Something in the way you move/
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you.

Rhianna’s “Stay” is a song about two people in a relationship that are drawn to each other despite of– or perhaps because of– the dysfunction in their lives. They both seem to be hurting and when they are together, it fills a void that is lacking in their life. It seems to be a relationship of convenience….at least for now. But the feeling of attraction still feels just as strong as feelings of love due to the fact it is filling a need in each other’s life.

“Stay” works due to the great melody and the interplay between Rihanna and Ekko in this duet. They both play the part of a person tired of love, yet needing it, and you can hear it in their voices. The piano is the right instrument for this song. I feel Rihanna’s best work is usually when she does these ballads. It allows us to hear that she can sing well and she does not over-sing—like some of her diva counterparts.

Stay Lyrics

All along it was a fever
A cold sweat, hot headed believer
I threw my hands in the air, said, “Show me something”
He said, “If you dare, come a little closer”

Round and around and around and around we go
Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay

It’s not much of a life you’re living
It’s not just something you take, it’s given

Round and around and around and around we go
Oh, now tell me now, tell me now, tell me now you know

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you
It takes me all the way
And I want you to stay

Ooh, the reason I hold on
Ooh, ’cause I need this hole gone
Well, funny you’re the broken one
But I’m the only one who needed saving
‘Cause when you never see the light
It’s hard to know which one of us is caving

Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay
Stay
I want you to stay
Ooh
Songwriters: John Stephen Sudduth / Justin Parker / Mikky Ekko

A reason to start over new/
And the reason is you.

In “The Reason’ the narrator is apologizing to his love for the mistakes he made. This is a great ‘apology’ song. The lyrics hit all the right themes for apologizing and even turns his mistake around and says he is going to change for the better because of the woman. He admits his mistake, says he’s sorry and says he’ll change…straight out of therapy 101. Who wouldn’t love to hear that? I bet she forgave him. Next time you screw up with your significant other just quote these lyrics…

“I’m sorry that I hurt you…it’s something I must live with everyday…and all the pain I’ve put you through…I wish that I could take it all away.”

Just try not to sing it. It might sound less sincere.

Hoobastank’s melody is incredible. Both the verse and the chorus are fantastic. Often one or the other will be great, but as we move into the top tier of songs, we get to songs that hit on both accounts. The production is top notch. The piano intro is one note—a sixteenth played for two bars or so and somehow it is recognizable. As the guitar and then the bass and drums are added it adds the perfect amount of depth to the sound.

The Reason Lyrics

I’m not a perfect person
There’s many things I wish I didn’t do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

I’m sorry that I hurt you
It’s something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
That’s why I need you to hear

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

And the reason is you
And the reason is you
And the reason is you

I’m not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know

I’ve found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
And the reason is you

I’ve found a reason to show
A side of me you didn’t know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you

Songwriters: Douglas Robb / Daniel Estrin / Chris Hesse / Markku Lappalainen

And then I’ll ask your forgiveness, though I don’t know just what I’m/
Asking it for.

“Hold Me Now” by The Thompson Twins is a beautiful song from the 80s and perhaps one of the biggest radio (and video) hits from that time. The narrator is in a loving relationship, but it has seen better days…he thinks about this as he looks at a picture of himself and his love laughing. It starts to reflect on what is wrong and what needs to change. It doesn’t seem like there is anything particularly wrong with the relationship except perhaps they are taking each other for granted.

They fuss. They fight. They play games with each other. It is time to fix things or go their separate ways. He knows what he wants. He wants to fix things. He wants them to come together, stay with each other and hold each other and begin loving again.

The bass-line and keyboards of the song are special. The bass drives the song. It is mixed loudly and it had a unique beat during both the verse and chorus. Usually bass is an accompanying instrument but here it is featured and it is awesome.

Another interesting thing about this song is the use of the choir (or is that just over-dubbed voices?) during the chorus. It sounds unique and full; it drives home the message that this is the emphasis of the song…the part about loving, not about the squabbling described in the verses. The use of falsetto in the chorus for the call back is awesome: (“…if you love me hold me.”) That could be a simulation of the girls voice talking in the background to him or that could just be him getting emotional as he’s singing. Either way it works.

Hold Me Now Lyrics

I have a picture
Pinned to my wall
An image of you and of me and we’re laughing, we’re loving it all
But look at our life now
All tattered and torn
We fuss and we fight and delight in the tears that we cry until dawn
Oh, whoa

Hold me now, whoa
Warm my heart
Stay with me
Let loving start
Let loving start

You say I’m a dreamer, we’re two of a kind
Both of us searching for some perfect world we know we’ll never find
So perhaps I should leave here
Yeah, yeah, and go far away
But you know that there’s nowhere that I’d rather be than with you here today
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Hold me now, whoa
Warm my heart
Stay with me
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa
Hold me now, whoa
Warm my heart
Stay with me
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa

You ask if I love you
Well, what can I say?
You know that I do and if this is just one of those games that we play
So I’ll sing you a new song
Please don’t cry anymore
I’ll even ask your forgiveness
Though I don’t know just what I’m asking it for
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa

Hold me now, whoa
(Hold me in your loving arms)
Warm my heart
(Warm my cold and tired heart)
Stay with me
(Stay with me)
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa
Hold me now, whoa
(Hold me in your loving arms)
Warm my heart
(Warm my cold and tired heart)
Stay with me
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa
Hold me now, whoa
(Hold me in your loving arms)
Warm my heart
(Warm my cold and tired heart)
Stay with me
(Stay with me)
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa
Hold me now, whoa
(Hold me in your loving arms)
Warm my heart
(Warm my cold and tired heart)
Stay with me
(Stay with me)
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa
Hold me now, whoa
(Hold me in your loving arms)
Warm my heart
(Warm my cold and tired heart)
Stay with me
(Stay with me)
Let loving start
Let loving start, whoa

Songwriters: Tom Bailey / Alannah Joy Currie / Joseph Martin Leeway