The Night We Met

I stumbled on this song completely by chance. It’s not often that I hear a song and am instantly touched by it. This is one.

The lyrics, the use of the sounds other than instruments in the opeining, the sharp melancholy sound of what I believe is an electric keyboard that plays a simple riff throughout the song instantly bring to life the song’s story. And even though the melody and the simplicity of the song suggest that this is something that occured long before our time (kind of like watching an old western on late night TV) it is a story that transcends all time allowing the listener feel the pain and complete loss of direction felt by the singer.

The song’s first line, “I am not the only traveller who has not repaid his debt,” invites the listener to reflect on their own losses in which no acceptance or closure can be had, making this a real easy song in which to immerse.

So strong is the feeling of not being able to accept and move on from the loss. the singer laments that he would rather go back to the night they met so that he might choose not to begin a relationship that is so all encompassing that when he loses it, he cannot move forward in another direction.

We have all felt times of incredible loss but for the most part we are able to eventually accept that what was can no longer be our focus and we find ways to go on. That the singer cannot makes this song especially heartbreaking and I feel intensely his near hostility at having to be satisfied with only the ghost of the person that he loves. To go from having “all of her” to only “some of her” to suddenly having none at all is not acceptable, and he cannot find it in himself to be Ok with the fact that while he was fortunate enough to have had that love even for a time, that time has ended.

So selfishly he says, “take me back to the night we met” so that I can tell myself not to start up with you and in doing that, circumvent the crushing weight of the pain he is now feeling.

But as everyone knows, that is not possible and so he wanders unable to pay his debt. His debt of course being, the price he has to pay for that perfect love. Becuase the eventual loss of the object of that love is inevitable and that is the price that is asked of all of us who are given love's gift.

So while I have not yet had to bear the pain of losing my soul mate, if I am to ever be blessed with such a union, I have to be prepared to pay the price or forever be trapped in fruitless travelling trying to outrun memories too painful to relinquish.

I am left feeling the weight of the singer’s burden and understand his desire to return to the fated meeting in hopes that he will be strong enough to let her go and find a different path to follow. One. which while it may be uneventful, will not leave him empty.