The song You're Beautiful by James Blunt, from the album, Back to Bedlam is memorable for me. I recall hearing this song frequently on the radio a couple of years ago, in car rides to downtown Chicago. The lyrics, along with the music, create a meaningful experience, and I am willing to defend this song as poetry.
Perrine in his article, "What is Poetry?' writes that a limiting approach to poetry is, "...to find poetry always beautiful" (4). You're Beautiful can be interpreted as a beautiful and heartfelt song. It is for sure beautiful, but the central experience that is created has more to offer. The song deepens the experience of seeing a former significant other. Listeners are bystanders to the psychological effects of seeing an ex that can lead to false hope for a reformed relationship, and to the harsh reality that follows.
Blunt writes, "I saw your face in a crowded place,". In one way, there is imagery of a crowded subway and unexpectedly seeing your ex. Psychologically, it is an example of how a person can consciously or unconsciously think about and look out for someone they care about.
Later in the song there is a line, "She could see from my face that I was,/flying high". I analyzed this line in two ways. First, Blunt is describing that his ex saw how happy he was to see her. Sort of "high on life". The more striking way I interpreted the line was Blunt was physically high on drugs. This line adds to the meaning of not knowing what state of mind a person will be in when they see someone unexpectedly.
In the last block of lyrics Blunt writes, "There must be an angel with a smile on her face,/When she thought up that I should be with you./But it's time to face the truth,/I will never be with you". The first part of the verse that references another angel (Blunt repeatedly refers to his ex as an angel) is interesting. Blunt believes a divine power thought he should be with the woman, and listeners experience this sense of false hope. However, the second half of the verse is Blunt dealing with the reality: not being with his other half and reconnecting. This verse has a quick transition to the harsh realities of relationships.
James Blunt creates an atmosphere of happiness, hopefulness, and finally, harshness. This song reminds me of existentialism. Blunt felt "his life was brilliant" at the beginning of the song, and then felt depressed with the truth. Is misplaced hope the cause for heartache?
I like how you start out with a memory and how that ultimately made you choose this song to defend. I think its interesting, your take on the line flying high, and how you think he was actually on drugs. Coming from how the song has sort of a painful message at times, I agree with you on that one. After reading your analysis, all I want to do is go listen to this song now!
ReplyDeleteI love your analysis! I have never really listened to the lyrics of this song, other than the "Your beautiful" part. I do think that misplaced hope is the cause of heartache. With hope, people are so close to reality. But when reality comes, it has the ability to take away hope at the blink of an eye.
ReplyDeleteI remember listening to this song as a kid (six years ago!) and thinking it was the most heartbreaking song ever, yet so romantic. I loved how the whole song told a story from the beginning to the end and the listener can picture it all in his/her head. I just went back and re watched the music video and it's simply James Blunt taking off all his clothes and emptying his pockets before jumping into the ocean which conveys a lot more than if the video was simply shot in a subway as the song said.
ReplyDeleteI remember listening to this song as a kid (six years ago!) and thinking it was the most heartbreaking song ever, yet so romantic. I loved how the whole song told a story from the beginning to the end and the listener can picture it all in his/her head. I just went back and re watched the music video and it's simply James Blunt taking off all his clothes and emptying his pockets before jumping into the ocean which conveys a lot more than if the video was simply shot in a subway as the song said.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis is so interesting. I love this song! You opened up some new ways for me to think about it. I think Blunt does do a great job at developing the meaning and I would definitely agree that it's poetry.
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