Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

On My Mind Today…

By

…Love.

First love, summer love, the thrill of falling head over heels.
Old love, motherly love, the fierce satisfaction of being somebody’s whole world.
Platonic love you have for a friend; a sibling, a person in need.
The love you send to someone who has suffered a loss.

Yet to me, perhaps the most interesting “love” is the unrequited type; a crush, so to speak. A regular at your favourite cafe; the co-worker you secretly yearn for. A friend who catches your eye and holds your heart. The absolutely unabashed need to make a person notice you. Notice me. Notice me.

Your mind, monopolized with questions – questions about your appeal, fate, worth. Your body, taken over with vanity, lust and greed. Your heart – each beat pulsating hope, hope, hope.

Notice me.

When I think of unrequited love, no song puts my thoughts into words more profoundly than Bic Runga’s “Sway“. Runga, a New Zealander of Chinese decent, perfectly and melodiously tells the tale of every girl’s crush. Although the song is almost 20 years old, I can still remember the chills I felt when I first listened to the lyrics:

And here I go losing my control; I’m practicing your name so I can say it to your face…

Oh, I’ve been there!

Don’t stray, don’t ever go away… I should be much too smart for this, you know it gets the better of me sometimes
When you and I collide, I fall into an ocean of you, pull me out in time, don’t let me drown
Let me down, I say its all because of you

And here I go, losing my control… I’m practicing your name so I can say it to your face
It doesn’t seem right to look you in the eye, and let all the things you mean to me come tumbling out my mouth
Indeed its time to tell you why, I say its infinitely true…

Say you’ll stay, don’t come and go like you do
Sway my way, yeah I need to know all about you

And there’s no cure, and no way to be sure… why everything’s turned inside out instilling so much doubt
It makes me so tired, I feel so uninspired! My head is battling with my heart, my logic has been torn apart
And now, it all turns sour, come sweeten every afternoon…

Say you’ll stay, don’t come and go like you do
Sway my way, yeah I need to know all about you

It’s all because of you, it’s all because of you.

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Comments

  1. Judy C (Judy Cowan)

    I forgot all about this song. It is the month of love ♥ Trying to do something special for my hubby everyday until Valentine’s Day.

  2. Flora M

    I have never heard this song before now – love it ! I’m always finding something new (to me anyway) through your posts – thank you !