Jim Gillett

It’s a declaration that she has found a strength that can no longer be broken, providing a definitive and hopeful conclusion to the story.

17. I Won't Quit On You: The entire journey culminates in this final, powerful statement of endurance. After everything she has been through - the pain, the anger, the healing - the narrator ends with a promise of unwavering loyalty.

16. True Believer: Before the story can end, there must be peace with what came before. "True Believer" is a nostalgic look back at a beloved past, but from a place of strength, not longing. The narrator accepts her history and loves the ghost of it without needing to return to it.

Epilogue: Acceptance and Commitment
(Tracks 16-17)

The narrator has started making peace with the past and cementing the strength found in the present.

15. Discovery Channel: This is the confident peak of the new relationship. It's a burst of fun, playful sexuality, showing that the narrator has moved beyond caution and is fully embracing joy and physical intimacy again.

13. Dream Girl In Shibuya & 14. Zissou: This pairing shows the new love blossoming. It moves from the initial "Whim" to the exciting, vibrant energy of a new relationship in "Dream Girl," and then solidifies into a quirky, adventurous partnership in "Zissou."

12. Whim: Once that self-love is established, she can entertain the idea of new romance. "Whim" is that first, tentative step, the desire to trust again, even if it feels like a risk.

11. Love Me Different: After confronting the complex love/hate of the past, the narrator has a revelation: healing starts with the self. She must "love me differently" before she can properly engage with anyone else. This is the foundation for a healthy future.

Act III: Cautious New Beginnings
(Tracks 11-15)

This is the thaw after the anger. It’s about looking forward, taking risks on new love, and rediscovering joy.

"Brotherly Hate" expresses the intense frustration and pain, while "Blood Bros" immediately follows to show the unconditional, unbreakable love that lies beneath it. This pairing reveals the true complexity of the relationship - it's not one or the other, but both at once.

9. Brotherly Hate & 10. Blood Bros: These two songs function as a pair. The focus of the anger narrows from a general rage to a specific, complicated relationship.

8. Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party: After the peak of rage comes a necessary moment of humility. An "ego death" forces the narrator to look at herself and her pain from a new perspective, providing a check on the anger before it becomes all-consuming.

7. Kill Me: The anger evolves from a cold, defensive state to a hot, confrontational challenge. The narrator is now daring the world to try and hurt her again, feeling strengthened by what she’s already endured.

6. Ice In My OJ: The shift is intentionally jarring. Moving from seeking help to declaring "I'm a cold, hard bitch" shows the first stage of a defense mechanism: building a wall of cold fury to protect a vulnerable heart.

Act II: Building Walls with Anger
(Tracks 6-10)

Having decided to fight back, the first emotion to surface is anger. This act is about processing that rage and exploring its complexities.

5. Mirtazapine: This is the crucial turning point. After hitting the peak of anxiety, the narrator seeks help, symbolised by the antidepressant title. It's the moment she decides to fight back, which provides the perfect transition into the next, more defiant act.

4. Hard: The numbness of "Glum" gives way to a spike of raw anxiety in "Hard." The narrator is now questioning her own survival, showing the intense fragility beneath the quiet sadness.

3. Glum: After the decision to let go, the immediate result isn't relief, but a hollow, depressive state. "Glum" represents this emotional flatline.

2. Disappearing Man: From that state of mental anguish, "Disappearing Man" becomes the first active decision: the painful choice to surrender and let go of the person causing the pain.

1. Negative Self Talk: The story starts in the most internal, painful place: being alone with one's thoughts after a loss.

Act I: The Quiet Collapse
(Tracks 1-5)

This act is about hitting rock bottom. It's internal, quiet, and filled with pain and anxiety.

Here’s a breakdown of the thinking behind the order, act by act:

Hayley Williams - True Believer by Jim Gillett on Apple Music Playlist · 17 Songs

music.apple.com/gb/playlist/...

Mildly obsessed with the 17 new songs Hayley Williams dropped last week, had a go at finding the story hidden within them.

Species

Timothy Chalamet

I didn’t know this is exactly why I loved Reacher until I read this

“Pat Sharp surplus” is a masterpiece of a region-specific joke

The Shawshank Redemption, an old man reminisces on his trip to visit his friends beach house

people who act like no one uses em dashes are essentially saying “I don’t read books!”