Every once in a while, an artist drops a song that’s so profound and stirring, you have to sit with it for a moment. Swiss singer-songwriter DANA delivered an example of this on August 16th with the release of her new song ‘Best I Can Do’.
It becomes clear quite early on that this song describes an unhealthy, maybe even abusive relationship. However, the lyrics leave enough space to insert your own experience.
While some lines do suggest a romantic relationship, lyrics such as ‘You still wonder why there’s no walk down the aisle and why you’ll never meet my child’ could also be aimed at a family member. Either way, the topic of the song is a heavy one. Describing issues such as abuse, codependency, and trauma accurately, let alone fitting them into three minutes and ten seconds, seems like a nearly impossible task, but DANA manages to do just that in the most impactful, compassionate way.
Thought-provoking and touching, the lyrics of the first verse give an insight into the relationship which is plagued by the other person’s outbursts. The second verse then explains why it was still so difficult to leave the situation. This theme of conflicting emotions is threaded into the whole song; there is bittersweet nostalgia clouded by painful memories and regret but there is also a sense of hope.
The chorus feels like both a cry for help and a cry of relief, ending with the line ‘the best I can do is not to be like you’ – a powerful message, a vow to end the cycle of abuse. Even more impactful, however, is the lyric ‘It’s terrifying being scared that you’ll die and let go before I can’.
While both the verses and the chorus already hit close to home, the bridge is truly haunting and sums up all the different, complicated emotions that are being described throughout the song. Accompanied by an anxiously fast beat, you can hear the anger and the pain building up, and when you’d expect them to blow up, DANA softly delivers the chorus.
Her songwriting is truly impeccable, but what makes this song so incredibly touching is DANA’s ability to convey this broad, complex array of feelings with her voice. Switching effortlessly between registers, sounding vulnerable and powerful at the same time, she enhances every emotion in the most gripping way.
DANA should not only be applauded for creating a beautiful song, but also for tackling this serious issue, as it truly takes courage to release such an emotional piece of work.
Written by: Melanie Falkensteiner
Edited by: Nèri Cliteur
