Not literally being punched in the gut, unless that’s what you’re into, but that moment in a song that makes you stop cold. It’s usually a line somewhere in the middle, that just fucking kills you.
I imagine the gut punch is probably a very individual thing but it wouldn’t it be amazing if there was something universal about it? Like a certain formula of instrumentation and voice that always leads to an emotional reaction in the listener.
Brace yourself for the punching and let’s have an experiment!
Firewater- 6:45
The punch- “And anyway, she’s just the end of a melody that sings to me of you.”
Bat For Lashes- Daniel
The punch- “Just get in the eye of the storm.”
Florence + The Machine- Shake It Out
The punch- “Tonight, I’m gonna bury that horse in the ground.”
Neko Case- I Wish I Was the Moon
The punch- “How will you know when you’ve found me at last? Cause I’ll be the one with my heart in my lap.”
Aimee Mann- It’s Not
The punch- “So baby kiss me like a drug, like a respirator.”
Morphine- The Night
The punch- “I hope you’re waiting for me, across your carpet of stars.”
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- The Ship Song
The punch- “But when I crawl into your arms, everything comes tumbling down.”
stellar! have to admit, though… punching me repeatedly in the gut is basically what Firewater, Aimee Mann, and Morphine do…