song

So I literally started to well up tears on a shuttle at work today. I was listening to my IRiver and the song "Do You Remember" by Jack Johnson came on. I was looking out the window of the shuttle just swimming in my thoughts and started thinking about the lyrics. Jack basically sings a song about meeting his wife and his relationship with her. He sang about how they met, how he locked his bicycle to hers, their first home and a tree they made a retreat in. Then the tears started slowly coming to my eyes. It's truly a beautiful and sentimental song. Some may even call it schmaltzy. I don't, but some might. I think the song's use of just one acoustic guitar and Jack's voice is very effective in showcasing the simple beauty of his words. Sparse and but more than enough.

I don't know what it is about this song that makes me tear up. I think it's just the reminiscent quality of it and how it seems that he truly loves his wife. I guess it also has to do with the fact that I've never had that relationship. My only real relationship was with a girl named Judy and only lasted about a month and a half. I've never had the length of relationship where I can even have memories of the relationship while still being in it. I've had many "platonic" relationships with girls that only wanted me as a "friend." I've been a substitute many times, as well. I think I understand Jack's memories even though I've never had that long of a relationship. I've had those feelings for a girl before and, though they may not have been reciprocated, I can understand that kind of love. I can only imagine what it would be like to have those feelings returned.

So I'll close out this entry with the lyrics from that song:

Do You Remember
by Jack Johnson
From In Between Dreams

Do you remember when we first met?
I sure do,
it was some time in early September
You were lazy about it,
you made me wait around
I was so crazy about you
I didn’t mind

So I was late for class,
I locked my bike to yours
It wasn’t hard to find,
you painted flowers on it
I guess that I was afraid
that if you rolled away
You might not roll back
my direction real soon
Well I was crazy about you then and now
but the craziest thing of all is
over ten years have gone by
And you’re still mine,
we’re locked in time
Let’s Rewind

Do you remember when
we first moved in together?
The piano took up the living room
You played me boogie-woogie
I played you love songs
You’d say we’re playing house
now you still say we are
We built our getaway
up in a tree we found
We felt so far away
but we were still in town
Now I remember watching
that old tree burn down
I took a picture that I don’t like to look at
Well all these times they come and go
And alone don’t seem so long
Over ten years have gone by
We can’t rewind,
we’re locked in time
But you’re still mine

Do you remember?