Tim: Title track from her really rather excellent (and not just because it contains the 19 out of 5 stars Survivor) most recent album. Listen, do.
Tom: That’s a bloody excellent chorus, isn’t it?
Tim: It really is, and I’ve actually just one criticism: there’s no key change. And my word, that big note shifting up out of the middle eight is properly laying the groundwork for one. And then nothing. I mean, that’s just cruel, really.
Tom: Yep: I was fully expecting that. No idea how they missed that one.
Tim: But other than that, this is wonderful. It’s obviously not a Survivor, but it’s very close. It’s glorious. Hearing the music, I want to get up and celebrate life and all its glories, because it’s one of the most triumphant songs I’ve heard in a long time. It’s brilliant.
Tom: Really? I mean, it sounds like it, sure, but… those lyrics.
Tim: Yes, and let’s talk about the lyrics – I normally stay away from fan lyric videos because of the inevitable typos and mistakes and weird “yes I know I’m breaking the law but I’m admitting it so that must make it alright” descriptions, but here the lyrics are worth paying attention to. From the very first line about crying it’s very clear this is meant to be a depressing song, and by the time we move on to sitting alone and hurting deep inside we could be be feeling downright suicidal. So how on earth does that chime with the music?
Tom: I’m really hoping that’s a rhetorical question and you’re setting up to explain it.
Tim: Well, as it happens: there’s also a Greek version, which makes things a bit clearer – it’s called Μεσημέρια, translating to Noon, and the chorus there has lyrics about seeing the moon coming through the blinds, and how someone will be there for her, and actually everything will be alright. So actually, the music makes perfect sense – just something got very, very lost in translation.
Tom: How does the music in that version sound ‘more Greek’ to me? Is it the stronger harmonies? The seemingly-gated drums? I assume it’s just because I now know it’s Greek and my brain’s filling in gaps, but I swear it sounds more Greek.
Tim: I don’t know, sounds similar to me. But I’m not that bothered about the lyrics – this is a fantastic song, and I love it.