Under The Bridge

One of the most popular songs of my generation has to be "Under The Bridge" performed by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer, wrote this song about his drug use and how he had a love for it. He quit drugs and felt that it was drifting him from his best friends who were still on drugs while writing songs. Drugs are something that many teenagers may or may not relate to. However, if you look at this song from a different perspective, you could see it as a song about a boy's love of a girl and how he is all alone while everyone else from his friends has a girlfriend. "Sometimes I feel Like I don't have a partner Sometimes I feel Like my only friend Is the city I live in The city of Angels Lonely as I am Together we cry I drive on her streets 'Cause she's my companion I walk through her hills 'Cause she knows who I am She sees my good deeds and She kisses me windy and I never worry Now that is a lie I don't ever wanna feel Like I did that day Take me to the place I love Take me all the way I don't ever want to feel Like I did that day Take me to the place I love Take me all that way (yeah yeah yeah)" (Lyrics here!) A young boy who feels all alone. He doesn't have anyone who loves him except his home. He cries at night thinking what could he do. He drives on her streets, walks around her neighborhood hoping to get noticed. She notices he is a good person but it worries him because she doesn't love him like he does. He doesn't want to feel that way anymore. He doesn't want her to not love him. It hurts him thinking about it. This is a typical story of a high school boy who may not be one of the more popular ones at his school. A boy needs to express his feelings and at that level the only way is to have a girlfriend. Not only will that fill the void in his life, but it would place him in a stage that society says he should be at. His friends all have girlfriends and he does not want to be left out. The third, or however many friends he has, wheel. What could we do as teachers? Listen! The best way to help a boy, or even a girl, at this stage is listen. Let the student explain to you what is going on. It will be obvious that the student is facing a problem because that student will be going through a lot of changes at that time, whether it is physically, mentally, emotionally, or socially.