Life of Surprises
I did a Perfectly Imperfect list, and dedicated it to the things that remind me of my late boyfriend, whose memorial is coming up at Anthology Film Archive (ask me for details if you want to come).
The newsletter posted this morning and so I am listening to the two songs I call “our songs,” and I generally don’t believe in this kind of thing, but it does feel like he’s speaking to me from beyond, a little, if only in that these were lyrics he could really get behind, and I think what they say is kind of how he felt about life, or at least about me, with or without him.
“Life of Surprises” (by Prefab Sprout)
You can keep the good times, righteousness, the best parting line
Rather then pretend we are A1, ultra fine
Shall I be the first then, to say what we have found?
There’s something in our lifetime won’t let us settle down
Darling, it’s a life of surprises
It’s no help growing older or wiser
You don’t have to pretend you’re not crying
When it’s even in the way that you’re walking
Never let your conscience be harmful to your health
Let no neurotic impulse turn inward on itself
Just say that you were happy, as happy would allow
And tell yourself that that will have to do for now
Never say you’re bitter, Jack
Bitter makes the worst things come back
Darling it’s a life of surprises
It’s no help growing older or wiser
You don’t have to pretend you’re not crying
When it’s even in the way that you’re walking, baby, talking
“Nobody Lives Without Love” (as sung by Eddi Reader)
Seems like I’ve gone off the side of a mountain
Couldn’t be sure I was even alive
Fallen from the icy heights
Landed with a broken cry
In this valley of shadow
And sorrow and sighs
Can you save me, baby?
Nobody lives without love
Nobody gets to give up
You can try to lock your heart away
But love will come back for you some day
Thought I could live my life as a stranger
Hide from the heartbreak that love always brings
Make it to the higher ground
And try to turn the volume down
Couldn’t stop the sirens from singing
Sing for me, baby.
You came along like a flash of pure lightning
Crashed into my life like a runaway star
Feels like I’m falling in gravity-zation
Now I’m standing here offering a stranger my heart
You can even lock your heart away
But love will come back for it some day
Nobody lives without love