Her name is Cherry
We’ve just met
But already she knows me better than you
She understands me
After eighteen years
And you still don’t see me like you ought to do
Maybe we could talk ’bout things
If you was made of wood and strings
While I love her every sound
I dunno how to tune you down
You’re so thick and my patience’s thin
So I got me a new best friend
With a pickup that puts you to shame
And Cherry is her name
And when I’m lonely
Cherry’s there
And she plays along while I sing out my blues
I could be crying
And you don’t care
You won’t call me back, you’re stubborn as mule
Maybe we could talk ’bout things
If you was made of wood and strings
You might think I’ve gone too far
I’m talking ’bout my new guitar
The song “Cherry”, off of Amy Winehouse’s album Frank, is in my opinion a peculiar yet powerful piece of music. This particular piece was written at a time when Amy was struggling with depression and dealing with an on again/off again relationship with her boyfriend. If you read through the lyrics you can see that Amy is describing the qualities of her “friend” Cherry. She offers comparison between the way Cherry makes her feel, versus the way her significant other does. Winehouse artfully illustrates the support that she gets from Cherry, and her lovers lack of care and interest in her struggle with depression. At the conclusion of the song she finally reveals that Cherry is actually her guitar. I love this piece of music and I feel its powerful because it illustrates a suffering artists struggle with depression and how she uses music as a form of therapy.
