What makes a great song? To me, among other things, the ability to tell a story I can relate to. That shouldn't be too hard. If you're out there, living, you can relate to almost anything. It's like reading your daily horroscope: on any given day, surely something will match.
It's the same with this album I've dug up recently. Originally issued in 1993, it went past me without a flinch. I was a virgin, for Pete's sake, of course I was oblivious to serious subjects such as teen pregnancies, the struggle to make ends meet without selling my body, fighting organized religion or dealing with infidelity and picking up the broken pieces of my life.
Back in 1993 my knowledge of love (and life) was non-existent; I thought love was supposed to be pink, mushy and everlasting. And perfectly round, with two soul mates in this circle of lust. I'm going to pause narrating for a minute while y'all get your barf bags...
Seventeen years and a dozen love encounters later, I'm only seeing life in pink when I get conjunctivitis. And soon enough selling my body will add up to my personal list of struggles.
I can understand these lyrics now:
I would dial the numbers
Just to listen to your breath
I would stand inside my hell
And hold the hand of death
You don't know how far I'd go
To ease this precious ache
You don't know how much I'd give
Or how much I can take
Just to reach you
and I'm proud of myself for never avoiding the things that terrified me the most.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE "Come to my window" - Album: "Yes, I am" (1993)
Can't say I've seen it all, but I had certainly seen enough. I started out plunging with a leap of faith, convinced that all was perfect and "nothing could go wrong". I had my heart broken, over and over. Because I refused to play it safe, it ended up shattered in tiny atoms of love and pain. At least I have nothing to fear; the worst is over and I can finally jump thinking "what could possibly go wrong now?"
I know now that most of my bruises came from all those corners. Because darlings, love is rarely round and soft. Most of the time it is shaped as a triangle.
MELISSA ETHERIDGE "I'm the only one" - Album: "Yes, I am" (1993)
This is an excellent album for anyone who experienced love. It goes great with red wine. The broken heart is optional.
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