1990s songs, unrequited love

#225 Fade Into You- Mazzy Star

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Fade into you/
I think its strange you never knew.

“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star is about the disconnect between the feelings of the narrator and her lover. While she is “all in”, she feels a distance from the other side. How can this guy/girl not feel the same way when I feel so strongly and it feels so right to me?

We get the sense that Hope Sandoval feels that the other person is very unknowable and mysterious. Is that because of their lack of interest in her or because they are an enigmatic individual? Most enigmatic individuals will make themselves known to another person they are very into.

Fade into You Meaning
Hope Sandoval

The melody sung by Hope Sandoval is beautiful and haunting. She sings “Fade Into You” as if she is full of sorrow and that is why it resonates. Good songs become great when the artist believes, feels and expresses the lyrics.

The guitar work in this song is also excellent. Using a slide on the guitar often sounds very country music-like, but it doesn’t sound anything like that here. This song feels moody and very representative of some of the great work being done by female artists in the early to mid-nineties.

Fade Into You Lyrics

I want to hold the hand inside you
I want to take the breath that’s true
I look to you and I see nothing
I look to you to see the truth

You live your life, you go in shadows
You’ll come apart and you’ll go black
Some kind of night into your darkness
Colours your eyes with what’s not there

Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it’s strange you never knew

A stranger’s light comes on slowly
A stranger’s heart without a home
You put your hands into your head
And then smiles cover your heart

Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it’s strange you never knew

Fade into you
Strange you never knew
Fade into you
I think it’s strange you never knew
I think it’s strange you never knew

Songwriters: Hope Sandoval / David Roback

1960s songs, breakup songs

#224 Mrs. Brown-Herman’s Hermits

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Don’t let on, don’t say she broke my heart/
I’d go down on my knees but it’s no good to pine.

The musicianship in The Herman’s Hermits’ “Mrs. Brown (You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter)” is rather minimalist but the rich melody and great story make for a great song. The author goes to his ex-girlfriends house to return the things of hers that she left at his house because she broke up with him. Her mom opens the door…

And thus, we hear the exchange between the narrator and Mrs. Brown. Herman likes Mrs. Brown, and tells her the truth about his feelings of heartbreak, but he asks her not to tell her daughter that her daughter broke his heart. He knows she no longer loves him…and its no good to pine!

Mrs. Brown You have a lovely daughter meaning
hermits hermits

“Mrs Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” works because it is kind of sweet and speaks of the end of a young love. We feel like the narrator will be back on the saddle in no time—with a woman who loves him. He sounds earnest and genuinely caring about Mrs Brown and her daughter.

The song is very well written and beautifully performed by the Herman’s Hermits–an underrated band from the 60s. Notice the seamless transition between bridge and verse. They go together perfectly. I think the melody of this song is great and I think this is a prime candidate for a cover.

Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter Lyrics

Mrs. Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter.
Girls as sharp as her are somethin’ rare.
But it’s sad, she doesn’t love me now,
She’s made it clear enough it ain’t no good to pine.

She wants to return those things I bought her.
Tell her she can keep them just the same.
Things have changed, she doesn’t love me now,
She’s made it clear enough it ain’t no good to pine.

Walkin’ about, even in a crowd, well
You’ll pick her out, makes a bloke feel so proud.

If she finds that I’ve been round to see you (round to see you),
Tell her that I’m well and feelin’ fine (feelin’ fine).
Don’t let on, don’t say she broke my heart,
I’d go down on my knees but it’s no good to pine.

Walkin’ about, even in a crowd, well
You’ll pick her out, makes a bloke feel so proud.

If she finds that I’ve been round to see you (round to see you)
Tell her that I’m well and feelin’ fine (feelin’ fine).
Don’t let on, don’t say she broke my heart;
I’d go down on my knees but it’s no good to pine.

Mrs. Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter (lovely daughter).
Mrs. Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter (lovely daughter).
Mrs. Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter (lovely daughter).
Mrs. Brown you’ve got a lovely daughter (lovely daughter).

Songwriters: Trevor Peacock

1990s songs, family problems

#223 Winter- Tori Amos

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When you gonna make up your mind/
When you gonna love you as much as I do?

Tori Amos’ “Winter” is a song about a father teaching his young daughter some of the lessons of life because he knows he won’t always be around. It is not necessarily that he is ill; he is simply recognizing his role as a parent is to teach his daughter to function without him. Amos likens that to the first winter of her life.

Winter Greatest Alltime song Meaning
Tori Amos

The lessons taught in “Winter” are simple but touching: love yourself, stand up for yourself, etc. The spring of the daughter’s life comes and with it interest in boys. As we move into the next fall and summer the father begins to get old and dies. She must remember the lessons he taught her and learn to live without him. It is a touching story. The only bit I don’t get is about the white horses. I am sure it is a symbol for something, but I missed it.

You can hear Amos’ unique piano stylings in “Winter”. I think she has one of the more unique styles—in that I could pick out her playing even if I didn’t hear her singing. She plays very lightly. In Winter, the piano notes played during the verses are a unique pattern that is difficult to play and sing at the same time.

She is up there with Elton John in terms of piano ability. Her voice sounds great. She never over-emotes, yet she is able to convey strong emotions with her words. The strings go well with this song, and do a good job of bringing “Winter” to a crescendo at the proper moments. “Winter” might be Tori Amos’ best original song.

Winter Lyrics

Snow can wait, I forgot my mittens,
Wipe my nose, get my new boots on.
I get a little warm in my heart when I think of winter.
I put my hand in my father’s glove.

I run off where the drifts get deeper,
Sleeping beauty trips me with a frown.
I hear a voice “You must learn to stand up for yourself”
“‘Cause I can’t always be around”.

He says when you gonna make up your mind?
When you gonna love you as much as I do?
When you gonna make up your mind?
‘Cause things are gonna change so fast,
All the white horses are still in bed,
I tell you that I’ll always want you near,
You say that things change my dear.

Boys get discovered as winter melts,
Flowers competing for the sun.
Years go by and I’m here still waiting,
Withering where some snowman was.

Mirror mirror where’s the crystal palace?
But I only can see myself.
Skating around the truth who I am,
But I know, dad, the ice is getting thin

When you gonna make up your mind?
When you gonna love you as much as I do?
When you gonna make up your mind?
‘Cause things are gonna change so fast,
All the white horses are still in bed.
I tell you that I’ll always want you near,
You say that things change my dear.

Hair is grey and the fires are burning,
So many dreams on the shelf.
You say I wanted you to be proud,
I always wanted that myself.

When you gonna make up your mind?
When you gonna love you as much as I do?
When you gonna make up your mind?
‘Cause things are gonna change so fast.
All the white horses have gone ahead.
I tell you that I’ll always want you near,
You say that things change my dear.
Never change.
All the white horses…

Songwriters: Tori Amos