Falling Slowly...(love sigh)

Sometimes I can't think of a prettier song. Falling Slowly is the Oscar winning song from the movie Once. While Once is a part of our ever expanding DVD library I can't say that I've seen it. Actually there are a number of DVD's on our shelf that we bought because we should own them or heard that they were good and still haven't gotten around to watching. It's like a Netflix que that never ends. It's unfortunate that I haven't seen Once  because I believe that Falling Slowly would be enhanced by the viewing of the film. I'll put it on my every expanding to do list.

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova compliment each other so well. You can really feel the beauty of their relationship with how each word is punctuated and sung. The Frames (where most people know Glen Hansard from. Also look for him to be dueting with one Mr. Eddie Vedder on his upcoming solo album) have released this song and while it still sounds pretty the real emotion is found in the duet. You need to feel the love and admiration from both sides, that's what makes Falling Slowly work.

A good love song has to go beyond lyrics in my opinion. A good love song needs to capture emotion. I can sing that a woman is wonderful and beautiful and sexy but if there is no emotion behind who really cares? Without emotion I could be singing about my favorite pair of flip flops (for the record they're a pair of black Reefs). Now if you add emotion and pain and heart to the lyrics suddenly the listener gets wrapped up in your story. Feels what you feel. A good love song makes the listener relate the emotion to his/her own life. That's the blueprint. If you can make the person listening understand what you're saying then you've done it. You have written a wonderful love song.

Falling Slowly is exactly that type of song. It just makes you want to grab your significant other and kiss them and hold them like the world is going to end. There is this huge sense of longing and needing dripping from the singers. I actually find it hard not to get choked up when listening to it. It's such a beautiful song.

I know that Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova have recorded other songs together and another album but their greatest success will always be Falling Slowly, and I don't mean that in a bad way. They can write tons of new music but it will always be held against this song. Actually as I see it most love songs should be held against Falling Slowly. It's one of the all time greats.

Five Songs I Can't Live Without (At Least This Week)
1. Unchained Melody- Righteous Brothers
2. (Sittin On) the Dock of the Bay- Sara Bareilles (her voice is wonderful)
3. Remember (Walking In the Sand)- Aerosmith
4. House of the Rising Sun- Hailey Reinhart (from American Idol... sooooooo good folks)
5. Effect & Cause- The White Stripes