Dissecting Songs I Obsess Over

Welcome to my blog…where I often overstay my welcome writing music reviews. In this blog post, I will dissect a handful of songs I tend to obsess over. Enjoy!


“Just Like Heaven” – The Cure

Note: the sound quality is slightly diminished in this video, but everyone likes a music video, right? Enjoy these strangely brilliant people with their funky hair.

Initial Impressions

In May of 1987, the Cure released a studio album titled Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. Although this album boasted memorable, catchy hits such as “Why Can’t I Be You”, the eighth track—”Just Like Heaven”—became a smashing success and a Cure classic…and my favorite song by the Cure, ever. Now, I listen to a lot of the Cure. I love Faith with its ethereal, gloomy works such as “The Funeral Party” and “All Cats Are Grey”. I wrote a three-part blog analyzing all of Disintegration. And I am no stranger to a few underrated B-sides: “To the Sky”, “Halo”, and “This Twilight Garden” to name a few. But my favorite Cure song of all time is perhaps one of their most popular pieces.

Why? Well, it feels me with such indescribable joy. When the drums first kick in, I immediately want to get up and dance. And not to mention “Just Like Heaven” is a pop masterpiece written by anti-pop Robert Smith who loves to sporadically confuse critiques and fans; although the Cure is associated with eighties’ gothic culture, the band will write a lovesick, perfect pop song for kicks. But, yes, this a layered masterpiece that makes my heart spill! The song begins with a catchy drum beat and bass, then a low guitar and another low guitar, and then…an absolutely iconic synth riff…before one of the most delectable electric guitars still the spotlight. And Robert Smith’s voice is as smooth as raspberry sorbet and twice as sweet. 

Overall, I can never be mad whilst listening to “Just Like Heaven”. It is one of the impeccable songs in existence, and I can not help but smile and dance a little, feeling energetic. It is definitely one of my comfort songs. I absolutely can not get over the electric guitar and synth riff. This song, to me, is like the auditory equivalent of watching a sunrise, eating an orange, or smelling tangy sherbet. Ah!

Lyrics

“Just Like Heaven”

“Show me, show me, show me how you do that trick
The one that makes me scream,” she said
“The one that makes me laugh,” she said
And threw her arms around my neck
“Show me how you do it,
And I promise you,
I promise that
I’ll run away with you,
I’ll run away with you.”

Spinning on that dizzy edge
I kissed her face and kissed her head
And dreamed of all the different ways
I had to make her glow
“Why are you so far away?” she said,
“Why won’t you ever know
That I’m in love with you,
That I’m in love with you.”

You
Soft and only
You
Lost and lonely
You
Strange as angels
Dancing in the deepest oceans
Twisting in the water
You’re just like a dream
You’re just like a dream

Daylight licked me into shape
I must have been asleep for days
And moving lips to breathe her name
I opened up my eyes
And found myself alone alone
Alone above a raging sea
That stole the only girl I loved
And drowned her deep inside of me

You
Soft and only
You
Lost and lonely
You
Just like heaven

This song’s lyrics are utterly delectable. Robert’s Smith’s words are as sugary sweet as strawberry cheesecake. “Just Like Heaven” is one of the Cure’s upbeat love songs, and although it is quite simple—lacking any ulterior motive or dense metaphor—it is literal perfection. 

Robert’s voice is impeccable, his tone changing to match each word intuitively. And listeners are immediately hooked after “show me, show me, show me…” Not only is the first stanza eye-catching, as it is quite dialogue-driven and fun, but the entire plot of “Just Like Heaven” is as immersive at is catchy. With lines such as “spinning on that dizzy edge” and “dancing in the deepest oceans, twisting in the water” Smith evokes this lovesick, giddy feeling in listeners. 

But the lyrics take a mysterious and slightly ominous turn. The protagonist in the song wakes up alone on a cliff by the sea: “…alone above a raging sea that stole the only girl I loved and drowned her deep inside of me.” I am infatuated with this line and its strange, significant meaning. What does it mean to have someone drowned deep inside of you? Suddenly, the story of “Just Like Heaven” has taken upon itself a negative connotation, but it is not necessarily sinister. This sudden shift is nearly imperceptible, as the musical tone appears unchanged. But “Just Like Heaven” is no ordinary love song despite its seemingly simple make up. 

Overall, I absolutely love the lyrics. With lines such as “daylight licked me into shape” and “you’re just like a dream” and “I’ll run away with you”, Smith makes me want to write a strange love poem. I love everything about the lyrics: the word choice, hazy story, and myriad of feelings it sparks. 

Overall

I feel so weightless listening to this; I want to spin in circles until my eyes swim with my surroundings and I am dizzy. I love the punching drums joined by the grounding, groovy bass. I love the piano trills, grand synth chords, and, above all else, that iconic electric guitar. And Smith’s voice is so fitting, so immaculate. Therefore, I am wholly in love with this ethereal piece, “Just Like Heaven”, and the feeling remains long after all the instruments and lyrics end with Smith’s, “just like heaven.” I mean, comparing someone to heaven? Wow!

“Big Sleep” – Simple Minds

Note: Once again I am using a video of low quality. But this is such a captivating live performance! I wish I was there back in 1983, alas…Although the singer is not dancing crazily, his careful, fluid movement across the stage is memorable. And let us take a second to appreciate the synth player…he is all alone playing that same riff over and over while managing a wall of synthesizers. 

Initial Impressions

In 1982, Simple Minds released New Gold Dream—arguably one of their best albums. Although I enjoy the majority of the album’s content, I was absolutely enamored by “Big Sleep” ever since it first met my ears. The methodical, repeating synth riff immediately arrested my attention, and my jaw dropped as the song progressed. “Big Sleep” is something to listen to with your eyes closed: your mind able to fully process the song and all of its fascinating pieces. This is a song to dance to in the rain, a song to walk with beneath the white winter sky, a song to listen to as you drive at night. It is absolutely hypnotic…everything about it: the poignant synth riff, the ti-ti-tipping drums, the whining guitar, the unfettered bass, and the smooth vocals. Ugh, what an epic song! I love “Big Sleep” with all of my heart, and I can listen to it on loop for hours. Every delicious piece of it is something to savor carefully and with your full attention. Oh, and yeah…I love this song so much that I learned the iconic synth riff. 

Lyrics

“Big Sleep”

“So where did you go?
Where do you go in the Big Sleep
Going out in the Deep Sleep
Is where you’re wandering now
So where did you go
When you’re in the Big Sleep
Drifting in wildlife
And still you’re wandering now

We were on the top and the world was spinning
We were only young in the whirlpool of warning
Communication lost in the thundering rain style
A shelter from the storm in the early beginning
Going out in the Big Sleep, out in the Big Sleep
Could have been years, you know it could have been years
Or only seconds ago

Big Sleep, Deep Sleep

Where are you now?
Now that you’re up in Big Sleep
Valuable friend
They saw you leaving this way

We were on the top and the world was spinning
We were only young in the whirlpool of warning
Communication lost in the thundering rain style
A shelter from the storm in the early beginning
Where did you go?
Immaculate friend
For a lifetime I’m grateful
And it’s only seconds away

Big Sleep, Deep Sleep

For evermore
If only you could see me
If only you could see me
If only you could see
Forever
Coming home in the Big Sleep
Coming home”

Wow. The lyrics are indecipherable to me, but I am definitely amazed by the meticulous and inventive wording. After reading through the song, my guess is that Big Sleep is a substitute phrase for the word death. This song reads a bit melancholic to me in various ways, so I have some belief in my guess.

After the subtle intro, Jim Kerr sings, “So where did you go?” And a burst of emotionally-charged sound follows. I adore the interesting inflection in his voice.

One of my absolute favorite parts is when Kerr sings, “We were on the top, and the world was spinning; we were only young in the whirlpool of warning.” The meaning alludes me, but I interpret this as a glimpse into memories of once lively moments. These couple of lines maintain the melancholic, hazy vibe of the song but contrast the uncertainty and loss of the Big Sleep with youthful, head-spinning triumph.

I am curious about the significance of time:

  • “could have been years, you know it could have been years…or only seconds ago”
  • “For a lifetime I’m grateful, and it’s only seconds away”
  • “for evermore…forever”

My crude analysis: If I settle upon my interpretation that “Big Sleep” is death,  perhaps “could have been years” and “only seconds ago” mean you could die years later or only seconds ago. And perhaps Kerr hopes to live a proper lifetime, as death is only seconds away. And when a person dies, their presence becomes forever uncertain and intangible.

All in all, if I were to continue with this theme of death, I could say that Jim Kerr wrote “Big Sleep” after a death of a significant, “immaculate” friend. He is grieving and wondering of the this deceased person’s existence after death, asking, “so where did you go” and “where are you now”. He begins to reflect upon the futility of his own life and the fragility of existence. And he has potent nostalgia for younger, brighter days spent with the deceased person when death felt so far away—”we were only young in the whirlpool of warning.” And although Kerr wishes the person could only see him, he eventually views death as inevitable and makes peace with it at the end: “coming home in the Big Sleep, coming home.”

Overall

Every once in awhile, you stumble across a particular song that lifts you and assuages you like a melodious hug. For me, “Big Sleep” is one such song. Jim Kerr’s voice is hauntingly beautiful, his performance on stage hypnotic, his English accent on point, his lyrics a bit ominous in their mystery. I am in love with the groovy bass and infectiously rhythmic drums and bubbling, whining electric guitars. And I must revere the synth riff as legendary! It adds to hypnotic, thought-evoking nature of a song that is also simultaneously rich in movement. I can listen to “Big Sleep” over and over again and never grow numb to its awesome effect. Thank you, Simple Minds! This is my favorite song you sing…not “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”! This is an absolute masterpiece.

“Souvenir” – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Note: What a beautiful three minutes…one of the most subtle yet artistic music videos I have ever encountered. Although it follows band member Andy McCluskey in a cherry red convertible, the scene is captured with reverent lens, every detail savored. I can not express how perfect this music video is; it has made a home within my heart, and I can feel the myriad of meaning behind each detail. Also, it works with the song so magically.

Initial Impressions

This song means so much to me. The intro is soft, comforting but ominous, and reminiscent of a hushed choir of voices. And the synthesizers are sweet and upbeat but filled with longing or loss. And Paul Humphreys’ voice is so light but heavily significant. “Souvenir” was a part of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Its early new wave sound is evident, and I am such a fan! I love OMD because of their fantastic usage of synthesizers and drum machines. In some lights, “Souvenir” can be viewed as an imperfect pop song—short, simple, and catchy…but not as catchy as “If You Leave”, the band’s smashing hit song. But in another light, this track is three minutes of sound to dream to, to discover one’s self. It is a reflective piece revealing OMD’s masterful methods of blending sounds, textures, and moods without revealing anything. the subtlety in “Souvenir” is staggering.

Lyrics

“Souvenir”

“It’s my direction, it’s my proposal
It’s so hard it’s leading me astray
My obsession, it’s my creation
You’ll understand it’s not important now

All I need is co-ordination
I can’t imagine my destination
My intention ask my opinion
But no excuse, my feelings still remain

My feelings still remain”

How amazingly vague are these lyrics? They can mean a number of things, and I am quite curious to know the original intent behind them. But I am confident enough to say the lyrics center around obsession. Perhaps this is a quiet voice in an argument. Perhaps it is a private realization. And perhaps the songwriter is professing their love for fast food tacos. Whatever the underlying meaning, “Souvenir” is a masterpiece of subtlety.

Although the lyrics could be discussing a person’s obsession with said fast food tacos, I can easily imagine “Souvenir” being a carefully guarded profession of love. The speaker in this song has developed significant feelings for someone they probably should not have, for the speaker fears this love will be unrequited. Maybe my interpretation is a stretch, but a few other OMD songs have similar themes: “Secret”, for instance, is an admittance of adoration. And some of the lyrics In “Souvenir” support my interpretation as well. The speaker is admitting their feelings because it is becoming an obsession, their direction; it is leading them astray from their preconceived path in life. And the speaker is conflicted because they feel it is solely their creation and their proposal. And although this obsession has become the speaker’s direction in life, they can not possibly imagine their destination. Not completely understanding the intention behind their feelings, they cover it up and deem it unimportant. But their feelings still remain, and all they want, all they need, is reciprocation.

That was a lengthy analysis! But I love it because I gathered all of that from a few vague lines. Again, “Souvenir” could have been written about a concerning love for fast food, but I love the drama of this interpretation. Speaking of, what is the meaning of the title? Anyway, I love these lyrics.

Overall

This song instills so much peace within me. It calms me down, enables me to breathe. And I love to walk with it playing in my earbuds, for it is so deliciously atmospheric. OMD is definitely one of my favorite underrated bands. The melodic synth riffs in this are absolutely stellar, but OMD, of course, is a legendary synth band. I greatly appreciate the balance in this song of soft, whispering voices and bouncy, optimistic keys. Paul’s voice is so ethereal—as is the song itself. “Souvenir” is something to listen to while cloud-watching or writing stressful essays late at night. Thank you, OMD, for creating something so comforting. It perfectly matches a mood I feel sometimes, one I can only describe as taking in a magnificent sky with watering eyes. I love it!

Peace Out

Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a great day! Tune in later for more music content. (:

Author: Callie Matthews

"I have hated the words and I have loved them, and I hope I have made them right." - The Book Thief