The Rose’s album Heal elaborates on the pains that come with growing up and becoming aware of one’s faults and strengths. The record pulls on the heartstrings of childhood memories, self-worth, and processing emotional healing. Through powerful harmonies, incredible instrumentals, and intelligent lyricism, Heal succeeds at creating a space for listeners to relate and heal for themselves, all while reigniting the alternative rock genre in the K-Pop industry. The aim of this series is to provide a thoughtful, track-by-track analysis of an incredible album.
“Childhood”
With the previous piece focusing on the nostalgic tale of The Ugly Duckling, it seems only natural that the following ballad’s theme revolves around youth. Utilizing remarkable harmonies and simple instrumentation, “Childhood” tugs at the heartstrings of those longing to reunite with their inner child. Members of The Rose expressed the imperatives of this song, stating, “As you become more mature and become more in tune with the world you tend to forget those little details (dreams) we had so naturally.” Expressing various anthems about equality and dreams, The Rose declares that all people once existed as children and invites them to see the world as children once again. “Childhood” dives even deeper into this theme as vocalist Dojoon sings, “Don’t forget when you were a child. Don’t live your life like you have a thousand years”, encouraging listeners to act on their dreams before it’s too late. “Childhood” is a cathartic piece dedicated to listeners longing to connect with their inner child and childhood aspirations.