In the spirit of Christine Holm's column about musical guilty pleasures last Thursday, I have something I need to get off my chest. For the past few weeks, I have had Lindsay Lohan's new single, "Confessions of a Broken Heart," on nonstop repeat … and I mean nonstop repeat.

On a flight to L.A. last weekend, it wasn't Panic! At the Disco, Deathcab for Cutie or The Von Bondies that I played to pass the time. No, it was Lindsay "I love you, Hilary Duff!" Lohan streaming through my ear buds for the majority of the four-hour flight. Embarrassing? Maybe a little bit, but repeated listens to the starlet's latest got me thinking about various artists and the subjects of their songs — with a musical world of emotional lyrics and personal songs, when is the line crossed into unnecessary transparency on the part of an artist? In regards to songs, how much is too much information?

"Confessions of a Broken Heart," written by Lohan and directed toward her father, Michael Lohan, is a (dare I say it?) heart-wrenching look at the broken relationship of a parent and child. In the song, Lohan emotionally refers to the family drama made public in gossip magazines and tabloids. Proclaiming, "And I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders / Family in crisis that only grows older," the singer alludes to the recently publicized problems of the Lohan family, which center on the divorce of Lindsay's parents and the allegedly abusive actions of Michael Lohan.

Lohan candidly sings, "I wear all your old clothes/ your polo sweater / I dream of another you / one who would never, never leave me alone to pick up the pieces / a daddy to hold me, that's what I needed," presenting her feelings to the listening world and giving audiences an intimate look at a prominent problem in her life.

Accompanying the song is an emotional music video, directed by Lohan and featuring the singer's little sister, Aliana. Depicting an escalating fight between Lohan's parents, portrayed by actors, the music video provides compelling visuals for the song. This seriously increases the emotional factor and gives audiences a further look into Lohan's life.

So, how does this all fit in with the theme of the column? After listening to "Confessions" more times than I care to admit and giving the subject of Lohan's song a lot of thought, I've come to the conclusion that I don't really want to know that much about her. While I commend the singer for having the courage to be so candid about an obviously difficult aspect of her life, I have to wonder if Lohan is truly doing it for cathartic benefits, or if her song was created for other reasons. For instance, did she write it out of spite — or to capitalize on the fact that we, as a society, love to know the sordid details of celebrity lives?

I understand it is part of the artistic process to include personal aspects in a work — that's what makes music so easy for listeners to identify with. Most songs are written about a particular person or event, and in many cases, listeners want to know the story behind a certain lyric or song's subject. I, for example, would love to know whom the Brand New song "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" is about. With the lyrics, "And even if your plane crashes tonight / you'll find some way to disappoint me / by not burning in the wreckage or drowning at the bottom of the sea," who wouldn't? There's a definite difference, though, between using a song to abstractly discuss a certain person or event and blatantly directing a song toward someone, airing dirty laundry in front of a massive audience.

Subtlety is key, I think, in the art of songwriting and the inclusion of personal notes in songs. It's a harder feat for musicians to include pieces of themselves in their music without being so "in your face" about it. An abstract mindset regarding personal aspects makes a song much more accessible and, I believe, exhibits a greater sense of mature musicality.

Take the soft-toned song "Holy Water" by Big & Rich. The song was written for the band members' sisters, victims of domestic abuse. "Holy Water" never directly addresses the women or speaks outright about the horrible crime alluded to, but through the song's sensitive lyrics and soothing sound, the band's message is portrayed loud and clear.

Poignancy is the result of that subtlety.

"Carry the Weight" by The Profits, is a perfect example of this (I should note that for using this example, I will be mercilessly teased by multiple members of The Badger Herald Editorial staff). The ballad, written by band member Mike Drohomyreky in honor of his strong single mother, is poignant in its lyrics alone. When the meaning behind the song is revealed, though, the lyrics take on a whole new level of meaning. "You're too strong to say / you could use a helping hand in times like these / I'll carry the weight / and keep you light on your feet / Just don't fly away." Had we never known the true meaning behind the song, "Carry the Weight" could just be written off as a sweet, touching piece of music. Instead, with the back-story, the song takes on a whole new poignancy — a level of depth that tugs audience heart strings and really portrays a piece of the songwriter's soul.

Now this is not to say that Lindsay Lohan didn't mean what she sang in "Confessions of a Broken Heart" or that her emotions are less valid because of her blatant portrayal. Her song really is kind of touching, but, while I can't stop streaming it through my iPod, I have a hard time relating to it. As with anything in life, in music there is the risk of revealing too much information, getting rid of the mystery, showing all your cards.

So, Lindsay, thanks for the honesty — and great jam, but next time, remember this piece of musical maturity and know that subtlety is key.

Laura Stanelle ([email protected]) is a sophomore intending to major in journalism. Despite what she may say, she has an unhealthy love for The Profits and fails to realize they are a terrible band.