Migraine

Album: Vessel (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A migraine is a disorder characterized by recurrent headaches that are moderate to severe. Studies have shown that migraines and depression are linked. Here, Tyler Joseph uses a migraine as a metaphor for there being something wrong with the world even if he can't figure out what.

    I-I-I I've got a migraine
    And my pain will range from up, down, and sideways
    Thank God it's Friday cause Fridays will always be better than Sundays
    Cause Sundays are my suicide days
    I don't know why they always seem so dismal


    Tyler explained to Kerrang: "The hurt is your body telling you something else is wrong. Your body gets your attention through pain."
  • Tyler Joseph wrote the lyrics long before he penned the music to go with it. He told Rock Sound magazine:

    "You can psych yourself out when you write the poetry first and then you just fall in love with the way that you said this thing. Then you're worried about the song part of it that's going to go with it and you're very protective of it, almost defending it. I'm really excited that I found the right song for it and it's one of my favorite ones to deliver live."
  • This was originally included on the Three Songs EP, released in the summer of 2012, which also included the tracks "Guns for Hands"and "Ode to Sleep."
  • Some famous migraine sufferers in history:

    Julius Caesar wasn't that strong physically. He was an epileptic who suffered from migraine headaches.

    Thomas Jefferson was a chronic migraine sufferer. They lasted about a month at a time and he had an attack every seven years or so. Each time he carried on working through the pain.

    General Ulysses Grant suffered from migraines every three or four weeks. The best cure he found was to dip his feet in a hot mustard footbath in a darkened room, and to take one of his wife Julia's special pills. He would fall asleep for a couple of hours then awaken feeling refreshed.

    Sigmund Freud was a chronic migraine and sinusitis sufferer, and he took cocaine to alleviate his sinusitis but found it did little for his headaches.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jon Anderson of Yes

Jon Anderson of YesSongwriter Interviews

From the lake in "Roundabout" to Sister Bluebird in "Starship Trooper," Jon Anderson talks about how nature and spirituality play into his lyrics for Yes.

David Sancious

David SanciousSongwriter Interviews

Keyboard great David Sancious talks about his work with Sting, Seal, Springsteen, Clapton and Aretha, and explains what quantum physics has to do with making music.

Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe ShaverSongwriter Interviews

The outlaw country icon talks about the spiritual element of his songwriting and his Bob Dylan mention.

Shaun Morgan of Seether

Shaun Morgan of SeetherSongwriter Interviews

Shaun breaks down the Seether songs, including the one about his brother, the one about Ozzy, and the one that may or may not be about his ex-girlfriend Amy Lee.

Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues

Justin Hayward of The Moody BluesSongwriter Interviews

Justin wrote the classic "Nights In White Satin," but his fondest musical memories are from a different decade.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.