Released: 2024
“In The Stars” by Benson Boone is a heart-wrenching ballad mourning the loss of a loved one and delving deep into the emotional turmoil that accompanies such loss. The song’s powerful lyrics paint a vivid picture of despair and introspection, as the artist grapples with grief and faith.
Starting off, Boone reminisces about the Sunday mornings he spent with the departed, a memory symbolizing happier times. You did your hair up like you were famous depicts the amazing personality of the departed. Now, he says, Sunday mornings, I just sleep in, showcasing how the rituals they once cherished feel empty.
Boone is screaming at a God he’s unsure he believes in. This powerful line bespeaks his doubt in faith and his frantic search for answers. The sorrowful refrain, I’m still holdin’ on to everything that’s dead and gone powerfully portrays Boone’s struggle to let go.
He echoes the depth of his loss with the line now you’re in the stars and six-feet’s never felt so far. Here Boone uses the metaphor of six feet – the typical depth of a grave – showcasing the massive emotional chasm created by death.
When he belts out, Oh, it hurts so hard…You took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces, he lays bare the anguish that gnaws at him, as he’s left grappling with a broken heart.
The lyrics, diggin’ through your old birthday letters, a crumpled 20 still in the box, hint at treasured memories tied to seemingly mundane objects, which are now a stinging reminder of his loss.
Throughout the song, the repetitive phrase, I’m still holdin’ on signifies Boone’s desperate clinging to the past, his refusal to let go, despite the painful memories. This raw expression of grief and longing makes “In The Stars” more than just a song; it becomes a deeply moving narrative of coping with loss.
