"Sweetest Thing" A Musical Analysis
The song was originally recorded in 1987, but re-recorded and released with alterations in 1998. Rolling Stone said that the re-release of the song signaled a new transition in the band's musical arc. I listened to the original 1987 version and while I enjoyed how raw and funky the vocals and instruments sounded, I prefer the 1998 re-construction.
Lyrics:
Probably one of the most grabbing aspects of the song for me are the lyrics. “Baby got blue skies up ahead, but in this I’m a raincloud”, “I wanted to run but she made me crawl”. There’s a push and pull to the story and a picture gets painted of distance, of opposites, of contrast. While to a happy and loving tune, the lyrics offer a sadness that gets painfully stated in the chorus: “I’m losing you”, followed with the line: “Ain’t love the sweetest thing”. It leaves a wistfulness. A sense of longing. That breath you exhale when talking about a love you’ve carried for a long time through many emotions and seasons.
These lines connect with the history behind the song, namely that the lead singer Bono wrote it for his wife due to missing her birthday while touring with the band.
Sweetest Thing is a love letter, both literally from the artist to his wife and figuratively, from the lyrics to the listener.
Timbre:
This song feels playful and grounded, the piano that begins in the intro and carries on in moments through the song is bright and snappy. To me it connects with the first lyric: “My love she throws me, like a rubber ball”. The keys ring out like a game of catch followed by a rest that propels you to a clap, sounding like a rubber band snapping. Paired with the piano, there's a lingering, magical element coming from an electric guitar, and repetitive drums keep “the ball rolling” so to speak. As this song is written as a love/apology letter to someone, I feel that perhaps the steadiness of the instruments touch on the desire for the relationship to have a continuous foundation. Where the mood changes is in the chorus, it’s still bright but evokes more of a light that is flickering, a little less steady. The electric guitar in the back melds with the vocals in an honest, heartwrenching plea.
Chords:
Sweetest Thing is in the key of C major and mainly uses three chords throughout the song with an addition of a fourth appearing in the chorus. The chords played are mostly major chords which pair well with the playful love aspect of the song, save for when a minor chord appears in the chorus, signaling the sadness within the artist's message. The simplicity in the chords is grounding and I appreciate the unsteadiness brought forth in the chorus, it continues to mirror the message other aspects of the song have indulged in.
Sources:
I really feel like your analysis really captures the whole point of the song so well. U2 holds a special place in my childhood. I would often listen to their music, especially the old stuff with my brother. I like how you covered the chords of the song, examining how they lull you further into the meaning and vibe of the song.
ReplyDeleteI have never been a huge fan of U2 but I really enjoyed your analysis of this song. You truly opened my eyes to a new perspective. I really admire your passion about this song at the beginning of your blog. It is when you started to deep dive into the lyrics is when I started to get into my feelings. I could feel myself starting to romanticize this song. I just want to add to your great dissection of the timbre, the electric guitar affect is only in the left ear (if wearing headphones). You did such a great job at breaking down this song.
ReplyDeleteAmazing job! I absolutely love how you set up your blog post, and its really inspired me for my own going forward. I love that you took the time to talk about the lyrics in a section by itself. One of my favorite aspects of music is the lyrics, and storytelling. I really love your deep-dive into the symbolism and meaning behind the lyrics and specific lines. Not only did you talk about them from the artist or audience viewpoint, but from your own and your own interpretations via your own life experiences. I'm unfamiliar with U2, but I enjoyed giving your song a listen! I was really reminded of something I'd hear on a 90's radio.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis was very clear and thorough. The song really does have a joyful, upbeat feeling to it that I enjoy, and the push-and-pull aspect became much clearer after you pointed it out. The detail you mentioned after the lyric "the keys ring out like a game of catch followed by a rest that propels you to a clap, sounding like a rubber band snapping" was especially insightful. I wouldn't have noticed it otherwise. Great job!
ReplyDelete