I’ve found a way/
A way to make you smile.

In R.E.M.s “At My Most Beautiful” Stipe talks about how he is happy he has found ways to make his lover smile. Just doing simple things, like reading bad poetry into her answering machine makes her smile; so that makes him happy. He notices things about her. He sees her. Like how she always says her name when leaving a message—like he couldn’t have guessed by her voice.

He also notices the things she likes that he does: like when he whispers “I love you” while she is sleeping. These small things that they do for each other that they each enjoy is them at their most beautiful…or the best version of themselves. This is the best kind of love.

These small, specific details make the song special and unique to a particular relationship. However, finding joy in treating your lover well is a universal theme. Taking the particular and making it universal is a way to make great art.

The melody of “At My Most Beautiful” is great, and we get to hear the band harmonize and they do it well. We hear an instrument combination that is hit or miss—the piano and organ combo. The key when combining the two is to go light on the organ or alternate them. REM is successful in this sense. The piano part is especially fun, and the playfulness of the piano part matches the theme of the song.

Other great R.E.M songs.

At My Most Beautiful Lyrics

I’ve found a way…to make you,
I’ve found a way,
A way…to make you smile.

I read bad poetry
Into your machine.
I save your messages
Just to hear your voice.
You always listen carefully
To awkward rhymes.
You always say your name,
Like I wouldn’t know it’s you.
At your most beautiful.
I’ve found a way to make you,
I’ve found a way…
A way to make you smile.
At my most beautiful.

I count your eyelashes, secretly.
With every one, whisper, “I love you”.
I let you sleep.
I know your closed eye watching me
Listening,
I thought I saw a smile.
I’ve found a way to make you,
I’ve found a way,
A way to make you smile.

Written by R.E.M. (Michael Stipe, Michael Mills, Peter Buck)

And don’t try to understand me,
Your hands already know too much anyways.

“Near You Always” is Jewel’s best song: a beautiful song about falling in love. She is falling hard and fast and is trying to slow down and catch her breath…but not really. She “warns” her lover in a tongue-in-cheek way: if he keeps treating her well and making her feel this way it is going to make her want to be near him always.

The guitar in Jewel’s “Near You Always” is in a non-standard tuning, which helps to create a nontraditional guitar sound. Her voice is amazing as it always is. Jewel sings the song passionately. Notice how she concentrates equally on embellishing the low notes as she does the high notes.

Another thing that stands out about “Near You Always” is the bridge. It sounds like it could be an entirely new song, but it still fits nicely here. Also, notice her use of harmonics. She really is a decent guitar player.

This is another song off Jewel’s first album. Her first album was such a huge success. Sometimes, I think this cripples’ artists. How can someone ever maintain that success? It must be paralyzing. She would go on to write one other great song, Grey Matter, two albums later. It is interesting to look in Spotify and see the top 10 songs played by each artist.

At the time of writing this, neither “Near You Always” or “Grey Matter” are in the top 10. That is a shame. Foolish Games is her number two most frequently played song. I feel that is correct, it is a great song. With three songs in the top 500 that makes Jewel a worthy Rock n Roll Hall of Fame candidate in ten years or so when she reaches the 25-year mark.

Ultimately what makes this song a top 100 song of all-time is the beautiful, unique melody coupled with Jewel’s restrained by powerful voice. This is an incredibly underrated song. Below is a beautiful, captivating performance, that is unfortunately low-def, but truly shows off how she is able to capture an audiences attention.

Near You Always Lyrics

Please don’t say I love you,
Those words touch me much too deeply.
They make my core tremble.
Don’t think you realize the effect you have over me.
And please don’t look at me like that,
It just makes me want to make you near me always.

And please don’t kiss me so sweet.
It makes me crave a thousand kisses to follow.
And please touch me like that.
Makes every other embrace seem pale and’ shallow.
And please don’t come so close.
It just makes me want to make you near me always.

Please don’t bring me flowers,
They only whisper the sweet things you say.
And don’t try to understand me,
Your hands already know too much anyways.
Makes me want to make you near me always.

And when you look in my eyes,
Please know my heart is in your hands.
It’s nothing that I understand,
But in your arms you have complete power over me.
So be gently if you please.
‘Cause your hands are in my hair,
But my heart is in your teeth babe,
And it makes me want to make you near me always,
Your hands are in my hair,
But my heart is in your teeth babe,
And it makes me want to make you near me always,
Want to be near you always.
Want to be near you always.
Want to be near you always.

written by Jewel

You fill up my senses/
Like a night in a forest.

The first line of John Denver’s “Annie’s Song” is iconic. It really captures the spirit of John Denver’s music and sets the stage and scene for this beautiful love song. Denver was a country boy, and nothing could express his sense of awe like the outdoors. You won’t hear lyrics like this from other artists. Pure. Delicate. Unashamed.

John Denver’s description of how Annie fills up his senses is a very apt way to describe the infatuation and initial honeymoon phase of a relationship. Everything feels alive. It feels like you remember things more acutely…it is almost like you see the world through rose colored glasses.

Denver was a crossover star: he appealed to both country music fans and rock fans and I think that is truly hard to accomplish. The arrangement is relatively simple and is relies on the solid finger-picking of an acoustic guitar. The first verse—when it is just Denver and his guitar—is especially compelling. Denver’s voice is unspectacular but underrated. It is pleasant, but in a positive way.

Somehow Denver isn’t in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. I suppose it could be argued that he is closer to a country artist. However, if hip hop artists can get in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, John Denver deserves to be there.

More John Denver Songs.

Annie’s Song Lyrics

You fill up my senses
Like a night in a forest.
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain.
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again.

Come let me love you
Let me give my life to you.
Let me drown in your laughter
Let me die in your arms.
Let me lay down beside you
Let me always be with you.
Come let me love you
Come love me again.

You fill up my senses
Like a night in a forest.
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain.
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean.
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again.

written by John Denver