track by track: pieces of you part 2

#8 adrian

adrian is a haunting, ineffably gorgeous song that perfectly showcases jewel’s incredible gift for storytelling. it tells the tale of a young man who is disabled in a canoe accident and chronicles the shallow reactions of those around him. because adrian is unable to speak, the lyrics allow you to see the world through his eyes without being able to do anything about it. the song also tells about a young girl named mary who loved adrian despite his disability. i always find myself feeling so devastated at the bleakness of the story. there is no happy ending, no heroes. just a broken boy and a girl who doesn’t know how to put him back together.

my favorite line: he looked so fragile, he looked so small, and she wondered why he was still alive at all

#9 i’m sensitive

because i love this album so much, i feel that i have to be as honest as possible about each song; it pains me to say that i just don’t like this song that much. it isn’t a bad song by any means, it just doesn’t align with the quality of the other tracks for me. i have to be in a very particular mood to listen to this one, and it doesn’t happen super often. i still think that it’s clever and has some gorgeous lyrics, and i do enjoy it occasionally- it’s just not a personal favorite.

my favorite line: and i was thinking that it might do some good if we robbed the cynics and took all their food

#10 you were meant for me

this. song. i genuinely cannot describe how much this song means to me. it’s the one that introduced me to jewel, and i fell so madly in love with her art thanks to this magical tune. the song’s lyrics are… for lack of a better word… silly. in the absolute greatest way possible. she sings about pancakes and brushing her teeth and somehow makes it this beautiful, emotional experience. the song is widely regarded as a breakup anthem, but its meaning has always held something different for me. jewel essentially walks you through her day during a difficult time. it’s monotonous and sad, but there is an undeniable sense of hope that finds you in this track. jewel once said that the song is actually about dealing with anxiety and taking inventory of the little things you do throughout the day and practicing mindfulness, which is what i relate the song to. this is easily one of my favorite songs of all time, and i am so grateful to have stumbled across it when i did.

my favorite line: dreams last so long, even after you’re gone, and i know that you love me and soon you will see you were meant for me, and i was meant for you

#11 don’t

this is another one of my favorites. this song’s gorgeous, simple guitar never fails to draw me in, and jewel’s vocals are beyond stellar on this track; and i haven’t even gotten started on the beautiful lyrics. this song paints a bewitching, melancholy picture of lost love. the song is essentially a plea from someone to stop doing the things they once loved so much because they want to be able to let go. it’s an excellent ballad for the relinquishment of tenderness.

my favorite line: don’t walk too close, don’t breathe so soft, don’t talk so sweet, don’t sing

#12 daddy

daddy is a harsh, gritty song with little tenderness to offer. it takes a cold look at the relationship between a woman and her father, and she details exactly how she feels about him- bitter, cheated, and angry. this is an outpouring of the very purest form of rage, and jewel’s vocal delivery matches her lyrical mastery and intention incredibly well. this is a song that i immediately had to know the background behind, because fortunately, i don’t relate to it. jewel wrote this about a time she went over to a friend’s house and saw how poorly her father treated her.

my favorite line: i’m gonna make you just as vulnerable as i was, daddy, what’s that say about me?

#13 angel standing by

this song immediately stands out because of its unique sound. it’s simultaneously acoustic and ethereal. there are very few lyrics, and i would say for good reason. this piece feels more like an experience than a song. the song is basically like a message from a guardian angel, and its words are comforting, warm, and pure.

my favorite line: you’re never nothing less than beautiful, so don’t you worry, i’m your angel standing by

#14 amen

i think that amen is an excellent provider of closure with which to end this album. it’s a gorgeous piece of poetry about the uncertainty of this life that translates perfectly into a siren song for the ages. the poem begins with references to motherhood and nature and ends with references to God and the broken world we live in.

my favorite line: where are my angels? where’s my golden one? where’s my hope now that my heroes have gone?

speaking about this piece of music that i love and admire so much has been amazing for me, and i can’t wait to begin my next album! i know i tend to ramble on in these blogs sometimes, and i guess that’s just my way; but as the ever-wise jewel would say, “what we call human nature in actuality is human habit.”