This very secret you’re trying to conceal/
Is the very same one you’re dying to reveal.

Ron Sexsmith’s “Secret Heart” is a timeless song about our reticence to share our feelings of affection with others. Of course there is always a paralyzing fear of rejection, but what about the opposite force within you? The force that is dying to share your feelings with the one you love?

Is that not more important than preserving a sense of pride or seeming tough? Or a sense or remaining mysterious? Sexsmith argues it is not worth it. There is nothing to be afraid of—tell her, or him.

“Secret Heart” was released in the mid-90s, but you’d never know it. It has the feel of a song straight out of the 60s or 70s. There were a couple other great 90s songs that sounded really out of place, namely, “I’ll Stand By You”. Both sound like classic songs that could have been written and recorded in any prior decade.

“Secret Heart’s sound is minimalistic-just a lone electric guitar. It is close to the folk-rock tradition in that it relies on its story and simple sound to deliver the emotion, rather than large orchestration or complex melodies. Sexsmith’s vocal is restrained. It is difficult to deliver emotion with restrained vocals, it is easy to deliver emotion while you’re wailing into the mic (That’s why we see it so often).

This is a great concept for a song, and I am surprised it is not written about more often. The only other song that jumps to mind with the same theme is Hey Jude. The difference is, here Sexsmith is trying to psyche himself up, whereas in Hey Jude, McCartney is looking at a young Julian Lennon and thinking of advice for him.

Secret Heart Lyrics

Secret heart
What are you made of?
What are you so afraid of?
Could it be three simple words,
Or the fear of being overheard?
What’s wrong?
Let her in on your secret, heart.

Secret heart,
Why so mysterious?
Why so sacred, why so serious?
Maybe you’re just acting tough,
Maybe you’re just not man enough.
What’s wrong?
Let her in on your secret, heart.

This very secret you’re trying to conceal,
Is the very same one you’re dying to reveal.
Go tell her how you feel!

Secret heart,
Come out and share it.
This loneliness, few can bear it.
Could it have something to do with
Admitting that you just can’t go through it alone?
Let her in on your secret.
What’s wrong, oh?
Let her in on your secret heart,
Your secret heart.

written by Ron Sexsmith

You better learn it fast; you better learn it young/
‘Cause, “Someday” Never Comes.”

Creedence was only around for five years but they had so many hits, and this is one of their best. “Someday Never Comes” is a “Carpe Diem” message passed on from father to the author and then from the author to his son. It is a simple message but such a powerful way to present it. Fogerty sings the song with urgency for his song and “all mother’s sons”, as life is short. Creedence’s songs tended to be simple, but they always sounded unique due to Fogerty’s vocals.

There is another theme in this song, about spending time with your kids now because eventually they will be grown up and you will have time for them but they won’t have time for you because they will be older now. Harry Chapin expressed similar thoughts in “Cat’s in the Cradle”. “Someday Never Comes” is one of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s finest songs.

Someday Never Comes Lyrics

First thing I remember,
Was asking Papa, “Why?”
For there were many things I didn’t know.
And Daddy always smiled,
Took me by the hand,
Saying, “Someday you’ll understand”.

Well, I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young,
‘Cause someday never comes.

The time and tears went by,
And I collected dust,
For there were many things I didn’t know.
When Daddy went away,
He said, “Try to be a man,
And someday you’ll understand.”

But I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young,
‘Cause someday never comes.

And then one day in April,
I wasn’t even there,
For there were many things I didn’t know.
A son was born to me,
Mama held his hand,
Saying, “Someday you’ll understand.”

Well, I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young,
‘Cause someday never comes.
Ooh, someday never comes.

Think it was September,
The year I went away,
For there were many things I didn’t know.
And I still see him standin’,
Tryin’ to be a man,
I said, “Someday you’ll understand.”

But I’m here to tell you now each and every mother’s son,
You better learn it fast, you better learn it young.
‘Cause someday never comes,
Ooh, someday never comes.

Songwriters: J. C. Fogerty

Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper/
Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper.

I didn’t realize that Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear The Reaper” was the song that Saturday Night Live used for the cowbell skit. But as I was listening to this in preparation to write about it, I was thinking “Is this a rock song with an effective use of a cowbell?” Funny. It actually does add to the song. A good producer can make or break a song.

The electric guitars and harmonies are what really stand out in this song. This song is a bit of a throwback. It was released in 1976 but it sounds like something straight out of the psychedelic rock phase of 67-69. I could see this being Jefferson Airplane, the Grass Roots or even The Association.

This song’s message is a good one: we shouldn’t fear death. Just as Romeo and Juliet will be together forever in the afterlife, so will the hundreds of thousands of loved ones when they die. So grab the reapers hand…it’s okay. It is a similar but different take on certain aspects of the Judeo-Christian tradition. I think many people think of heaven as a place where they reunite with loved ones.

Other religions have similar concepts of the happy afterlife: Valhalla, Nirvana, Paradise, etc. Roeser is imagining something very similar. In this case The Reaper would be similar to The Holy Spirit. The Reaper sounds cooler though…and more demonic. Apparently, this caused quite a stir upon its release.

The bridge is great. It sounds so different from the rest of the song. It does sound “bolted-on” in a sense, in that there is no transition and very little melodic similarity. But it sounds kind of creepy, and it works for me. The Moody Blues “Tuesday Afternoon” has a similarly disjointed bridge, which is another link to the psychedelic rock era.

Don’t Fear The Reaper Lyrics

All our times have come
Here but now they’re gone
Seasons don’t fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain, we can be like they are

Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper
We’ll be able to fly, don’t fear the reaper
Baby I’m your man

La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la

Valentine is done
Here but now they’re gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity, Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Like Romeo and Juliet
40, 000 men and women everyday, Redefine happiness
Another 40, 000 coming everyday, We can be like they are

Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper
Baby take my hand, don’t fear the reaper
We’ll be able to fly, don’t fear the reaper
Baby I’m your man

La, la, la, la, la
La, la, la, la, la

Love of two is one
Here but now they’re gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn’t go on

Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared, saying don’t be afraid

Come on baby, and she had no fear
And she ran to him, then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodby, she had become like they are
She had taken his hand, she had become like they are
Come on baby, don’t fear the reaper

Songwriters: Donald Roeser