Well, since a hideous laryngitis is not allowing me right now to make use of my voice for singing purposes, I will rely on writing words to make a good use of available time (as well as procrastinating on finishing another article I want to hand in before Monday!). Next week Valentine's Day is coming, and it is great for a purpose of writing about a song I have been listening and playing over and over in order to make a decent acoustic cover. I am talking about "
Someone like you", a song from the British singer Adele, who is nominated for I-don't-know how many Grammy's for tomorrow's award show. Even when the showbiz world is currently shocked with the death of Ms. Whitney Houston, I will hold my thoughts regarding that in order to write about something I was meaning to express my perspective about it, and that I have been making some remarks every now and then.
My first general perspective of Adele's "21" was that it was a post-breakup mood album. Songs generated from the intense mix of emotions caused from the end of a relationship, or something like that. The song I will write about is "Someone like you", a song that talks about the perspective of a post-breakup scheme where one of the parts has moved on and already engaged in another relationship, with perhaps stronger ties (well, perhaps is not the best way to describe it since it clearly mentions "I heard that you settled down, that you found a girl and you're married now"). From a personal perspective, it can become a heartbreaking song since it shows a situation where things have obviously changed but oneself refuses to, as well as a hypothetical scheme where the transmitter gives a message of good wishes for the other, even though it is dying in the inside and wishing things were as before.
I have always thought songs are such a powerful way to convey emotions. Obviously it includes a lot of factors in order to make a deep impression in the public. Let's take the late Whitney Houston as an example with her majestic performance of "I Will Always Love You". This song had been written and performed by Dolly Parton way before, but it was until its release as part of the soundtrack of "The Bodyguard" that this song made an impressive impact from there on in the music industry. And I reckon that one of the factors was the way Whitney performed the song, she definitely nailed it! (I don't really pretend to diminish Dolly Parton's, but there you go, the charts show the difference!). My point here is that Adele gives such a heartbreaking performance from the perspective of someone left in the past, showing up to acknowledge the current situation and aside of any ongoing feelings, still wishes you the best! The starting line of the chorus is quite powerful and sets the whole argument of the song:
Nevermind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you two...
Gosh. Just expressing "someone like you" shows a deep longing for being part of the future of the other one. To strongly wish the other one were the "significant other". But hell no, the other one has moved on and made it right, "found a girl and is married now". So what is left for the transmitter? To get over it, and try to get another life, with "someone like"? Geez. That's why I will move on to the next song as an antidote...
I hope that you miss me,
put me down on history
I feel such a reject now
get yourself a life...
The preceding lines are part of the song "
Loud and Clear" by The Cranberries from their fourth studio album called
Bury the Hatchet. This song shows quite a contrary perspective from the post-breakup perspective. Obviously, by reading the first four verses it is quite clear that the message from this song is completely opposite to Adele's. And I mentioned it as an antidote because the great performance made by Adele left me sort of saddened the first time I listened to her song, and I browsed immediately my music catalog looking for something that could counter-effect it. And I found it in The Cranberries's song. As you listen to it, you can find out the depicted message is from the other side of the coin, where a relationship is over and the transmitter lists the reasons why is better off alone (or at least, not with the receiver). It is maybe less naive than Adele's since it openly vents out all the negative feelings of sorrow and pain that the breakup has caused. It gives you the impression the transmitter might be more realistic and frank acknowledging why the relationship is over. Even though the final lines are a little bit extreme regarding the final wishes of the transmitter:
I hope that you never
Get the things you wanted to
Now I cast a spell on you
Complicate your life
Hope you get a puncture
Everywhere you ever drive
Hope the sun beats down on you
and skin yourself alive
A little bit tough and outspoken, isn't it? But let's be realistic just for a little while: all relationships end up for a reason. The flaw in Adele's song is that it depicts a wonderful scheme that it was broken by something we ignore and all we can imagine is that maybe the receiver is some sort of heartless bastard who did not care at all about the feelings of Adele or one self. But at least we take the bright side, showing mercy and the best disposition toward the one who got away with a "girl that gave you things I didn't give to you". Just reading this line leaves me wondering between a real kind disposition of understanding and goodwill and a really low self-esteem. It could be translated into "I was not exactly what you were looking for, but I know you are a really nice lad and I am still so into you" or "I was not and I am still not good enough for you". Sucks!
Taking the second road of contentious low self-esteem, that is one acknowledgement made by O'Riordan song:
I remember there was
Nothing I could ever do
Never could impress you
Even if I tried
It acknowledges a previous state of low self-esteem and continuous looking for other's approval, that seems to be fortunately over. That is why I was uneasy about Adele's song. Why this concern regarding "someone like you", if "with you things didn't work". Just by making a point of "you found a girl that gave you what I couldn't" drives me crazy thinking that the singer felt not good enough for the other one. Or maybe not, but that's what I could read between lines!
Anyway, the good thing about The Cranberries' song is that it left me in better spirits than Adele's. But do not make a big fuss about it: I am not a big supporter of rancor or resentment. I am supportive of venting out and acknowledging your feelings, but that's it. Just acknowledging "I'm pissed off by this and that" it is a big step towards closure and moving on. And I don't pretend to preach about it, but I reckon life's too short and there are so many things and so many people that if it didn't work with someone specific, there will be another one waiting out there. And even if it's not there, at least we were not losing time drenched in sorrow and sadness. So I reckon the best approach would be looking for a balance between acknowledging the good things from a previous relationship without forgetting the bad ones (just not getting to the extreme anger reaction of wishing the worst, like "punctures everywhere you ever drive or sun skins you alive")
Everyone has their closure period and it is OK: my suggestion is don't make it eternal.
Happy Valentine's Day (or "chocolates and friends day")
