Just like how most people hide their true emotions in their smiles, these songs are no different. The angst in Outro: Tear and the EDM sound in Stay is a great contrast to the emotions of the songs, however, these sounds are the responses to those feelings.
Tear — the parting of ways
In BTS’s docuseries, Break The Silence, Suga revealed in episode 6 that this song was written when the group is considering to disband.
“The lyrics for ‘Tear’ were written for the members. When I was writing the melody, at the time, we were deeply contemplating whether we should quit or not. When I played the song for the members we all cried together.”
— Suga
For a band like BTS, it is almost close to frightening and exhausting considering the amount of public pressure and expectation they must have, excluding the things we didn’t know of.
“It doesn’t belong to anyone. It’s like an imaginary, momentary rainbow that’s been created by ourselves and the people who help us. It is going to disappear someday, so we have to stay humble and reflect on ourselves. I think it’s important for us to spend more time reflecting on these things.”
— RM
There must be also a daunting fear that their global fame and success could leave as suddenly as it arrived and in the process of going all through it, oneself might also change. Jin has also said the same sentiment during his MAMA 2018 speech about how the group considered disbanding as it took a toll on them mentally.
We walked towards the same place
But this place becomes our last
Although we used to talk about forever
Now we break each other without mercy
Although we thought that we dreamed the same dream
That dream has finally become a dream
My heart is torn, please burn it instead
So that pain and regret, none of that would be left— Tear, BTS
Having known these, we can never listen to Tear the same way again. Considering that this could be a breakup song of the band. But what’s more painful is that all throughout the song, the breakup still sounded hopeful and loving. Upon recalling how they started to how everything slowly burns out is giving that aching feeling — we seldom shed tears for the people we don’t love. And for BTS to consider each other their tears prove that whatever they share is something they all decided to be in.
These painful lyrics are hidden in an angsty sound by the rap line. The dreaded feeling is conveyed in a light where one is perceived to handle it well but the frustration and fear lie underneath.
Stay, realizing not to leave
Stay is part of their recently released album “BE” which is supposed to be part of Jungkook’s mixtape.
At first, I wanted to talk about how we’re always together, using the English word ‘wherever.’ I wanted to express how we’re always together no matter where we are, but Namjoon heard that and said “Stay” might be better. I liked his suggestion, so I changed it.
— Jungkook
I take this song as a realization and an answer, a continuation of Tear’s lingering emotions — because sometimes we don’t really understand our decisions while we make them especially when our emotions are louder than our reasons.
While the song is said to be made for ARMYs who the septet cannot see during this pandemic, the song also perfectly captures their reason for staying in this whirlpool — ARMY. As the band decided to keep going for their music and for their fans, there is also a niggling thought that there is no one else they could have done this all with besides from them seven and maybe those thoughts of giving it up are “just a dream” and they thought that “it’s a blessing to repeat”.
The song is in EDM, the emotion is of longingness. Its beauty is underneath like opening a pandora box and all the emotions start smacking at you. The more you listen to it, the more tears you shed realizing how assuring it is that even the upbeat sound cannot hide it anymore.
Tear is the uncertainty, Stay is the assurance
The meanings of the songs are like the charms of how strong people hide their weakness through their outside appearances. It’s a reminder that uncertainty takes place for us not to doubt or question our existence or decisions, but it's for us to find an answer and assurance for it.
Most people get disheartened with uncertain things because who wouldn’t be afraid of the unknown right? But upon listening to both songs — it came as proof that we always know what we wanted, how to do them, and why. It’s the what-ifs and the endings that scare us in the process.
After all, the end originally exists
If there’s a start, I don’t wanna listen to that
Words that are too correct or too much consolation.. I don’t wanna listen to that— Tear, BTS
But if we came to realize that the end will only exist if didn’t choose to go on and repeat, I think the what-ifs will turn into even-ifs and we will muster the courage to see every near-ends as an opportunity to decide to stay or where to go and not a finish line of what we have left.
I think it’s a blessing to repeat
I don’t know either, my heartIn the place where that cloud passed by
Stay— Stay, BTS
I take these songs as BTS’s journey in losing grip and finding their reasons again, because after all — life isn’t a horizontal line, it’s a cycle of things. And it’s normal to lose grip multiple times, we just have to be reminded that we’ll soon find the reasons for it.
Tear came as a pinch that we are still human, and the most human thing we can feel is to be scared. And Stay came as the answer, that being scared is a lot bearable when you’re with the right people that’ll be with you until you’re not scared anymore.
I was so relieved when Stay was released because the fear of parting of ways can only be lifted by an assurance. And even if the assurance isn’t probably the thing we thought it was, an assurance to stay whenever is more than enough — the value of the relationship and memories shared never ceases.
I was just so scared
Because it seemed like perhaps I had never loved you at allThere’s no such thing as beautiful goodbyes
“We are together”
