Creating a safe-space where punks from all walks of life comes together to sing songs was the goal of the protest punk band the Homeless Gospel Choir.  The group’s music had fostered some eye-opening conversations about mental illness. “Depression” was one of the group’s most notable songs that started a conversation about the subject.  The feelings of inadequacy, being stuck and depression that young people feel was expressed in the lyrics of “Depression”.

With friends like that who needs friends
When you have seasonal depression
In Western Pennsylvania, or anywhere
You’re afraid to just be yourself

Sometimes I feel like I’m stuck here
Trapped in the wrong year
Like an empty pack of cigarettes
Like an endless bill called college debt

And I don’t know when I first started feeling so alone
Like how everyone else has a place and I simply don’t
And sometimes you wake up in your 30’s
Take a look around
And realize that you’re lucky not to be a ghost in a ghost town

Image Credits:
Feature Image: Ali Yahya, on Unsplash, Creative Commons