Black Dog (Arlo Parks song)


"Black Dog" is a song by British singer and poet Arlo Parks. Named after Winston Churchill's term for depression, the song focuses on mental health, especially during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Background and release

The song was released a month before Parks became an ambassador for the British mental health charity Campaign Against Living Miserably. It was released as a double-sided single set with the song "Eugene" on 4 May 2020. Both songs were produced by Gianluca Buccellati, who also wrote them alongside Parks. Addressing "Black Dog", Parks said "it's supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today's world."

Critical reception

The song was placed on the Amazon Music's UK Rising playlist within a week of its initial release. NME described the single as 'the years most devastating song' with strong links to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and its effect on how Parks' poetry came out in the slow, rhyming lyrics. DIY explained the song as being directed at those having to deal with the lockdowns and mental health during the pandemic. Narzra Ahmed of When The Horn Blows revealed that the meaning behind "Black Dog" is being a metaphor for depression with the song being intended for people suffering with mental health as a result of isolation and encourages a conversation around the issue. Malvika Padin of Euphoria describes the song as starting a conversation around how people feel about themselves especially with the advent of social media making people question if they are a perfect person and their life. "Black Dog" was also reported on by Redbrick and Office Magazine, both of which described the song as one that explores human relationships.

Music video

In May 2020, a music video directed by Molly Burdett was released. The 4K video features scenes depicting depression, sadness and family issues.

Track listing

Charts