Friday Song: Amazing Eyes by Good Old War

Brace yourselves. This is one of those songs where the lyrics and the music align so perfectly, they come together in a perfect storm that sweeps you out to sea, mercilessly tosses you around, then spits you back on the beach in a wet little heap, dying to do it all over again. If you've ever felt uncertain, directionless, and torn apart–by love, by life–this song is for you.   

Let's start with the lyrics. "You have amazing eyes." A sweet compliment. One that would knock us off our feet. But the words that come trickling afterwards, well, they're not the pure honey we expect. They tell of a story that has bitterness too. Our singer gives and rescinds, he advances and retreats. We're never on completely stable ground. 

Now set these words, this mood of cautious desire, to the music. Simple guitar strains, a single melody throughout, punctuated by the swells of vocal harmonies of reaching out to us at those moments when we long for more. We can almost taste it, we want so badly to get that assurance that yes, everything is going to be okay. I've listened over and over again. It hasn't come yet.

P.S. I'm hooked on Good Old War's entire 2012 album Come Back as Rain. If you like this you'll also love their 2010 eponymous album, in particular the song I Should Go. Those harmonies! Images: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.