For me music is a huge part of life, and I’m constantly listening to more music. This year, Boygenius was one of my top artists. Their songs hold a special place in my heart, including their solo works. As I was looking over the discographies of Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, I realized that not enough people know about the three songs on each artist’s albums that reference each other. Before I start, I wanted to give a content warning for mentions of suicide and substance abuse. The songs “Graceland Too,” “Please Stay,” and “Favor” show the struggles of suicide from not only the person who is suffering, but also the perspective of those around that person.
“Please Stay,” off of Dacus’ album Home Video is one of the saddest songs I’ve ever listened to. I can’t think about the lyrics without getting emotional. The lyrics fully capture the pain of having to beg someone to stay alive. Dacus opens by listing things that would be a painful reminder of Baker if anything were to happen. Throughout the song, Dacus keeps listing distractions or alternatives, anything other than suicide. By the end of the song she says “call me if you need a friend / Or never talk to me again / But please stay.” At this point, Dacus is desperate to not let her friend leave this world. She again shows the effects suicide can have on not just the person struggling, but the people around them. While living for someone else can be unhealthy and is not a long term solution, sometimes short term solutions need to be found in these situations. Despite it being such a sad song, I think Dacus has saved lives through the song “Please Stay.”
Baker has been very open about her struggles with addiction and mental health throughout her career. Her song “Favor” off her most recent album, Little Oblivions, is easily one of the saddest songs I’ve ever listened to. She describes what it’s like to be struggling. Baker writes “I always want to tell the truth / But it never seems like the right time,” before asking “How long do I have until / I’ve spent up everyone’s goodwill?” If you have ever been struggling with suicidal thoughts, or other serious topics, you know that opening up to people is difficult, and can come with a lot of guilt. Baker wrote “Favor” about her bandmates, who were the ones that did her the favor of saving her.
In 2020, Phoebe Bridgers released her second album, Punisher, which contained the song “Graceland Too.” Fans immediately fell in love with the beautiful sound of the song. Many queer fans also appreciated it, as the song is clearly being sung to a female in Bridgers’ life. It was quickly put together that the song was most likely about Baker, even including vocals from Bridgers’ band mates at the end of the song. There is a deep, platonic love that Bridgers feels for her bandmates, and this song perfectly captures that. While it was the first of the three songs to be released, I like to listen to it last when I listen to the three songs in order. “Graceland Too” is like the ‘end’ of the story told by these songs; Baker is still alive and the band members remain very close, even after the band broke up at the end of 2023.
Music is so important, and it’s songs like these that help people when they are struggling the most. These aren’t just sad songs, they are the experiences of Baker, Bridgers, and Dacus. Sometimes, having music like this that you can relate to can help to make you feel less alone when you are struggling.
I feel like many Boygenius fans only listen to Bridgers’ solo work, and I wanted to also spotlight “Please Stay” and “Favor.” They are songs that mean so much to me and all fans of Boygenius, Phoebe Bridgers, and “Graceland Too” need to hear.
NOTE: If you or someone you love is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or you call or text 988.
