"One I Love" vs. "One I Love" vs. "One I Love"
Tonight I was in the lab with the radio on, and this song came on: David Gray's "The One I Love". I'd heard it before, thought it was nice, but never gave it a second thought. Until tonight.
Have a listen if you haven't heard it before:
For whatever reason, I was trying to make out the lyrics, but David Gray's nasally British squawk kept getting in the way. So Googling the lyrics I got:
Gonna close my eyes
Gonna watch you go
Running through this life, darlin',
Like a field of snow
As the tracer glides
In its graceful arc
Send a little prayer out to you
'Cross the falling dark
Tell the repo man
And the stars above
That you're the one I love
Perfect summer's night
Not a wind that breathes
Just the bullets whisperin' gentle
Amongst the new green leaves
There's things I might have said
Only wish I could
Now I'm leaking life faster
Than I'm leaking blood
Tell the repo man
And the stars above
That you're the one I love
You're the one I love
The one I love
Don't see Elysium
Don't see no fiery Hell
Just the lights all bright, baby,
In the Bay Hotel
Next wave comin' in
Like an ocean roar
Won't you take my hand, darlin',
On that old dance floor
We can twist and shout
Do the turtle dove
You're the one I love
You're the one I love
The one I love
Hmmm, I thought, that's a bit cryptic. What's all this talk about tracers and bullets?
Ohhh... the song's from a soldier's point of view.
Why would he be looking up at tracers in the sky?
Ohhh... he's on his back.
What's a "wave" got to do with this?
Ohhh... double meaning: wave of attack and the ocean wave he's remembering.
How's the repo man fit in?
Ohhh... borrowed time, got it. And possible play off "reaper".
Subtle, powerful, anti-war love ballad. Effin' brilliant. I'm in awe.
Then I remembered that another band had a song with almost exactly the same title: Coldplay in 2002 as a B-side to Rush of Blood. Just for fun, I thought I'd do a lyrics head-to-head:
Could you, could you come back?Ouch. There's actually more, but I'll spare you. The ironic thing is that I used to like this song, enough so that I bought it on iTunes. But I have to admit: In the "One I Love" Bowl, it's David Gray 1, Coldplay 0.
Come back together
Put yourself on the band
And see us forever
Could you, could you come home?
Come home forever
Surely things in the band
Keep us together
'Cause you're the one I love
You're the one I love
You're the one I love
Google reminded me that one more band had a song with the same title. Any guess who? You know who, I'm sure. Here, it starts like this:
This one goes out to the one I loveAnyway, not the greatest of lyrics either. Better than Coldplay's "O.I.L"? Probably. Better than David Gray's "O.I.L."? Probably not, in my opinion.
This one goes out to the one I've left behind
A simple prop to occupy my time
This one goes out to the one I love
Fire. Fire.
posted by stewchang @ 11:32 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
r.e.m. of course. on repeat half of 1994.
and no, i didnt google that ;)
i'll have to check that song out--it sounds beautiful.
while i agree the r.e.m. lyrics aren't *all that*, i do have to say i love me some r.e.m.
and, when i was young and impressionable (i speak as if this is a thing of the past...) i used to love me some bush--imagine my delight when i went to see them in 1996 and they covered r.e.m.'s version. god, i thought gavin was hot.
i think i might have cried.
but, don't tell anyone.
i'm super embarrassed about it now.
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