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Ronald Djonko
Prof. Gordon
English 1301 CRN 21923
26 April. 2022
Research Paper: James Arthur and “Safe Inside”
For many students, listening to music is one of their favorite activities when it comes to

ease the stress resulting from their various obligations. However, others may use it to work, have

fun or enjoy it with others through dancing. Many people consider music as a simple leisure

activity. But some artists seek to give it a deeper meaning, a value that goes far beyond mere

entertainment. James Arthur is a famous British pop singer who believes music is not just a

means of entertainment; it is also a means of communication, of sharing not only emotions but

also experiences. Through his music, Arthur uses his own experience to highlight the many

problems that people of different ages, social classes and living conditions can encounter in their

daily lives with the aim of informing and pushing his various listeners into action.

Despite the latest technological advances, crime is in full swing in modern society and

because of their fragility, many children find themselves indirectly victims of these acts.

Through the song “safe inside”, James Arthur points out the worries parents are facing seeing

their children become adults. Talking about criminality, the lyrics indicate: “Oh, and always the

sun will rise/ Thank your lucky stars that you're alive/” (Arthur lines 18-19). Crime is

everywhere today. On the tv, at school or in the neighborhood, a lot of children are seeing or

hearing violence every day. Children exposed to several types of violence over a lengthy period

are at risk of experiencing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic distress, and other behavioral

problems. They may also start to show signs of aggression toward others. The effects of

exposure to violence may be seen in adulthood and can result in greater risk for substance use,
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risky sexual behavior, and unsafe driving behavior. That’s why it is important that parents

protect their children. Protection not only encompasses the family unit from within, but it also

applies to a family environment such as their neighborhood.

For many families living in poor neighborhoods, insecurity is a permanent source of

worry in their everyday life. In the song “safe inside”, James Arthur extends this question of

insecurity to overall contemporary society. Raising the concern of parents when their children

are outside, the lyrics indicate: “ ’Cause I worry about you the whole night/ Don't repeat my

mistakes/ I won't sleep 'til you're safe inside/” (Arthur lines 8-10). Drug dealing, murders, and

violence are some of the common practices seen in poor neighborhoods. For families in those

areas, fear and anxiety are feelings they must constantly deal with. Parents like children are often

forced to miss their daily obligations such as school or work for fear of being victims of various

attacks, or collateral damage from armed clashes with gangs or drugs dealers. This climate of

terror has an even deeper effect on the whole community as job losses, business closures,

shortages, and an increase in the cost of living are to be expected in these areas. If the decision-

makers of society do nothing to remedy this situation, many families will find themselves

homeless and the entire economy of the country will suffer. Families from poor neighborhoods

are not the only victims of this permanent lack of security in modern society.

Insecurity is a source of concern not only for families living in poor neighborhoods but

also for those living in wealthy ones. Some inhabitants of slightly more upscale neighborhoods

think that they are more concerned by the issue of insecurity. According to an inhabitant of

residential district, Clemenceau Mfinyom asserts that, “rich people are more at risk than poor

people” (1). Being a source of covetousness, wealth places its holder in a position of permanent

insecurity. Because since the dawn of time, human beings have shown themselves capable of the
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worst atrocities to acquire easy money. Burglary, murder, aggression, extortion, hostage taking

are some of the dangers that wealthy people run no matter where they are or with whom they are,

because very often these acts are the work of close people. Therefore, most wealthy families live

in very secure isolated neighborhoods that are sometimes difficult to access; and are

accompanied by well-trained bodyguards because they do not know where and when danger may

arise. Even if insecurity is a problem common to everyone, families living in poor neighborhoods

are still the main concerned by this issue.

Although the inhabitants of wealthy neighborhoods are not spared this scourge of

insecurity, the poor neighborhoods are still the most affected. Unlike the rich, families living in

poor neighborhoods do not have the means to protect themselves. Very often in a precarious

financial situation, they do not have the luxury of affording anti-theft alarms and even less

bodyguards. Also, these families are left to fend themselves in terms of their protection because

the competent authorities in the matter are either unable to manage the multiple incidents that

may arise in these places or ignore them because they are corrupted by the perpetrators of

troubles. Apart from insecurity, divorce is also a growing problem in today’s world.

Nowadays, divorce is commonplace in modern society. In one of their articles, Top40-

Charts.com retrace the career of James Arthur, an English artist who suffered from the divorce of

his parents. Talking about his parents, the article says, “Neil and Shirley split up when James

was one year old, and each settled with new partners a few years after their divorce. They hardly

spoke with one another for more than 20 years....” (4). One of the effects of their separation can

be seen in the song “safe inside” when he sings, “Now that I'm not the fire in the cold/ Now that

I'm not the hand that you hold/ As you're walking away/” (Arthur lines 3-5), where he speaks of

his sister who, after the divorce of their parents, found in him the father figure to whom to turn in
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case of need. Divorce is difficult for all the members of the family. For children, trying to

understand the changing dynamics of the family may leave them distracted and confused; and

this interruption of daily focus may be seen in their academic performance. It also brings to them

several types of feelings such as feelings of loss, anxiety which could fragilize their emotional

health. Overwhelmed and not knowing how to respond to those feelings, they may become angry

or irritable and display it at their parents, friends, and others. In the future, these children are

likely to develop destructive behaviors such as smoking, use drugs and even comit crimes.

Following a divorce, a lot of parents find themselves on their own when it comes to raising

children.

As society evolves, raising a child becomes a major source of concern for single parents.

In his song “safe inside”, James Arthur shares his concern as a single parent seeing his child take

flight in his transition to adulthood. This gives credit to the assertion in an article written by

Turner, “music is noteworthy as a conduit for sharing emotions and is a key contributor to the

formation of one's personal identity” (2). When he sings, “Will you call me to tell me you're

alright?/ ’Cause I’ll worry about you the whole night/ Don't repeat my mistakes/” (Arthur lines

7-9), he shows to all his listeners how worried he is when his daughter starts coming late at night

without even telling him. Nowadays, raising children is becoming increasingly difficult. For

many single parents, just providing for a child’s material needs means having several jobs and all

the stress that goes with it. Add to this the fact of taking time to inculcate moral values and

respect the emotional health of the child, these parents are under enormous pressure which will

eventually cause illness such as depression. This also have a direct impact on the child because

being the first example of the latter, an unstable emotional state of the parent will be reflected on

the child. Hence the need for single parents to reserve some time for themselves to decompress
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even if it is frankly not easy. The most worrying period for these parents is adolescence because

in this period children tend to seek emancipation from parental authority.

During adolescence, keeping a child on the right path is a constant challenge for many

parents. In the video of James Arthur’s song “Safe Inside”, the images show how difficult it is

for parents to guide their children during adolescence. At the beginning of the video, a small

child is living happily with her parents and growing up she starts arguing with her them,

drinking, smoking, spending the night outside; and in one scene gets arrested by the police.

These are some common behaviors seen in many teenagers today who, driven by the impulses of

youth, aspire to a form of independence from their parents. Very often this desire is expressed

through acts of rebellion such as disputes between parents and children, lack of respect,

disobedience and spending the night outside. Teenagers who really want to make their own

decisions not only do not seek advice from their parents but reject them when they try to

intervene to prevent them from making bad choices. Conversely, they turn to inexperienced and

sometimes unsavory friends or classmates who encourage them to make many mistakes.

Therefore, helpless parents, because of their lack of knowledge, can do nothing but try to catch

up with the mistakes made by their children. In addition to rebellion, it is becoming quite

common to see adolescents experiencing some psychological disorder, particularly among

students.

Today the number of students facing serious mental problems continues to grow. In one

of their articles, the website TheFamousPeople.com chronicles the story of James Arthur. In that

article, the author mentioned that “In September 2016, it was announced that he has been chosen

as an ambassador for ‘SANE,’ a leading UK charity which aims at improving the lives of people

with mental illness” (1). Having suffered from depression and drug addiction, James Arthur is
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quite familiar with mental issues. This experience allows him to understand the difficulties that

people affected by mental problems encounter int their daily lives. It also helps him find his way

as he says in his song “safe inside” where he sings, “Everyone has to find their own way/ And

I'm sure things will work out okay/” (Arthur lines 15-16) which is in addition to music helping

these people to lead a happy life despite their health problems. As young adults, many students

have multiple responsibilities such as school, work and caring for family members. Unable to

manage all these different pressures, they are often victims of depression and burnout. Which

will impact their lives because poor grades and job loss are likely to follow. It will also impact

on their loved ones who will not only worry about them but will also have to spend a

considerable amount of money to treat them. Hence the need for students to find time to

decompress and relieve the stress they face daily.

James Arthur sees in music a way of raising awareness around the various social issues

that plague contemporary society. Modern society is a society where capitalism reigns; therefore,

most people are only interested in financial issues and neglect those of a social nature. For this to

change, today’s leaders must bring these issues back to the center of public attention. For

example, by taking firm positions against social evils in television debates or interviews and by

highlighting the various current government agencies that are actively fighting to stop these

scourges. Using social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to send strong messages

against these social issues is also an effective way to educate many people on these topics.
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Work Cited

“James Arhtur Biography.” Top40-Charts.com, https://top40-charts.com/artist.php?aid=14115.

Accessed 12 Mar. 2022.

Arthur, James. “Safe inside.” Back from the Edge, Columbia, 2017.

“James Arthur Biography.” Thefamouspeople,

https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/james-arthur-16076.php. Accessed 02 April

2022.

Turner, Jacob S., and Andrew C. Tollison. “The Evolving Communicative Value of Popular

Music: Music Is Interpersonal Communication in the Age of Digital Media.” Journal of

Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 65, no. 3, July 2021, pp. 357–76. Academic

Search Complete, https://doi-org.libaccess.hccs.edu/10.1080/08838151.2021.1957893.

https://libaccess.hccs.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true

&db=a9h&AN=153756133&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Accessed 05 Mar. 2022.

Mfinyom, Clemenceau. Personal interview. 17 April. 2022.

Arhtur, James. “Safe Inside (Official Video).” YouTube, 05 Dec. 2016,

https://youtu.be/2TtgkKZNTa8. Accessed 21 April.2022

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