“I wasn’t trying to make a big pop record when I made this album.  I was actually trying to make it something personal; like a diary.”  Sam Smith stated in an interview with the American entertainment media brand, Billboard.  “The Thrill of It All”, Smith’s new album, was released in November 2017.  This is his second complete album filled with sob songs following his debut album “In the Lonely Hour”.  The album has been awarded No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.  I have realized that the album is so much more than just some irrelevant songs.  When interpreting the lyrics, I can tell it has a lot of meaning behind it.  I feel that there are three primary songs that impact this album significantly:  “Too Good at Goodbyes”,  “HIM”,  and “Nothing Left For You”.  They each add a lot to the soundtrack and send a different message. 

The song “Too Good at Goodbyes” has been the most successful song on this album. It hit number one on the iTunes charts in September 2017 and has been extremely popular ever since.  In this song he sings about being in a rocky relationship; he was continuously getting dumped but kept going back for more.  As this happened Smith got used to the feeling of the pain.  It starts off with a snappy remarkable beat combined with the artist’s calming voice.  I think this song is so well-liked not only because of the catchy beat, but the impressive lyrics too.  Many people can relate to this song which makes it more appealing and Sam’s soothing voice comforts them while listening.  The next song like this one goes deep into his personal experiences as well. 

“HIM” is a heartbreaking song that is one of my personal favorites.  It tells a story about a boy coming out not only to his own father but the holy father too.  The singer also incorporates a conflict between his sexuality and religious background in the song.  An empowering gospel choir in the background really makes the song stand out.  The lyrics are saddening but bittersweet at the same time.  A section of the chorus states this “Holy Father, we need to talk/ I have a secret that I can’t keep/ I’m not the boy that, you thought you wanted/ Please don’t get angry, have faith in me.”  Smith says that he wanted to write a song for his community, the LGBT community.  This song shows an element of the gay experience which is what Sam’s intentions were.  It is definitely not a normal song that’s on the radio every day which adds a unique aspect to the album.  Another significant track on this record is “Nothing Left For You”.  It talks about opening up also, but in a different way. 

In “Nothing Left For You”, Smith sings about despair once again.  The artist tells a story about being in a relationship with someone he thought he trusted.  Sam opens up but it turns out the person never deserved it.  As a result, his ex took everything away from him and now he will never be able to open up again.  This song has a very powerful message with a strong compelling tone, and the lyrics show that: “I’ll never love you/ ‘Cause I gave, my heart, to a goddamn fool/ I gave him everything/ Now there’s nothing left for you.”  His vocals combined with those lyrics make every word feel like a teardrop rolling down his face.  This track is very deep and makes the album even more irresistibly sad.  

Overall, I feel that there are three main songs that substantially impact Sam Smith’s new album “The Thrill of It All”.  Those songs are “Too Good at Goodbyes”, “HIM”, and “Nothing Left For You”.  Each one tells a different story and conveys a different feeling.  I think that this album is a very vulnerable, unique album that has so much meaning inside of it.  The artist is very bold and brave for sharing something so personal with the world.  Like I stated before, Smith wanted to make this like a diary and I think that he did just that.  Music is so much more than just a catchy beat and I love this album because it shows that.