Song Interpretation 1

Song Interpretation

Here we are again...some songs were not and aren't meant to be sung by those, especially those with good intentions who only end up murdering the lyrics and words in the process. This song a lovely and beautiful expression of love to those in the throws of romance. This song speaks to the heart the way no modern artist can express it; Journey's Open Arms, expresses words that fail the mouths of most. This song can touch places in our hearts that no other feeling but that of lust, I mean love can. I especially, LOVE the Boyz II Men version, even they couldn't stop me from the inevitable.

I remember when I was dating Mr. Sixfootplus, when he lived in a distant country and far, far away land more than 1200 miles away...Canada, heartache pains me as I type and recall our once long distance from each other. I, an in love helpless romantic, lost in the suburbs of DC area longed to say lovely things to him that only this song could. I would get sick just thinking of combining words to paint the picture that my heart was feeling but before I could I had to make sure I had a booom box that had both a record and playback button and a blank cassette tape. 

Laughing right now you are? well you-tube and texting did not exist between 92-96 and if it did? I didn't know about it cause I was too busy listening to the DJ or calling the radio station asking the DJ to play Journey's Open Arms by Mariah Carey. I couldn't go hang out with friends, go play basketball or even go to church... for fear of missing when the song would come on. 

I'd practice pushing the record button at the right time, test the  recording with my voice to make sure the tape and recorder was working just to make sure that I wouldn't miss a note. Finally, the DJ would come on to say coming up next, Journey's Open Arms.  After waiting through what seemed like an eternity of advertising, he'd  announce the song and instead of just letting the song play, he'd talk for at least 10 seconds into the song as it played, URGGGG!!!! DJ choke yourself I wanted to say but I couldn't cause I'd be heard on the tape, so I had to record the DJ words and song, so much for making it seemed like I didn't record it off the radio.

As the song played I would sign the words from within my soul, after I was done recording, you guessed it, yes, with the DJ cutting in before the song was completely finished I would play back and sing at the top of my voice. 

"So now I come to you with velvet arms, no need to hide,, believe what I say, so here I am with velvet arms hoping you'll see what your love means to me velvet arms."

Oh how I longed for Mr. Sixfootplus to hold me with velvet arms. Some nights as I drove from class the song would come on I'd pull up into the parking space in-front our home and I'd be sobbing, from being so in love with love and so in love with Mr. Sixfootplus who was so very far away and not close enough to hold me with velvet arms. Oh the heart brokenness of being in love. The sorrow of going home to feeling the ache of a distant love and not having not even a velvet pillow to hold on to. Tear drop! tear drop.

As I came to better understand the song and as love matured, I wanted to know more about the artists and what velvet arms was all about. I found out the artists were tight pants wearing, long haired talents with big vocals. I also wanted to know what velvet arms was all about so I bought a single (tape) with words, couldn't afford the CD. One had to pay a little extra to get the lyrics back then. 

You will not believe the shock I was faced with when I found out that "velvet arms" was not even a part of the song. I was STUNNED!!! to learn that all the days and months I sang, "velvet arms" around friends, in public, by myself, in the car, these words were nowhere to be found in the lyrics. Did I just buy a boot leg tape? why aren't the words included in the song? There must be a misprint. of all the bad copies to pick up I picked up one. In the place where velvet Arms should be were the words "Open Arms", what non-sense is this I thought! Slowly and hesitantly, I put my tape in the tape deck player of my car and waited until the part came on and I sang Open Arms instead of velvet arms and it seemed to make better sense. 

I was suddenly faced with the daunting question of, "what will happen to the need I've already created in my mind to be held by Mr. Sixfootplus velvet arms?" How would I be able to re-program my thoughts? Being held with or by Open Arms seemed so normal and regular and lacked the romance that velvet arms held.

To satisfy that need in my head, every now and then when I play the song that is now on my ipod, I sing velvet arms softly instead of Open Arms. 
All I can say is again we have another example of a love idea ruined by artists refusing to enunciate the words to their songs. I will NEVER, EVER erase the image imprinted in my mind of being held by Mr. Sixfootplus velvety arms!