No title of any song in all off Kanye’s discography better sums up the overall mood of not only the album to which it belongs but also the time feelings Kanye had when composing the album, “Welcome to Heartbreak” is a song of self-realization, one that reflects on Kanye’s past and future; it’s a realization that fame isn’t what he painted it out to be when he was still a rising star.
The song begins with Kanye recalling an encounter with a friend of his, in which he is shown pictures of his children, or in general, family, buy Kanye is only able to show pictures of his material possessions like cars and houses. The friend, who may not even be rich, has the joy of raising a family, something that Kanye seems to yearn for at this point in his life. With his recent breakup and the death of his mother, Kanye is at a point in his life where he realizes that what made him happy wasn’t the success of his albums or is wealth, but rather the supports from the people he loves. This type of mindset is evident in his later albums and especially The Life of Pablo, where Kanye prides himself on his family and the support they have given him through the years.
The hook of the song features Kid Cudi singing “and my head keeps spinning, can’t stop havin these visions”, indicating that Kanye is in a dark time in his life. Even though he understands what he may truly want in his life now, he can’t seem to get over the losses he has endured. The song is titled “Welcome to Heartbreak” because heartbreak involves more than just one’s heart breaking due to a certain event, it involves self-blame, self-realization, and the struggle to recover. As the second song of the album, it sets the tone for how the rest of the songs should be listened to in the album; the album isn’t concert music or feel good music but rather poetic and therapeutic. It’s a cry from Kanye to his listener to understand his pain and try to avoid the depression he has encountered.
Musical Analysis 