Think about your troubles

Harry Nilsson's song "Think about your troubles" is a whimsical yet profound exploration of the cyclical nature of life and the interconnectedness of all things. The song begins with a simple, everyday scene: sitting at the breakfast table and pouring a cup of tea. This mundane activity sets the stage for a deeper reflection on personal troubles, symbolized by teardrops. Nilsson invites the listener to metaphorically place their teardrops into a teacup, suggesting a process of externalizing and confronting one's sorrows.

The journey of the teardrops continues as they are taken to the riverside and thrown into the ocean. This act symbolizes the release of personal troubles into the vast, collective experience of life. The teardrops are then consumed by fish, which are in turn eaten by other fish, and eventually swallowed by a whale. This imagery highlights the idea that individual troubles are part of a larger, interconnected ecosystem. The whale's eventual decomposition and return to the ocean's basic elements further emphasize the cyclical nature of existence.

Nilsson cleverly ties the cycle back to the beginning by describing how the decomposed elements of the whale contribute to the salty water of the ocean, which is then filtered and ends up in a teapot, ready to bubble once more. This full-circle narrative serves as a reminder that troubles, like all things, are temporary and part of a continuous cycle. The song's playful tone and imaginative storytelling make a profound statement about the nature of life, encouraging listeners to view their troubles from a broader perspective and find solace in the natural cycles of the world.