James Blunt
Album: Back to Bedlam
Song: You're Beautiful
Reviewed by: Steven Harrell
Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.
The Artist
James Blunt is the latest thing to come to the US from across the pond, a British singer-songwriter whose debut single hit the number one spot on charts on both continents. However, a few things set him apart from the mob of Coldplay-inspired exports. Blunt comes from a military family and served as a Colonel in the British army during the late 90’s peacekeeping missions in Kosovo. Many of the songs on his album were written or inspired in those days, during which he always had a guitar bolted to his tank. He left the army after four years and moved to the US to pursue his music career. Quickly discovered at the SXSW music festival in Austin, Blunt moved to L.A. to record his first record and released the song “You’re Beautiful” as his first single.
The Music
Starting with Oasis and continuing with Coldplay and Keane, Blunt follows the formula that has been the key to success for almost all of the latest crop of British exports. He combines thoughtful lyrics, simple but sweeping melodies, and the frequent use of falsetto to produce music that is relaxed and reflective. The album has won a wide range of fans not looking for anything flashy or overproduced, just something easy to listen to that provides a few interesting moments. If you want something unique or highly original, you’ll likely pass Blunt by.
The Song
“ You’re Beautiful” is the classic story of unrequited love, an almost universal experience that has been the inspiration for countless artists throughout history. Someone has passionate feelings for another person, but since the feelings aren’t mutual he must put his emotional energy toward something else. In this case, the something else happens to be a multi-platinum radio single. Think The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” without the creepy stalker vibe.
Blunt’s lyrics tell of a guy who sees a beautiful woman on a subway and, while the encounter is brief, it seems to stir up some buried emotions that need to be addressed. In several interviews, Blunt has explained that the “angel” the song describes is actually a former girlfriend of his. The relationship ended, but he never really dealt with his feelings after the breakup. Because of that, he never moved past it.
“She smiled at me on the subway/ She was with another man/ But I won’t lose no sleep on that/ Cause I’ve got a plan”. The pleasantness of a smile is put right next to the pain of the fact that his former love has found someone new. Blunt deals with those contrasting emotions by claiming to have a plan to get her back. He’s trying to believe the breakup is just temporary in order to make himself feel better about the situation. Another example of this denial is the line, “We shared a moment that will last till the end.”
In the final lines of the song, though, Blunt admits the reality of what’s going on. He says, “But it’s time to face the truth/ I will never be with you.” After all of his denying, excusing, and reflecting, Blunt decides the relationship really is over and the breakup is permanent.
The Bible also tells a story of unrequited love. In the book of Hosea, a prophet is told to marry an adulterous woman. Hosea does and learns to love her. But she repeatedly leaves him to be with other men. This is a guy that could have related to Blunt’s desperate chorus, which repeats soulfully, “You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful/ But I don’t know what to do/ Cause I’ll never be with you.”
The purpose of Hosea’s story is to be a reflection of how God feels about His relationship with His chosen ones. The Israelites were the people God had delivered from Egypt, provided for in the desert, helped to destroy their enemies, and to whom God gave the Promised Land. But instead of loving God in return, they consistently chased after other things. They worshiped other gods; they selfishly indulged in the things of the world; and when told of their evil deeds, they were defiantly unrepentant.
Hosea’s faithful love for a faithless woman could easily serve as a metaphor for how every human relates to God. In spite of His amazing love for us, we all spurn that love by chasing after other things.
But there is good news. Unlike Blunt’s painful last lines that admit there is no hope for the broken relationship, God remains open to rekindle the love that was once shared between Himself and mankind. Hosea 14:1-2 is His conclusion. “O Israel, come back! Return to your God! You're down but you're not out. Prepare your confession and come back to God.” (The Message)
Now that is truly beautiful.
So what do you think?
Who is your favorite British singer/songwriter?
Have you ever had an experience like the one Blunt describes? If so,
how did you deal with it? Similar? Different?
Have you ever heard the story of Hosea? Why do you think God would
give people that kind of a picture?
How would you feel if you were Hosea?
What are some of the things you do that are “cheating” on
God? Why?