"Suffering With the Blues," by Little Willie John, 1956
The singer is depressed, and he struggles to recall what he could have done to cause the depression. People in his past have ghosted him, and the only reason that he can come up with is, “I must have done something wrong.” This is a typical aspect of the human personality.
The phenomenon shows up frequently in divorce situations where children are involved. One or more of the children will blame themselves for their parents' breakup. “Mom and dad would have been so happy together if they didn't have me around.” Adults indulge in this self-flagellation. “It's my own fault,” or, “I should have been more careful.”
Whether the person expressing remorse is truly responsible for the unfortunate situation is usually a subject of considerable mystery. I am reminded of a quote that I like, which I am eighty percent sure is attributable to Alfred Jarry: “When the expression of an artist collides with the mind of a beholder and produces a dull thud, it remains to be established which of the two is at fault.”
Maybe there is a moral here. “Don't be too hard on yourself.” That's it, something like that.
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