After seeing an influx of Amy Winehouse costumes scattered across my Halloween weekend, I revisited the iconic discography of Ms. Winehouse and treated myself to a listening of her albums. Though I’ve always been an avid listener of Amy Winehouse, I had never intentionally sat down and listened to her work from start to finish—and I had been depriving myself of a lot of soulful music. The trait about Winehouse that differentiates her from so many other singers is her timelessness. The specific album that solidified my infatuation for her is Frank (US Clean e-Version); her debut album that she had started writing at the ripe age of 19 years.
Frank is a true testament to womanhood, as her songs each exist as an ode to a struggle of femininity. Winehouse bears the gift of relatability — the secret power that makes her music so timeless — her lyricism is universal to anyone who has struggled with love. Winehouse explores the different facets of developing love, attraction, romance and rejection, making a name for herself with her debut album, as her music remains relatable and jazzy throughout her short-lived career.
The album starts with her “Intro” where she serenades listeners with a sung melody, it sets the tone for an album full of strong vocals. Immediately after her intro, the beat of “Stronger Than Me” begins, beautifully transitioning from one track to another.
“Stronger Than Me” is a song where she explains her grievances with her relationship; relating her distraught brought by the lack of maturity of her man, thrown off by his need for comfort, saying she has “forgotten all of young love’s joy.” In her relationship, her spouse was seven years older than her and yet she felt more competent. Winehouse maintains a sense of wit and charm throughout this track, subtly making fun of her partner. She treats her album as a diary, sharing intimate thoughts about her disappointing partners and wishing things were different. These lyrics remain true throughout many phases of life, and Winehouse capitalizes on the commonality of disappointment; through her lyrics, audiences are reminded that even she faces frustration with her romantic life.
Amy continues to explore aspects of womanhood, specifically the struggle of being a woman who craves the presence of a man. In her track “What Is It About Men,” she takes on a more somber tone, where she ponders her self-destructive tendencies, leaving her in a cyclical routine of regret. Raw and reflective, Winehouse picks apart her brain and shares it with the public. Her openness is what makes her a loveable artist, as we come to know and understand her through her art.
In her track “(There Is) No Greater Love,” she sings soulfully under a soft wind instrument, expressing her passion and love for her partner, explaining that she has never felt this way before. Winehouse shares her vulnerability, contrasted between the snarky version of herself that she highlights in her first track (“Stronger Than Me”).
Her debut album is her introduction of her identity, and through her variety of emotion and sound, she gives a nuanced account of the trials and tribulations of womanhood, bringing love and remorse together. A feminine influence, Amy Winehouse’s music has outlived her, solidifying her as musical and lyrical icon—and a Halloween costume.