David Nail Addresses Depression in New Song ‘In My Head’ [LISTEN]
David Nail tackles the complex issue of mental health in his new song, "In My Head." It's the second song that Nail has shared from his upcoming album, Only This and Nothing More, with his band, the Well Ravens. Readers can press play above to listen to the slow and beautiful song, which tells the story of Nail's very personal struggle with depression.
Nail has been transparent about his battle in the past. After spending more than 10 years in what he calls a "deep depression," the singer had a rock-bottom experience. The "Whatever She's Got" artist says that it was after this that he reached out for help.
“I finally realized I didn’t have to do this on my own. I’m a singer, not a doctor. I decided it was time to seek out help so I made some changes and leaned on other people rather than trying to figure it out all by myself, which is what I had done for years," Nail told People magazine in 2014.
Nail says that "In My Head" came about after coming to terms with the condition and walking through a process to find help with his wife. However, he tells Taste of Country that they didn't immediately find the fix that they were looking for.
"Everybody is different and everybody's situation is different. That was more or less what I was saying in the song." he shares of the discovery process. "One of the most frustrating aspects of going through chronic, severe depression and being able to sustain any sort of consistency, is coming to grips with the fact that there is no cure. There's things that you can do to manage it, but there's no answers and everybody's different."
"No more I’m sorry / I won't waste your time / I’m all out of reasons why / So tired of feeling that I’ve let you down / Can't help but wonder where your heart is now," the lyrics say, encapsulating Nail's sense of frustration. The song leads to a chorus that accepts the process for what it is, and offers understanding to anyone who battles alongside him: "I don't want pity for being this way / It ain't your problem, no you ain’t to blame / Don't have the answer, no I don't understand / What’s wrong in my head? / It's just who I am."
"In My Head" follows the upcoming album's kickoff single, "Heavy," which Nail released in June. Only This and Nothing More will be available on Sept. 14, but can be pre-ordered now.