Feeling hopelessly trapped?
Perhaps you’re stuck in a relationship where you’re no longer happy, or you could be stuck in a toxic home situation that you have to endure for various reasons.
Maybe you feel stuck because the methods you’re using to bring happiness into your life aren’t giving you the results you want. You may already own a lot of material possessions, but your wealth and success provide no meaning to you.
You might even be trapped in a job that doesn’t allow for personal improvement.
As dire as the situation may appear to be, it is nice to know that you’re not alone in feeling like this. Even before the pandemic hit the world in 2020, a survey revealed that more than half of employed Americans felt trapped in dead-end jobs.
Today, we’re sharing a collection of songs about being trapped. These tracks from various artists represent the different states in which people can feel stuck.
We hope that, through these songs, you’ll be able to pinpoint the exact spot where you’re feeling trapped. This way, you can channel your energy to extricate yourself from the situation and find true and lasting happiness.
1. Better Man, Pearl Jam
“She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man… She loved him, yeah. She don't want to leave this way. She feeds him, yeah. That's why she'll be back again.”
This single from Pearl Jam's album Vitalogy tells of a woman stuck in an abusive relationship.
As with many victims of abuse, she is trapped in a cycle of violence, in which she hopes that the person she loves will eventually change and stop abusing her.
2. With or Without You, U2
“I can't live with or without you…”
This song describes how a person is torn between wanting to escape and wanting to stay in a relationship.
Perhaps you’re in the same situation, where you love someone, yet also feel frustrated about the things they do. How does one remedy such a challenging situation?
3. Once More (With Feeling), Traffic Experiment
“Confined within these four walls I plan out my great escape. As I cling to this fading dream and pray I've not too long left to wait. And the world moves on through that door. And day after day you want me to do this once more (with feeling).”
This song is about the feeling of being stuck in a dead-end job for so long that there is no time to fulfill your other dreams. It describes the monotony of work when there is no chance for advancement or growth.
4. There's No Way Out of Here, David Gilmour
“There's no way out of here. When you come in, you're in for good.”
In this song, a guy describes how we can get trapped in the lives we choose for ourselves.
These could be happy, fulfilling lives, or lives full of misery and missed chances.
5. Trapped Under Ice, Metallica
“Freezing, can't move at all. Screaming, can't hear my call. I'm dying to live. Cry out. Trapped under ice.”
This song is filled with pain and suffering, and talks about isolation.
Many people feel that they are cut off from others. This loneliness makes them feel like they’re trapped in ice, where no one can hear them crying out.
6. Chains, Nick Jonas
“Tried to break the chains but the chains only break me.”
Looking for a song about being trapped in an unhealthy relationship? You might want to consider this song for your playlist.
It’s about loving and giving everything to someone who doesn’t appreciate any of it. However, you keep loving them, hoping that they’ll eventually love you back.
7. My Own Prison, Creed
“I cry out to God, seeking only His decision. Gabriel stands and confirms, I've created my own prison.”
In this song, a person’s bad habits caused him to be trapped in a prison of his own making. There’s no one else to blame. It’s up to him to get out of it.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, you might want to check out this ultimate guide for breaking bad habits.
8. Trapped in a Box, No Doubt
“Oh, trapped in a box, I'm not alone. I know of others with a box as their home. A light only enters from a crack or a hole. Oh, this is not enough for a human to grow. Trapped in a box.”
Excessive gadget use can bring about the feeling of being trapped, which is the message of this song from No Doubt, a popular band in the 1990s.
The song tells of people who are “trapped in a box,” which refers to a television, the main source of entertainment and information during that era.
These days, it is our handheld personal gadgets that dominate our waking hours, trapping us in a virtual world with no real interaction.
(Discover the pros and cons of social media use through this eye-opening guide.)
9. Nowhere to Go, Nowhere to Be, Kenny Chesney
“When I got nowhere to go and nowhere to be. “Trinidad Charlie” on a stool next to me. Reading his book about the “have” and “have-nots”. In between chapters we take another shot. And one by one we slide from reality. With nowhere to go and nowhere to be. Days turn into night, when you're stuck in still life.”
Here is a song about how having nowhere to go can make you feel trapped. Those who experience this type of situation feel like the days just pass in quick succession without meaning or purpose.
10. Prisoner, The Weeknd feat. Lana Del Rey
“I'm a prisoner to my addiction. I'm addicted to a life that's so empty and cold. I'm a prisoner to my decisions.”
This song is about feeling trapped because of a bad habit.
Often, people who are addicted to something find that life has no meaning. Fortunately, receiving appropriate intervention can be the lifeline one needs to escape the prison of their addiction.
11. Malibu, Hole
“Help me, please. Burn the sorrow from your eyes. Oh, come on be alive again. Don't lay down and die.”
Feeling isolated can often lead people to feel trapped and hopeless. This song is about someone reaching out and offering empathy to a friend who is trapped in their own personal struggles.
12. No Way Out, Cobi
“So much of my life is out of control. Feeling like there's no way out. I'm buried alive so deep in this hole. Feeling like there's no way out.”
This song is about someone who may have made several wrong decisions in life, and is now facing the consequences of those decisions.
For them, it feels like being in a deep hole with no way out.
Sometimes, developing personal accountability is the first step toward escaping the deep hole people find themselves in.
13. However Much I Booze, The Who
“And however much I squirm, there ain't no way out. There ain't no way out. I don't care what you say, boy. There ain't no way out.”
This song describes an alcoholic who has given up hope of redemption because he is stuck in his bad habits. Fortunately, there is hope. Having recognized how deep he has fallen into his drinking habit, he can choose to kick it for good. It might not be easy at first, but getting the right kind of help will get him back on his feet again.
Final Thoughts on Songs About Being Trapped
Many of us feel trapped in some way, and this can bring a sense of dissatisfaction and unhappiness.
The good news is that feeling trapped in a situation is a signal from our higher selves that we need to get out of there. It tells us that the situation does not encourage our growth or give us the happiness we deserve.
We hope that the collection of songs about being trapped that we’ve shared today will help you realize that you have the choice and the power to get out of any situation where you’re unhappy and dissatisfied.
If you’re looking for more resources about songs for specific topics, here are some posts worth checking out:
Finally, if you want to use these songs to make a lasting change to your life, then check out these 100 LIFE GOALS that can help you wake up each morning with a sense of enthusiasm about making progress toward what's important..
