit of slack.
Most importantly, all of us are battling something. Many of us are doing our best to process it, while others aren’t ready to do so. Regardless of socioeconomic status or anything else though, we’re all in the grind. We all owe it to ourselves to practice a little bit of self-accountability and make the most of our lives. We also owe others a bit of understanding.
You should listen. It will prompt a different way of thinking and interacting with others. I think if you let it, Beautifully Broken will change you in a constructive way. I think it can be that powerful. I’ll conclude with a random thought. My gym, for whatever reason, plays this K-Love radio station (which is why I wear headphones during my workouts). I’m a Catholic, so some of these more non-denominational tunes aren’t really my theological jam, but I respect their intent. I really do. That said, this collection of tunes will make us wrestle with our spiritual selves as much as any set of tunes I’ve come across in some time, which I think is the intent of the well-intentioned aforementioned music.
So Jelly Roll, I doubt you’ll see this little blog, but thank you for putting this together. Thank you for your willingness toward vulnerability, as well as your self-accountability. I’m happy for your success. Keep strong on your fitness journey too, big man. Your progress thus far is awesome to see. Blessings. -P.K.