Phosphorescent - Song for Zula (2013)

Love songs.  Whether you're a fan or not, I think it's safe to say that the theme of love is pretty prominent in most contemporary music.  This really isn't surprising.  After all, love is an emotion that can be understood by just about anyone.

While it's certainly not uncommon for love songs to deal with some sort of  emotional heartbreak, it's very rare to come across a song that actually admits that, well...love is a bad thing.  Phosphorescent's "Song for Zula" boldly suggests that love is nothing more than an enemy in disguise, comparing it to a caged animal waiting to kill upon being released.

An unorthodox statement, yes; but songwriter Matthew Houck is not afraid to challenge the way love is generally portrayed in music.  He toys with the notion that love can actually change one's spirit in a negative way.  He suggests that when you open yourself up to love, it traps you inside of its cage, and you become its victim.  Therefore, the only way to prevent yourself from being stuck in this cage is to never open yourself to love ever again.

"Song for Zula" is genuine, heart-wrenching, and just downright devastating.  It's by far my favorite song of the year, and one of the few brutally honest love songs I've ever heard.