The institution of marriage is wonderful. It is a never-ending journey of ups & downs, twists & turns, give & get, laughter & tears, and let's not forget joy & pain. Now, granted, not everyone shares my optimistic view on the subject, however, if you would, just set that aside and get into the frame of mind of someone struck by the nature of the overwhelming will to serve and protect another... not because they have to, but because they choose to... and doing so fills them with the spirit of fulfillment. That is love. Mutually deciding to systematically cause this experience to be a lasting and perpetual one is the essence of what marriage is. (At least, in the purity of the idea.)
It is with this thought that we get into our next entry in the grand soundtrack of life.
Anthony Hamilton, with his latest album Back to Love, has tapped into this cosmic vein... the spirit of love and devotion. Now, contrary to the title of today's post, Anthony didn't just get married... he's been married for some time now. However, on this album (his best to date, by the way), he has turned in a trilogy of love songs worthy of the status of classic wedding songs. They are all splendid instant classics. The entire album is constructed very solidly and is an enjoyable listen, from beginning to end. That said, it really seems that Anthony was struck by Cupid himself, while putting this set of songs together. The three standouts which compose the heart of the album are Best of Me, I'll Wait to Fall in Love, and I'm Ready.
All three contain the perfect blend of lyrics, soundscape and musicality, making them lush visual expressions that could easily be utilized to express words, thoughts and sentiments which, for some of us, remain just outside of our literary or expressive reach. Have you ever wanted to share with someone how you feel, more than just "I love you"? Of course you have... and that's why we have radio station dedications during the "Quiet Storm Hour". That's why musicians can make a living. They express something that we all want to express, yet lack the ability or focus. They tap into our collective consciousness and say, play, or sing what we would - if we could. So, that brings me to our songs...
Best of Me is the perfect white wedding song. If you are considering a wedding march song that isn't actually Mendelssohn's Wedding March, this could very well be your song. The sound is soft and supple. There's a subtle percussion to the background, but the soundscape is really shaped by the strings. Not traditional in the sense of violins... the sound is really defined by the bass line and a couple guitars... It's perfect, "let's get married on a beach in Fiji" music. The lyrics are beautiful and purely inspirational. If you have ever experienced the true delight of love, then you'll recognize it in this song. He begins with, "It's simple. I love it. Having you near me, having you here..." This is the core of why two separate people decide to come together forever. The song's story follows the couple though a "regular day", yet however he keeps musing on how "amazing" this experience is. It is because of this continuous experience, that he is compelled to give his best to her and ask her to give her best to him... and that is what marriage is, when it's all boiled down.
I'll Wait to Fall in Love is an expression of love from a sense of divine destiny. This song is about knowing what you're looking for... what you're needing... finding that person for whom you were designed. This piece is for anyone who has been waiting (for what always seems a lifetime)... for that one person... however, this is about an active wait, rather than a passive one. When you've been looking here and there, up and down, round and round... trying on so many non-fitting glass slippers. After kissing so many frogs, there is a certain sense of fulfillment that comes when the search is over. This is felt in the sound of the song. The piano is the director of this show... and the drum is the cinematographer. Together they paint a picture in the sound that literally grabs the listener and massages the very rhythm of their body (pulse, movement, breathing, etc.) into short bursts of this experience. The song moves with a certain continuous undercurrent, however the sound is given it's true character by the periodic stops in the melody and slightly staccato phrasing of the lyrics. It gives the listener the feeling of waiting, waiting, waiting... building... anticipating... then, bam! Success! Then it starts over again. Lyrically, Anthony is as masterful with his delivery as Michelangelo was with his brush. "I'll wait for you to fall in love. I'll hold myself for only you. You know I will... Along the way I've tried my hand in love, in hopes that we'll one day bring that unity. The one that feels natural and true, like in olden day movies... I've tried to settle down before, but there's no other love that will do..." This song is the sonic expression of patience. This song belongs to the coveted "First Dance" spot at the reception.
I'm Ready is a massively muscular song, with a smoothed over layer of velvet softness. It's driven by a steady beat, however the true brilliance of this song is its layering... its multifaceted nature... the sharing of the stage by the various sounds. The drums. The piano and synthesizers. The guitars. No one takes over... they all work together in concert... like a symphony.... oh! which reminds me... The string section. This song is a portrait of love. This song belongs to the intimacy of the couple, even down to the lyrics, "sit in the room, focused on you, beautiful you..." The driving drum beat that begins the song, is the pounding heart beat... The sound of the music carries the listener through a blissful consummation of a divine love pact. I'm Ready is, however, more that merely a statement of beginning something current. Yes, "I'm ready to come together. Let's make love!" that's one way to look at it. However, in exploring the nuances of the song's sound and lyrics, it becomes clear that this is a beginning of forever. This is the signing of a divine contract, the expression of which will carry both parties into greater levels of reality, thus surpassing the boundaries of their current existence. It is for this reason that the song doesn't really belong to any one genre. And this is proper, because love... true love... doesn't belong to any of us... we can all tap into it... we can take it on and express it in our motion... however, we are not the author of it. However, it can be said that love is the author of us. So, in this connection of two individuals, they become connected with the essence of the Universe itself. "It's all right, the heavens open up for us. It's what wonderful means!" Yes, it is.
So, when you get the opportunity, listen to these songs, if you want to tap into that universal life line. Do you have to be married to appreciate these songs? No. Do you have to be getting married to play them? No. However, this is the vibration that they carry, so whatever the visual impression your mind conjures up... the results will be the same. You will be primed to begin (or continue) operating from a base of love.... and that's what the world needs more of.
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