"Autumn Leaves" (also known as "Dead Leaves") is a track off of the The Most Beautiful Moment in Life album series, an amalgamation of works expressing the tribulations and beauties of youth. "Autumn Leaves" was first released on The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Part 2, before appearing again on the series compilation album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life: Young Forever. The music and concepts from this era are imbued with heartbreak, unbreakable bonds, questions, and dreams; essences of a group of young people with a passion for good and integrity.
This track is a soulful R&B and hip-hop number, brimming with elements of sound and flow that BTS has shown talent for throughout their career. A shimmery and smooth synth melody laid over a resonant slow-groove beat sets the foundation. The soundscape is full and almost echoing, like the group is singing their hearts out in a big, empty room, letting the emotions ricochet off the walls around them. It sets the scene of that classic R&B ballad feel. Each verse plays off of the rhythm and rise-and-fall of the instrumentals to create a full-bodied and effective piece of music.
The lyrics themselves are a heartbreaking and poetic narration of watching a love wither away like dying leaves. The writing is a parallel between watching the leaves fall and being the falling leaf itself. Standing on the ground, one feels sad watching the beautiful leaves - once green and yellow and full of life - dry up and fall off of the tree. While the cycle is inevitable, witnessing the death and decaying of something that grew and thrived is melancholy. There is a kind of mourning for the leaves that will turn to dust and dissolve into the soil. As the leaf about to fall, there is desperation and denial. The leaf clings to the tree as long as possible, even as it loses its color. The elements and seasons strip away its life and liveliness, but it clings to the shred of light it has, holding tighter to the branch it is connected to by one tiny stem. As we try to hold on to the last remnants of a love that is fading, we feel like both the falling leaf and the witness to it.
Each member of the rap line delivers his verse with a flow and inflection that is both unique to their own rapping style and fitting to the tone and composition of the song. SUGA compares the relationship being lost to the cold autumn sky. His lyrics show that the connection feels like dead leaves crumbling. RM expresses the inevitable falling of the leaves and alludes to the passing of seasons. He knows that the end of this season is coming, but the mind feels attached to the green life of the imaginary fifth season that this love has created. J-hope’s verse implements his characteristic tone full of emotion he often adds to his vocals, rapping in a way that sounds crooning and pleading to make an affecting final rap verse of this song. He parallels tears and leaves falling and feels the person and the love scattering like the crumbled leaves in the wind.
Between the rap verses, the vocal line delivers eloquent lyrics in strong vocal timbres. Their vocals on this track are rich and full, but they utilize a slight airiness that is characteristic of this kind of sad, longing R&B numbers. Their ability to switch between their head and chest voices and use different tones and airflow depending on the height of the emotion in a song is demonstrated well here. The softer, reflective tones that begin the track and return throughout are just as effective as the chorus and bridge where the vocals are brimming over with desperation and strength. Each member’s softer tones are highlighted in turn with their impressive ability to belt, along with their satisfying harmonies as different members layer over one another throughout different lines.
“Autumn Leaves” is a prime example of BTS’ adeptness at producing and performing a heartfelt R&B-hip-hop song with poetic lyrics, impressive rap flow, and stunning vocals. This song is a preservation of the unavoidable heartbreaks of our youth.
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Written By: Sav
Edited By: Aury
Checked By: Shelley
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