Oh No. Ren's Done It AGAIN.

[@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain]

If you're struggling with your mental health right now, or need someone to talk to, please call The Samaritans: www.samaritans.org/

[@kylefrandsen2665]

In the U.S., there's a national hotline number, 988 for suicidal thoughts and other mental health crisis.

[@Corvid76]

You might be interested in Ren's next video, which is an acoustic version of this song due out in a couple weeks. Followed a few weeks later by a new song entirely and a bit ironically, called Murderer

[@Junkhead91]

I am after listening to that. Is it only me that finds this a bit shit? Why are people into this? 😂

[@PrivateSi]

Whilst your sentiment is great and I volunteered for The Samaritans for a while I don't think glamorising and normalising suicide / suicidal thoughts is good, and this song + vid does both IMO. It throws in modern 'deepisms' and trendy psycho-babble aimed at neo-peeps who do not have a drop of stoic blood in them, as it has been drained and replaced with head-bashing (post)modern neural fluid fuelling both an inferiority and superiority complex, causing mental, society-wide trauma. For every Libby type saying you're number one, there's a load of Romantics saying True Love is the only true happiness and Socialistas basically saying you're just pollution killing the planet.. The song does not FIGHT SUICIDE and -ve thoughts in the way as say a Metallica song does (faces them then kicks them into the grave).

[@Corvid76]

@@PrivateSi well your opinion is noted but incorrect. To claim this song glorifies suicide, is probably the dumbest comment I've heard on the internet in a good 5-6 years. Yikes man, yikes

[@hanskneesun123]

I held off watching more of Ren because I thought he couldn't top 'Hi Ren' I relented a week or so ago and started watching the back catalogue and god was I wrong, every track is perfection.

[@colinwhite6904]

Unreal isn't he?!

[@hanskneesun123]

@@colinwhite6904 Yep, I'll admit I'm hooked on watching others react to Ren as well, you never quite know what you're going to get.

[@Erndog67]

I said something similar to another reactor. I didn't want to be disappointed. Then I listened to Jenny and Screech and everything else followed.

[@1kosmicgrl]

Fuckery Ren 🤯

[@riley165]

​@@hanskneesun123so glad it's not just me hooked on the review videos, I spent hours watching them over the past few weeks! So nice seeing other Countries recognise the gem that is REN

[@BluePhoebe79]

Thank you for this reaction! Leonard Cohen's line "there's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" is maybe what you were thinking of.

[@gicgruber]

also my thought

[@rebeccaburnell9319]

yep, Anthem.

[@judes966]

Yes! My two favourite covers are by Swinky and the Vancouver Men’s Chorus.

[@ericdixon7412]

also Ren references leonard cohen in The Hunger

[@Skittenmeow]

And reminiscent of Bowie's lyric _"A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me. All the nightmares came today. And it looks as though they're here to stay"_

[@DavidJacobsvo]

Ren doesn’t make music, he makes art. Pure visceral art. And thank God in a world where to many musicians have seemingly so little to say. Thank you Ren for filling the world with beauty, even when it’s painful beauty.

[@I_love_all_the_animals]

Ren does make music AND art. (BTW, music is a form of art. Art has many forms, and Ren is skilled and talented in multiple forms.) Apart from your saying he doesn’t make music, I agree with the rest of your comment.

[@roseharvey2664]

I get your point. And actually I thought 'this is art' when watching his videos. Clearly, it's music - but there is more to what he creates and performs.

[@clairme_5865]

Quote by Rumi: “The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” It's about the alchemy of turning your pain into something useful/beautiful.

[@RhetoricalMuse]

Some call it 'post-traumatic growth'. Others call if Positive Dis-integration

[@sayastra]

That quote reminds me of one of my favorite lyrics: "You got to kick at the dark until it bleeds daylight" - Coburn.

[@NinStardust]

I love the relationship between Ren & this channel! Thank you for white-listing JHRA Ren & thank you Justin for covering Ren’s songs so often! Love and appreciate you both 💖💖💖

[@stevereid1673]

Without Justin I wouldn’t have found Ren.Eternally grateful!.

[@NinStardust]

@@stevereid1673 I’m so proud of the fact that I found Ren before Justin did but only because Justin has introduced me to so many artists that I would never have found without him. I’m grateful too, but would be lying if I said I don’t feel smug about discovering Ren first! 😂😂😂 I just love them both! (JMF too! ❤️) 🥰💖🥰

[@thomasdequincey5811]

What the frack does "white-listing" mean?

[@NinStardust]

@@thomasdequincey5811 It means that Justin can use as much of Ren’s music/videos on JHRA as he likes without getting a copyright strike. It’s why the clips used in this video are considerably longer than usual. 🥰

[@adrianwilding8821]

Not ashamed to say that no other musician has ever made me shed so many tears! Ren is a phenomena, such a bright spark in the beige of modern music and indeed humanity. 😍👊🎸

[@13enjie]

'Slipping through the cracks' always makes me think of the saying where people slip through the gaps in the mental care systems or lack thereof. The 'tracks' make me think of the border between living and dying. The light going out on the other side is another person that couldn't get help...

[@ChrisLawton66]

This guy is quite simply the most amazing and impactful artist I've listened to in over 45 years. Thank you, Justin, for introducing his music to me.

[@mcflyjp]

@@ChrisLawton66 fuck that guy. You're good cg!

[@edwardslife7087]

I was 44 yesterday and I concur. Best in my lifetime.

[@Perspectiveon]

I believe I have to go back when I was 13 to find a song captivating me like several of Rens pieces has. It was first time hearing " Sultans of Swing " 1977 !!

[@ChrisLawton66]

@@Perspectiveon so, 46 years for you!

[@KatSnow11]

Thank you for having Ren on the channel again. This song is heartbreaking, and it needs to be seen/heard by as many people as possible and it needs to be discussed, not hidden away due to censorship of the word. Often, we learn too late that someone was in this darkest of places. If anyone reads this comment and is in this dark place, please know that you matter and you do have a purpose on this Earth (even though you may feel like you don’t) and Please reach out to someone! If you don’t feel comfortable talking with someone you know, talk to a stranger online. I’m 100% sure that anyone in this community and in Ren’s community would listen to you and empathize and assure you that you’re not as alone as you feel. You are important - there’s only one of you - and you can’t be replaced. There are hearts that care, ears that will listen, and hands to pull you up. Don’t give up. Please don’t give up. You are here for a reason. Please reach out. You are irreplaceable ❤

[@graceydez6199]

Yeah thanks man. Even though he nearly has 1m views, KZbin still penalized him for the subject, even though he was on the trending list, he was banned from the recommended list. It needs people like you to push it.

[@verified.my2cents]

Thanks Justin, great to see your reaction. I shared the following with Ren and am posting it here in the hope that it may be of help to others: "When I was 18 I lost my girlfriend to suicide shortly after we broke up. In her case it was a building not a bridge. At her funeral I hugged and cried with dozens of her high school friends and family, everyone saying how shocked they were. I wasn't. I carry that pain with me every step I take in this world. At first I barely could exist. I learned when the pain would hit the truth of taking things day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute and even moment by moment. Over the years I have learned how to channel the pain for good, to try and be a better friend, a better husband, a better father and a better person. Every single being on this planet has value. Everyone. You may not know it in the moment. You may doubt your value. You may hurt in unimaginable ways. But you do have value. Every life touches others in ways we each may never know. If you are hurting, please be empathetic with yourself. It is only in finding the empathy towards ones own self that one can truly find empathy in others. And the world needs you. The world needs every bit of empathy you can give. Thanks Ren. I have no doubt your journey is helping countless lives. Salute and Peace."

[@GarnetJ]

The first part of the song was Ren confronting the darkness from his personal journey. He struggled with suicidal thoughts of his own, particularly with all of his health struggles. But “it never really felt like the right time,” he held on to life. The first part of the song and video were already finished, but he said it felt incomplete. It wasn’t until he started talking again about the loss of his friend Joe Hughes in recent interviews that he added the last part. He shared more details about that night in 2010 in the Knox Hill interview. A mutual friend called Ren and said Joe was on the bridge saying his goodbyes. Ren ran as fast as he could and was first to arrive, but minutes too late 😿 Opening up about it helped him confront the pain, loss, regret and guilt he’s been holding inside. The final part flowed out of him and he recorded it with all the raw emotion as he wrote. It’s so powerful. Ren is becoming a voice of a generation. It’s been incredible seeing the impact of this song in such a short period of time. It’s a topic that needs to be confronted. He isn’t shying away from anything, but he’s doing it in a beautiful way. It’s helpful that Ren has remained independent. I doubt a label would give him this much latitude or control.

[@badm0t0rf1nger]

I'm loving the quality of some of these comments which pop up under reactions to Ren's serious pieces. It's his fun stuff which I listen to on the regular though. I've come to understand that too much melancholy, however beautifully presented it may be, in the music I listen to can seep into my subconscious & leave me in a *dark* place. For example, Soundgarden will always be *my band* ,but I have to ration myself to just a couple of listens a week. It's a real thing. Totally agree with you regarding the complete independence thing btw- a label certainly would *not* be putting out everything he is.

[@SuziQ.]

⁠@@badm0t0rf1nger , I’m right there with you. I’m in a dark place today, and won’t be putting my Soundgarden playlist on.

[@Cynthiabecker24]

Thanks Justin, appreciate you firstly introducing me to Ren. Your channel has opened the door tlo many new and old artists. Much love from Melbourne Australia 🙏🌏😊

[@the-primered-thumb]

The guy deserves the credit, he seems to have a handle on some of the dark side of life, mostly never spoken about, respect😢

[@ravenhawke5]

To me, the line "Falling through the cracks of the night sky" is taking about falling through the cracks of the mental health system and also perhaps, friends and family not catching the signs that you're not in the good place mentally. Unfortunately, some of us have learned to hide the signs all too well. Then, the Night Sky's referring to the darkness we feel we're living in when we are in the darkest reaches of our mind, and no matter what, the sky always seems dark.

[@sicpuppy9500]

I still say that Ren getting sick and getting out of the Sony deal may just be a blessing in disguise. With the creative freedom he has being independent is allowing him to create what he wants when and how he wants it. No one telling him what he needs to do to be successful. Ren knows just what it will take and we see with each piece of art he creates that he is knocking it out of the park.🔥🔥 RENegade 🤘

[@TVC15ohoh]

I agree. Every cloud has a silver lining; good things come out of bad happenings if you just take the time to find it, and Ren has clearly done that. If you have faith in yourself and your life (I don't mean that in a religious way) and both allow it to unfold as it will while also steering it within the context of its unfolding, in hindsight it all ends up making perfect sense. Ren is an incredible artist, synthesizing music in ways not done since Bowie roamed the earth. He may well be this era's Bowie. He's THAT good.

[@supertuscans9512]

I thought Ren had put this nonsense about the Label to bed in his interview with Justin but obviously not for some. Labels generally don’t give a toss what an artist does as long as whatever it is has a reasonable degree of popular appeal and is thus succesful. I don’t think anyone’s going to be obtuse enough to argue that Ren doesn’t have popular appeal. One could say he’s YT phenomenon and has actually blazed a trail for others to follow on how to interact on line with their fan base and to become successful as an independent artist using Social Media.

[@SuziQ.]

@@TVC15ohoh , I remember that lyric/song.

[@TVC15ohoh]

@@SuziQ. Well, that's one of us. What lyric/song are you referring to?

[@bosbornefischer]

"Treading in the tracks"... could be literal train tracks and those who cope with ideation, could be treading tracks in your mind as you overthink, could be music tracks, since Ren does all his own production and music is what kept him on this side of the dirt during the worst of his illness.

[@horsehollerer]

Thanks so much, Justin, great stuff! I hate to say it but there are already 40-50 songs and live performances from Ren and friends that already I cannot live without. It's just banger after banger after banger going back a decade or more. And he has two new LPs coming out ... first an 18-track hip hop project, then a rock record. Plus he's pretty much written the first 6 episodes of a sort of musical theatre/Black Mirror/Jenny+Screech-type TV show that he's pitching to Netflix and whoever else. Cheers!

[@zerofox3d]

It’s your fault he’s pretty much all I have been listening to since December. THANK YOU.

[@jonasmandersson]

Same here!❤

[@purplebongo27]

Me too, I have to listen to "Power" everyday! 💜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🌻

[@barringtonthelast]

Absolutely! Every single song I have seen,either just him or with Chinchilla or The Big Push is gold.

[@kurtzbomb]

Same

[@ChrisLawton66]

Same

[@TheLeedsBoyz]

Ren is opening topics that haven't been discussed enough. The community that he has built around him is incredibly positive and emotionally healing for so many people, myself included.

[@johnnyjohnsonmusic]

Jesus, that’s incredibly visceral and open, there are not too many artists that could write so openly and brilliantly. And that’s why REN is a genius, the world needs more artists of this sort of calibre. Surely this style of writing must be quite emotionally and mentally difficult but I hope it is also ultimately cathartic for REN and leads to more and more brilliance in the future.

[@trufflehuffer]

I love Ren’s work. He makes me think laterally, critically and empathetically all at once. Amazing artist ❤

[@tlcrf80mins73]

The lad's a genius: a one-man genre.

[@Gizank]

"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen

[@dianalog4760]

"Gotta kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylight." - Bruce Cockburn, Lovers in a Dangerous Time

[@angus2408]

I'd been searching for a proper description of the end of the song. "Visceral" nails it, cheers Justin

[@kerrymdare]

@JustinHawkinsRidesAgain … wow! I’m relatively new to your podcast / KZbin channel but I’m absolutely loving it! Thank you for exposing me to new music I never knew existed. Thank you for your music industry and musical insights. Thank you for your comedy stylings and for the whacky tangents you veer off on to. Please add Australia 🇦🇺 to your tour schedule. Well … maybe just Melbourne. 😁💛🩵

[@ct5625]

I have no idea why, but I keep putting off watching more Ren because I seem to have convinced myself that it's not going to beat what I've already seen, but every time I do click and watch and listen I'm blown away again by how f'ing amazing he is. "Fallen through the cracks of the night sky" is one of the most gorgeous lyrics I think I have ever heard.

[@Rocksarum]

🎶 _Summer breeze makes me feel fine_ 🎶 It's great that many artists are breaking taboo topics (not talking about something doesn't mean it doesn't exist...) PS: Happy Father's day! Enjoy it with your beloved ones ❤

[@alancharles6789]

This is from Bowie’s Oh you pretty things (Covered by Peter Noone!) … I look out my window, what do I see? A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me All the nightmares came today And it looks as though they're here to stay…

[@bearbait7405]

Hi Justin, I think Rèn is reminding people contemplating suicide, of the devastation and pain suicide leaves behind to loved ones and friends.

[@uuiam]

I'd guess Ren explores suicide as something that happens from both viewpoints. Sure, suicide is one of the most devastating things to try to endure as someone close to the person that commits it, but people who have gone through and experienced complete hopelessness and mental illness can also at least partly understand the state of mind of the person. What tends to bother me with the subject is the emphasis on " how rough X's suicide was/is on us " that overlooks the despair of the person who is no longer here. I don't hear that in Ren's song but instead both viewpoints, the longing of the person from our own viewpoint and how the despair building up can feel to the person who ends up taking their own life. This is by no means an attempt to criticize your take nor say what Ren tries to convey. Just an observation of someone who has both been close to that despair and experienced loss of close ones and still has that "threat" looming with others.

[@phil1500]

@@uuiam Per Ren, the entire first section of this song was written about his own suicidal thoughts. After his interview with Knox where his buddy came up, he sat at a piano and the last act spilled out of him. He had it added onto the end afterward. So its not that its not there at all, its just all in Ren's perspective, both the thoughts he's had and the mixture of the pain and bitterness he feels, not just for losing his friend, but for blaming himself for not making it to save him, for not realizing what would happen when he saw him a few nights before.

[@bearbait7405]

Yes, the first part loads up on the chaos, despair, relentless thoughts when contemplating suicide. Isolation kills. The thoughts drive one into further isolation. To pull oneself out of it does indeed take courage. The act itself is the most selfish, self-centered action a human being can commit. Our “Me” culture needs to change to “We.” Act not just for oneself, but for other human beings. Our society and the powerful have brought the scourge of suicide into a pandemic by relentless devaluing of human life, pushing immediate gratification, destroying traditional family life and attempting to fragment us by ridiculous self-identification. We are Human Beings. Courage suffering begets fierce joy. KkXpax.

[@uuiam]

@@bearbait7405 Please never talk like this to a person that experiences desperation and hopelessness. The most unempathetic and neglectful rationale I have seen.

[@phil1500]

@@bearbait7405 echoing what uuiam said. While for years after my failed suicide attempt I considered myself selfish and dedicated myself to as much of a selfless lifestyle as I could, it was a mere coping mechanism that sustained me until I could reach a place where I could be healthy. It may be you feel this way because of your own feelings or experiences, and that's a perfectly fine way to feel if it works for you in whatever moment you are in. But its not something you can put on everyone in that situation. People go through different things for different reasons and, even if the conclusion is the same, its not necessarily driven or externally understood by the same motivations. "Act not just for oneself, but for other human beings" is a pretty direct notion of Kant's philosophy, but a part of that is also never using anyone as a means to an end, treating each and every person as an individual with all the complexities that come with it and the respect that deserves. If you want to act for others you must first understand their position, their thoughts, their emotions, you can't generalize their intentions or their mental state like that. The last thing someone who is at the absolute bottom needs is for someone to tell them that their thoughts make them a shitty person. Statements like yours drive more people over the edge then pull them back from it.

[@nickdoesnthaveyoutube]

Leaving Justin speechless has to be the best compliment an artist can receive haha

[@belgand5555]

Thanks Justin.. it is a topic that is tough to grasp, but Ren manages to truly make it approachable to all of us to try to understand .. somehow whatever the topics he speaks about you either understand them on a personal level or by the end of the song you understand it from others viewpoints.. that’s why Ren is so brilliant.. he paints a picture with his words without cramming it down anyone’s throat.. ♥️🎶♥️

[@karissaj.8881]

I 100% agree with this..he hits on all levels. It's amazing. I have only 2 friends that I would definitely show him to like right from the very tippy top of the Ren rabbit hole...but as deep as I am now, I would and will introduce the very people I wouldn't ever talk to about the dark parts of my life to rens music because of how sophisticated and relatable it is... I know there are haters, I don't understand why, but.i know they exist...but honestly I don't think there's an individual with real love within their being that could hate this music. The haters are from another world all together or they just haven't realized what they're truly feeling yet.

[@belgand5555]

@@karissaj.8881 I get exactly what your saying…. I’m not necessarily saying people have to be rocket scientists to like and get Ren but it is usually people who think on another or different level..I am a big Bowie fan and appreciated the way he tried to be inventive and let us see things in an exciting and innovative way mentally and emotionally.. but he was the first one to call himself a collector.. his way of describing taking all the best ideas from others and making them all work together. Ren does this also in my opinion .. Things seem fresh and exciting to us but with hints of familiarity thrown in.. it’s like cooking.. 2 people can use similar ingredients but Ren has the magic or secret ingredient to make it work and taste new and original. I want to say many of “us” found Ren when we needed him in our lives.. I appreciate many types and genres of music but I love REN’s genre of music as it is unique in an industry today of mainly contrived factory pushed out sound. We don’t know Ren personally, but we all seem to know Ren emotionally as he has let us and we him into our hearts.. and as for the haters, look how it has been in history for people who others don’t quite understand.. they have received hate and persecution.. that’s why I feel sometimes this happens to Ren and we are like parents, best friends or siblings of Ren in a figurative way feel it when others don’t get it and want to explain him or protect him.. I just so hope and wish the very best for him and want him to be ok and fulfill his goal of making a difference in the World and peoples lives and I have to say he is truly on that path already..♥️🎶♥️

[@ignoblesavage5559]

heavy stuff, Justin. you're right...not much to add. so i DO think you'll get a huge kick out of his "Tales" trilogy--the Tale of Jenny & Screech (& Violet). Ren has all 3 parts assembled together on his channel. you really REALLY get the whole "bard" feel, right down to the guitar introductions to each pieace--pretty sure one of the literally IS a traditional tune descending from that period. he flips back and forth from narrator/singer to acting out some of the action. plus, you get a tiny couple of flashes of his voice talent in Violet's Tale. each of the 3 parts were recorded at different times, but recorded LIVE, just like Hi Ren. cheers

[@MaureenDoyle]

I found Ren because of you. I am forever grateful to you. This young man is just an amazing human, not unlike yourself. Happy Father’s Day, Justin.

[@SueDenimDomDenim]

Both Justin and Ren transcend generations I adore you both ❤ Ren has captured something special I can connect with even as I head towards 50 none of my friends know of him and I’m trying so hard to spread the word

[@rudyb.]

I will follow REN’s music till the end. I don’t care what anyone says or does. I love this young man’s music.

[@Starlight0161]

'There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in' Leonard Cohen, who Ren references in one of his raps 'The Hunger' too.

[@DazaiTakeyama]

Ren is such an amazing artist and beautiful person in general. I can never get enough of him. ♡♡♡ he's changing things for people and I love it.

[@MatthewCrocker]

The line you're looking for, at around 3:30, is from Leonard Cohen's Anthem: "There is a crack in everything/That's how the light gets in."

[@Mattc376]

Dang it… I was just about to say that 😮😊

[@evananderson1455]

Thank you, Justin. I havent watched the video yet, but i have listened to the song 1,000 times. Every day, several times a day, since it dropped. I lost my best friend since gradeschool when i was 21. He was 18. I was with him the night he died and I know i could have done more to save his life... The guilt Ren feels is my guilt. It doesnt matter how many times we hear it, it doenst matter who tells us... we will always feel like we could have done more.. and that will forever haunt us til the day we die. This song is SO FUCKING IMPORTANT. For everyone who is currently suicidal, for all of us who feel the guilt of not doing more.. Thank you for acknowledging Ren and the realness, the importance if his message. Much love and Respect

[@bevc5349]

Brilliant reaction Justin. Love you and I love Ren. Double whammy! 🤜🤛👍♥️

[@curtisholsinger6023]

Just came from a reactor (not going to say who) that derided this song, committed to not listening to it again, and described the "damage" that such a "negative" song could cause. Definitely glad that seems to be a one-off. Thanks for your sensitivity and desire to help shed light on a difficult subject, Mr. Hawkins.

[@saralila]

" there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in". -Leonard Cohen

[@Jason_xofilos]

Thanks Justin for your reaction and music analysis. What is amazing is how vulnerable Ren was at when he wrote this and created this video plus currently releasing to it all of us. 2nd is Ren’s loss of his childhood when he lost his innocence and feeling of immortality. He reminds me of the Maestro Tuomas Holopainen who composed most of Nightwish songs, poetry in his lyrics, and music. One theme Tuomas has is Dead Boy meaning a loss of childhood. Ren previous work seems to add meaning and us understand this video. For example, changing face of Ren walking through the cityscape suggests “eternal dancing” between darkness and light in one’s thoughts. Finally, while emphasizing the pain Ren’s friend Joe was going through also showing how hurt he was by the choice his friend Joe made along with the guilt of just possibly missing getting to Joe in time to save him or even to say goodbye plus Joe’s body was never found for closure. I am sure Ren has forgiven himself logically and intellectually but it is very much harder emotionally. In other words, the choices one makes affects more than oneself. As Aurora has sung ‘Let the River Run’.

[@TheNamesMayer]

I appreciate you not providing a breakdown on the latter part of the video, absolutely no commentary needed - you've got such a great balance with your reactions, love you both.

[@jgberzerker]

Falling through the cracks in the night time could also refer to many people who seem fine on the outside, but who are going through serious pain internally. Because they don’t appear troubled to their friends, family, or co-workers, they fall through the cracks and don’t get the help they need. At least that’s how I thought of it.

[@baddymcladdy123]

I first saw Ren on your channel with the Hi Ren reaction....deep dived into his back catalogue since then,bought an actual CD for the first time in years just so I could listen in my car & not look like a pleb singing along to my headphones 😆 love Ren,love everything he's doing/done....he pushes boundaries,takes us to our limits & then brings us back....in a beautiful, articulate,eloquent & insanely clever way....I think the person who said it here in the comments hit the nail on the head....if what happened to him (all the contract/illness stuff) hadn't happened I'm not sure he would have been allowed to be as free as he is with his work. This song in particular I love...partly as we can see how affected he has been by his friend's death & partly because I find it such a juxtaposition of really catchy upbeat melody/music & the soberness of the actual content....we really DO need to be more open about death & suicide,it happens & we shouldn't be scared of it. If we could learn to talk about these things more then we may have a fighting chance of helping people before they get to this point.

[@kellyt5341]

I just received Ren's bundle pack in the mail and love them all. He is so soothing on the FA and his demo ones.

[@baddymcladdy123]

@@kellyt5341 I got FA to start with,will get the rest as & when...Freckled Angels is an awesome album,Crutch is one of my favourite songs on it...Tales of Screech & Jenny & Violet next 😊

[@catladygoddess]

You might have been thinking of Leonard Cohen’s lyrics. “Ring the bell that still must ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

[@zed4225]

In the Cambridge Dictionary it says 'Fall through the cracks' means: - Little details often fall through the cracks. - Too many young people slip through the cracks in the health system. I think the latter might apply.

[@redzwestisbest]

this is my initial instinct as well

[@burkley9121]

We all love ren, just a real guy expressing himself in the most authentic way. There's a handful of artists like Ren coming up, bringing relatable views to the art. It's been sorely missed.

[@wastefulungratfuls]

I think the falling through the cracks in the night sky are you falling through the reflection of the sky into the water which will be cracked by the waters movement… his friend Joe Hughes fell from the Menai Bridge between Anglesey and Wales…

[@gwynethzen77]

Thank you for covering more Ren! Love the diversity of your channel but of course want more Ren! Chalk outlines live I think you would really appreciate!!

[@TheMattJacks]

That made me cry. My best friend killed himself as well. I felt every feeling he described. I still do sometimes. Loss is part of life, but God help us, because some of these losses break us.

[@Saybooboy]

“One of my favourite artists” Had a little cry to that! 💚

[@Saybooboy]

Ren’s monologue 💗Deep breath.

[@karissaj.8881]

I love how he's one of your favorite artists ....he's definitely brilliant, absolutely one of my favorites too. But hearing this come out of your mouth probably made him so giddy.😆💜

[@pratosaurusrex1128]

This song was difficult to listen to but I’m glad I did. Ren is very much a wordsmith and I appreciate him shedding a light on the darker topics in life. What he described in this song and Hi Ren would be tough for anyone to talk. I hope he is coping ok now. The song reminded me a little of a song by Frightened Rabbit called Floating in the Forth. It’s also a song about…self deletion, but turning away from it at the end. It became a tough song to listen to as the songwriter ended up taking his own life in the end.

[@batubop651]

I hadn’t heard of this song so I just had a listen, thank you for sharing it. What an incredibly beautiful yet heartbreaking piece, offering us a such a raw and honest glimpse into the vulnerability of his mind. Such a tragic loss.

[@lonewarrior6633]

I can’t believe I’m subscribed to one of best musicians, and one of my favourite musicians ever!! Justin, you are a rock legend! All the best! P.s……I laughed so hard watching your reaction to Tenacious D yesterday, and agree there should be a longer version 😊

[@deanc486]

Thanks Justin. Not just for this reaction but also for introducing me, and I think many others, to Ren. Love your work on your channel.

[@greyscalemusic5281]

Check out the for Joe one next, its beautiful x

[@SueDenimDomDenim]

Had me bawling

[@brightwhitelight9445]

Anyone who watches this without breaking a tear has a cold heart. It hits home hard those lyrics and rips you up. Love everything about it he is a pure genius that is teaching raising everyone's awareness in a multitude of ways. Heaps of ❤️ & respect for Ren.

[@laurafromliverpool]

I found Ren through you and i could never express my gratitude enough. This man has changed my life.

[@jimmccaig7946]

Thanks for introducing me to this star 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@andrewlowery6030]

This song is incredible (but when is Ren not incredible?!), and doesn't shy away from an important topic. You spend the song listening to his masterful wordplay and then that guy punch comes at the end. Its great to see this man's profile growing, long may it continue.

[@Aemirys]

Keep the Ren content coming please!

[@consentofthegoverned5145]

And now, again Ren drops another emotional cruise missile with "For Joe"

[@crook8468]

What a special dude is the ren😢

[@kellyzb]

I feel the pain in his voice and brings tears every time I listen to it. Somehow I see variations of illustrations from the 1982 movie short of ‘The Snowman’ with the facial structures constantly changing.

[@pinkyhandle]

I loved Ren when he was in the Big Push and I love him as a solo artist. It’s really cool you feature him on the channel.

[@amberkluga8949]

my interpretations on lyrics "falling through the cracks of the night sky, lights go out on the other side" describes the despair of feeling like you've fallen through the cracks of life, separate and disconnected and the temptation of thoughts of suicide - lights go out on the other side ending the pain "treading on the tracks in the night time, it never really felt like the right time" feels like he is talking about his own thoughts of suicide during walks at night maybe along train tracks which might be his tempted method, but each time he chose to not follow through because it wasn't the right time. he says at one point "dig deep" to resist those moments.

[@scottlaurenson3390]

Great reaction 👍🤘🤙 More Ren please he's an inspiration to many people ✌️❤️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@CALLMECRAZY69]

This 'kid' can do whatever he sets his mind too. A very bright future for him. In his words, when you spend a lot of time in the dark, you learn how wield the light.

[@likepaintedkites]

Another one, speaking of…”Crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me, all the nightmares/strangers came today and it looks as though they’re here to stay” - oh you pretty things, Bowie, referred often to suicide for comaderie and consolation.

[@Suleclo]

Leonard Cohen - " Ring the bells that still can ring, forget your perfect offering, there is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets through".

[@DavidDArcy1975]

absolutely LOVE this tune... next level. the 'ohohyuyay' reminds me of Gary Numan, a legend who had his own struggles Respect & Peace

[@PDarcy]

Powerful stuff. You are thinking about Leonard Cohen's "Anthem" I think... "Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That's how the light gets in"

[@jasondean8346]

Love ya mate. Been listening to your band the Darkness for years. And I'm glad for this channel. I'm loving your reaction videos and the flare you bring and exude. Keep it up brother. Signed Jase. Living in Australia born Hammersmith West London. Love ya.

[@shanwild1096]

Thank you for covering so much work by Ren, he's one of my favourites too. Actually no, he is top dog, he's a genius.

[@badg3r3]

I feel this song in my broken soul. He manages to put into words what it feels, it never felt like it was the right time.

[@barbarahatcher5942]

Thank you so much for covering it Justin

[@Linusrox123]

Yes, Jusitn - Leonard Cohen in "Anthem" wrote one of what I found to be one of music's most important lines "There's a crack ... a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in" :) Thanks for highlighting that

[@maggieg5678]

This was hard to listen to, utterly heartbreaking and filled with raw emotion. I had tears too at the end 😢

[@SandraT1107]

What a lovely tribute to a brilliant and heartfelt song ❤

[@nessiferum6200]

Ren is one of those rare special talents that only comes around once in a generation. His work is heartbreakingly sad, fiercely intelligent, painfully raw but also intimate and beautiful, he's just a beautiful person. ❤‍🩹

[@cherylhurst7093]

I just watched a documentary on diabulimia (which is diabetes (Type 1 normally) and an eating disorder combined). I had this for many many years. I recovered from alcohol and drug used 32 years ago, but the eating or lack thereof has plagued me for over 40 years. I am doing so much better, but people don't realize the mental disorder portion or eating disorders. Grateful I am still here, there were times I didn't want to be and almost died from lack of self care (to put it mildly). My stepsister committed suicide in December 2022. I have had my eating disorder attempt to resurface after her death, but I am focusing on my health. This song is great. Love Ren!

[@STLFentonmom]

So sorry Cheryl. The pain is so raw for you. Never allow ED to consume you again. You are strong enough to work though this . Take one day at a time. (I worked for years with those struggling with eating disorders. Reach out for help and find support groups for a way to share your grief. Hugs!!

[@cherylhurst7093]

@@STLFentonmom Thank you for your reply. Actually I have been in recovery for about 30 years - but it took about 10 years of meetings (I did go to a treatment center for a couple of weeks). At the time I had BED. But I have run the gamut with withholding insulin (usually cutting back even if I overate), pathorexia, and even starving myself in my 50s (thank God that only lasted about one year). The BED did a number on my diabetes. It was trauma related in the beginnng when I began bingeing. However, once I got diabetes (only a couple of years later), it became worse. I didn't want restrictions. I was only 16.

[@franciet99]

Ren hits on the biggest thought of survives of people that have taken their life. How could I have them? Please remember to reach out to someone, anyone if you are feeling like leaving this magical world. Remember that the feeling won’t last forever. The people that you want to leave never recover.

[@sinbrown1501]

ren has not released ( well in my eyes anyway) a bad song, he is so artisitic and influential, and a inspiration, ren is one of those people i would sit down with, have a cuppa tea and a chat and talk deep topics, bring along some instruments and bounce off. ive not found an artist that every video i see, i sit, watch and listen intensely, but not just listen with my ears, but with my heart and mind. he is the artist everyone needs.

[@kellyt5341]

Not just in your eyes....it is a fact! I'm from this shit-hole called America and I love him. Much more than the American independent artist. I like T.M and some of the others but after falling down Ren's rabbit hole (including big push and chin) they are plain and boring.

[@supertuscans9512]

I have to agree with that. I never normally actually listen to lyrics I just like the music or I don’t but with Ren it’s kinda impossible not to listen to the lyrics because they’re so interesting. Who the hell else talks about Fibonacci Patterns in popular music?

[@kellyt5341]

@@supertuscans9512 An artist with a high IQ. So that leaves out the majority of most artists. When he was stuck in his room for yrs and could hardly move he read every literature book, manual and novel he could get his hands on. Old English Lit. like Shakespeare, Macbeth etc.

[@DirtyMagicNL]

@@supertuscans9512 well... Ren and Tool. That's good company!

[@andrewmaher8409]

I think “Falling through the cracks in the night sky. When the light goes out on the other side” is possibly a representation of losing your direction and going into the darkest of dark places. AKA, Very dissimilar to a life with direction and hope where one might “wish upon a star”. IMO, He’s describing the feeling, not a mechanism where the order of the words has to make sense in time. An early version of the cracks and light idea is: “There’s a crack in everything that God has made; but through that crevice enters the light of heaven” - Benjamin Blood, 1860. …A looong time before this Rumi wrote something similar. …And a long time after that so did Leonard Cohen. …There were others in between who have written similar. That’s not to say anyone copied anyone, nor that anything was derivative. Ultimately (IMO) it’s a beautiful meditation on redemption. And we all contain that beauty, if we allow ourselves to, so it’s not surprising that the idea has been expressed many times in many ways. It might be seen that the journey to suicide begins with a loss of that ability to find redemption. That light going out.

[@intothesunset3]

Wonderful comment.

[@Flukey_1970]

Great song and as usual very thought provoking from Ren. However this time i am even more intrigued by how AI did the animation of Ren in the video representing grief very interesting.

[@jennpidgeon5559]

Leonard Cohen: "There is a crack in everything, That's how the light gets In." 🙏💖🙌

[@gettingkilt]

Leonard Cohen's “Anthem”: "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in". Bruce Cockburn: "Gotta kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight" (from Lovers In A Dangerous Time").

[@PeteAxeShields]

Great stuff Justin. I love this new song by Ren ( I've enjoyed almost everything I have heard by him - he's a great artist ) Were you thinking of the song Anthem by Leonard Cohen where he says " There is a crack, a crack in everything - that's how the light gets in " ? 🙏 ... oh and that riff reminds me of Gary Numan for some reason ? 🤫

[@meezursrule]

Ooo, I was hoping you would review this! Thank you so much for introducing so many of us to Ren.

[@robinwallace1399]

I’ve been kind of hooked on Ren so nice reviewed him the first time… cheers Justin

[@pinkyndebrain4578]

In America it is a most beautiful Father’s Day, and a great day to watch Justin Hawkins! Thank you for giving Ren space on your channel, but for you I’d know nothing about him I’m sure.

[@clairepickin5928]

Massive thank you to you Justin, it's because of your analysis of Hi Ren that I discovered him and have been down the Ren rabbit hole ever since. He's got such a massive, eclectic back catalogue of music. I'd love you to review the Tales (Jenny, Screech and Violet), but must be done in the right order! 🙏🤘

[@marcocardona8911]

There are probably 2 songs in one... or maybe one song and one pure, exposed, honest piece of life... loved your reaction Justin!

[@TheMovieLoft]

Ten has said it’s 2 parts

[@CARLiCON]

The light in the window is a crack in the sky, A stairway to darkness in the blink of an eye

[@docdurdin]

Ideation passes through just about every human at one time or another. The idea can be sorrow for self or others or a feeling of helplessness or health. How to deal with it is the problem as it seems shame or denial blocks you from healing. Silence or euphoria can be a sign that a decision has been made. It should never be the right time because time is the gift that heals. We all need each other we just need to act like it, don't wait until it's too late.

[@batubop651]

The first time I listened to/watched this song, it was at the sudden switch from pacing and melody to the stillness and deep breathing when my heart sank with a sense of foreboding. Precisely because it made me think of the well known warning sign of ‘silence or euphoria’, as you put it, that sudden switch in behavior that can occur. Upon further listens, I feel the deep breathing may also represent his state of breathlessness he must have been in as he ran to the bridge to find his friend that night, and the stillness and silence because his friend was now gone once he arrived.

[@mygicshow]

Oh remember This Mortal Coil ! 4ad…Man was that a beautiful album!

[@Onnabote]

"Draw for the sword and drive through the armor." What a line.