Why people love heartbreak songs | Rick Beato and Lex Fridman

You also had uh an amazing interview with Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins. >> Uh he is definitively one of my favorite musicians. >> I love Billy. >> You asked him an interesting question about how he creates um this melancholy feeling that permeates a lot of his songs. And he jokingly said that uh the secret is all about the seventh and the and the ninth. Um, so like musically chord-wise, what do you think about that? You think he's on to something? >> He's talking a little music theory there. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Seventh and ninth over the chord that he's playing. So if you're playing a C chord, he's singing a B would be the seventh. D would be the ninth. And he does use a lot of those notes, but almost all these people that we're talking No, all these people that we're talking about use these notes. And this is why their songs I and when I interviewed Sting, I called them surprise tones. things like I like the way you use the word surprise notes that are outside the chord that are dissonant with the chords that they're playing and but that creates emotion. Dissonance equals emotion and that's that's what I like. I want music to be to depress me. >> Yeah. What is that? I don't know. They but melancholy and I think you articulated in that interview is it's not actually that depressing. There's something about that melancholy feeling that is somehow the other side of the coin of happiness is a kind of longing. >> Yes. There's a hopefulness to it. That aloneeness that you feel. I mean that's actually like one of the intimate connections you have with music is when you're alone. There's I think there's a social way of listening to music when maybe a concert and so on. But there's this there's nothing like you're alone in the car driving listening to like whatever it is Bruce Springsteen. Uh I think Louis CK has a bit about that. Was it Bruce Springsteen? Please sometimes has to pull over to the side of the road just weep or or something like this. It's just there's some there's something about that. Sometimes a song just connects with you and I don't know it mel nothing like a melancholy song could do that. it. You think about like maybe things you regret or how life could have worked out. And sometimes it's not even about like [laughter] it's not even real. It's just connects something to the in the soul the the uneasiness that we all feel maybe the loneliness we all feel that underpins so much of the human condition. It just connects with that. I don't know what that is. >> There's a Kurt Cobain lyric. It was on the Inuteral record from the song Francis Farmer. The chorus part is I miss the comfort of being sad. And I was like, yes, I miss the comfort in being sad. I was like, yeah, that's it right there. In terms of love songs, somehow I find powerful that kind of desperation. So like I I've always connected with Pearl Jam's Black. >> Oh, amazing. >> Uh that line it was a friend of mine was going through a breakup. So I was listening and he he's the one that introduced me to Pearl Jam during that that whole period. Uh when Pearl Jam was huge uh with 10 is is that line is uh someday >> someday you you'll have a beautiful life, you know, someday you'll be a star in somebody else's sky. Why why why can't it be can it be mine? Oh my god, that >> blows me away. That's an amazing line. >> Why? Yeah, >> the delivery is incredible on it, too. >> Eddie Veter, one of the great frontmen of all time. Yes. And that whole period, that whole moment in history, >> uh, of Kirk Cobain and Eddie Veter that captured that was the '9s. That was one side of the '9s that just this singular moment in history

Lex Fridman Podcast full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SJiTwbSI58 Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/cv9705-sb See below for guest bio, links, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. *GUEST BIO:* Rick Beato is a music educator, interviewer, producer, songwriter, and a true multi-instrument musician, playing guitar, bass, cello & piano. His incredible YouTube channel celebrates great musicians & musical ideas, and helps millions of people fall in love with great music all over again. *CONTACT LEX:* *Feedback* - give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey *AMA* - submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama *Hiring* - join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring *Other* - other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact *EPISODE LINKS:* Rick's YouTube: https://youtube.com/RickBeato Rick's X: https://x.com/rickbeato Rick's Instagram: https://instagram.com/rickbeato1 Rick's Website: https://rickbeato.com Rick's Ear Training: https://beatoeartraining.com The Beato Book: https://beatobook.com *SPONSORS:* To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: *UPLIFT Desk:* Standing desks and office ergonomics. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/uplift_desk-cv9705-sb *BetterHelp:* Online therapy and counseling. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/betterhelp-cv9705-sb *LMNT:* Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-cv9705-sb *Fin:* AI agent for customer service. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-cv9705-sb *Shopify:* Sell stuff online. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-cv9705-sb *Perplexity:* AI-powered answer engine. Go to https://lexfridman.com/s/perplexity-cv9705-sb *PODCAST LINKS:* - Podcast Website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast - Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr - Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 - RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ - Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 - Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/lexclips *SOCIAL LINKS:* - X: https://x.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexfridman - TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://facebook.com/lexfridman - Patreon: https://patreon.com/lexfridman - Telegram: https://t.me/lexfridman - Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman