From the first time I heard this song, I loved it. Now, while I am now a bit critical of it, it still has elements of beauty to me.
“Must not have been paying attention - stepped right on it, didn’t even notice how deep I was. I went from the ground to the top of the cloud, and now as I look down, I see where I fell into your arms.” Now, I’m still not really sure how I feel about love being some mysterious force that washes over a person or a pit that you fall into. I’m inclined to believe that we have more control over loving someone than we (or the popular media) tend to give ourselves credit for. I really don’t think that love is a puddle that you trip into and then suddenly find yourself soaking wet. In my mind, if we’re gonna stick with the water analogy, love is like getting into a pool. We may stand at the edge, surveying the territory, but eventually we intentionally edge into the pool, allowing our body to get acclimated piece by piece until we are comfortable and swimming freely. Now, that would be the ideal. Some people tend to just jump in and feel the shock afterward. Either way, I don’t think love surprises us as much as music tends to say that it does, because we have more control of our thoughts and feelings than we think. We just have to exercise self-awareness and be intentional about what we’re doing.
“Now I got love all over me. Baby, you touch every part of me. I got love all over me, and I don’t wanna get it off. I’m completely covered up in your love.” Again, the chorus makes me feel like love is some sticky substance that slipped on her one day, but it’s a good thing, so she doesn’t mind being covered in it. I do appreciate that the love is holistic and that it touches every part of her. Although, I have to wonder if such a… consuming love is healthy. While love is definitely something that should be apparent and cause changes in one’s life, the fact that she is completely covered would lead me to wonder if she still has her own personhood in the midst of such an all-encompassing feeling.
“Even my skin is changing – I’m feeling warmer, no more icy blue heart for me. You put the color back in my life, and now where was black and white, you’re becoming iridescent.” I see that love is a transformative force, and this verse makes that clear. She previously felt less than, and now, love is empowering her to live and feel and heal. It is bringing her out of her shell.
“Before your love, baby, I was muddy – filthy with pain till you took it from me. You showered me with a new beginning; now I’m clean. Took me by surprise when you ran up on me – I came to life, baby, in that moment. You put your hands on my heart, and, baby, now it beats.” This has got to be my very favorite part of the song. The analogy is a beautiful one, and I can appreciate that pain is muddy and love is the cleansing agent. I can see pain being caked on a person and dried such that the person cannot move, and a warm shower of love washes over someone, rinsing the mess away. When the cleansing happens, there is space for movement and life and growth. She says that her love laid hands on her heart and essentially brought her back to life.
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