“Take me back to the window, take me back to the door”
The R&B track released on June 10, 2022, “Never Gonna Be Alone,” by Jacob Collier – the new Mozart but in a British version – featuring Lizzy McAlpine – the American peaceful indie folk songwriter– and John Mayer – the American guitarist that has been pushed down by Gravity since 2006 – has taught its audience some poetic lessons that I want you to dive deep into with me.
To begin, it’s crucial to go back to the moment in which Jacob and Lizzy started the creative and writing process.
The year, ladies and gentlemen, was the traumatic 2021. Collier along with his dear friend Lizzy decided to put their thoughts into a blank sheet of paper in the middle of unstable social isolation.
Their minds, like everyone else’s at the time, were polluted by the misfortunes and sorrow that we all had to pass through in this pandemic world. The art of music, however, was powerful enough to be used as their medicine and refuge; and for the greater good of their audiences and themselves, that’s what they successfully did – make good music.
Now, grab your pencil. The lesson has just begun.
There’s a tree that looks up at the moon
In the garden, where I held you for a moment in the gloom
There was something so sweet about it, I’m holding onto this moment
Cause it made me fall for you
“Never Gonna Be Alone” portrays the image of a green garden in which we lay down, closing our eyes in slow motion, only to hear childish laughter and birds singing.
You can imagine how hard it is for us during this turbulent current social, political, and economic global scenario, to be in this garden. It’s unfortunately an exclusive area. Only people with a vivid imagination can authentically belong to it. Only those who do not forget to dream with their eyes open have the VIP pass.
In this portrait drawn by those three musicians – let’s not disregard John Mayer’s remarkable guitar solo – we can almost touch the “tapestry of soft orchestral sounds,” as Jacob himself claimed.
It’s breathtaking, especially if you are a real appreciator of poetry, to see how they could combine together all the elements of the song, which are melody, harmonies, lyrics and McAlpine’s angelic voice in contrast to the low-range Collier’s, just to give us the feeling of belonging to a peaceful room in which the sun blooms vibrantly again.
There’s a patch of sunlight in my room
On the carpet where I held you for a moment in June
Besides the message of hope, when we look at the music video art made by Haemin Ko, it’s clear to notice a storyline behind it.
Remember when I told you that listening to this song is almost the same as laying on vibrant green grass in an exclusive garden? Well, now imagine the birds as the main characters of this narrative. But do not forget this: you don’t need to think about it literally. We are here contemplating a masterpiece, so do not be afraid of the metaphors.
When we analyze the art of the video, we see an unexpected connection between the dancing of the birds with the name of the song – “Never Gonna Be Alone.”
When the lonely but energetic bird encounters a similar one that also dances and flies in the same rhythm, it finally discovers its mirror that reflects the privilege of having company.
The music progression starts right at the time the birds are dancing together. This makes me interpret that – taking into consideration the composition context – during the most isolated and solitary moments, our bodies and souls seek something that can give complement.
That can be the imagination itself, but it can also be another human being that dances in the same rhythm as you. Maybe a new romance. Maybe a new desire to be in your own company – sometimes, we feel lonely not because we are not around people, but because we are away from ourselves.
The secret here is: when we go back to the window and to the door, as I quoted at the start, we are heading to halls that give us access to an outside world, to an escape. As soon as they are opened, we are not alone anymore – we are looking outside of our domestic lonely minds and we are allowing ourselves to be shared.
But here’s a question: What does this outside world look like?
You color it. You design it. Go and find your door and window.
Now, grab your colored pencils and start your work.
Lesson finished!
Class dismissed.