Amy Winehouse and "No Rehab"

I was driving into work this afternoon and listening to a popular radio station.  They were playing a catchy little tune called Rehab.  I was listening to it mindlessly and bopping along when the lyrics really penetrated my awareness.  I hate when that happens and ruins a perfectly good beat for me. 

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been bad but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go

I'd rather be at home with ray
I ain't got seventy days
Cuz there's nothing
There's nothing you can teach me
That I can't learn from mr hathaway

I didn't get a lot in class
But I know it don't come in a shot glass

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go

The man said 'why do you think you here'
I said 'I got no idea'
'I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my baby
So I always keep a bottle near'
He said 'I just think your depressed,
This me "Yeah, baby, and the rest"

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know...


I don't never wanna drink again
I just ooooh I just need a friend
I'm not gonna spend ten weeks
Have everyone think I'm on the mend

It's not just my pride
It's just til these tears have dried

They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said 'no no no'
Yes I've been black, but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
They tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go

 

The issue I take with this song is the image that staying messed up instead of making the effort to get clean is the cool thing to do, according to the hype put out by popular media.  And let's face it, kids today are more influenced by their facebook friends than their family or church values.  Popular media is an incredibly powerful influence in how kids form their perspective on life and a song that glorifies a boozed up, pill-popping lifestyle is not only irresponsible, it's sad and misleading.  Because just like all the "forever friends" that are passing joints together, when you get busted or you OD, none of those people are going to be there to bail you out or drive you to the hospital.  I remember serious conversations of driving through the ER drop off and booting a dangerously ill person out the car to lie on the pavement because everyone was afraid of being caught and punished for the drugs involved that night.  Living like that is an ugly, ugly way to live and the fashion designers and music producers who glamorize it to help hock their products are no better in my eyes than common drug dealers.  

On a related note, after that song finished, a DJ broke into the scheduled broadcast to announce the breaking news that Amy Winehouse has been found dead of undetermined causes.  Considering her previous background with drugs and alcohol problems, I believe the truth of it when it comes out will be rather predictable.  I thought how ironic it was to play a song about not going to rehab and then announce the death of a star who likely died from the harsh consequences of that lifestyle.  

 

The true irony though is in looking up the lyrics of the song to include in this post and realizing that the singer of No Rehab was Amy Winehouse.  Her brash philosophy in life did her no good.  I pray that her death is a sobering counterbalance to the message of her music.  It's just very sad that she had to go so far as to lose her own life to illustrate the point that living messed up is no way to live.  

 

Rest in piece, Amy.