Day 28: Sing For Me - Nell

Song:Sing For Me 
Artist:Nell

Jan 28

Stupid cold weather aside today has been a relatively peaceful day. I very much enjoy looking out at the blizzard like snow from the confines of my house, by the fireplace, but the thought of having to venture out into it.. Misery, probably,  definitely the Kathy Bates inflicted kind. That all being said now that I am home snug and finally cozy I feel relaxed and full.

Nell is an Indie Rock band who got their start back in 2001. Fun fact: Nell is actually named after the 1994 Jodie Foster movie, of the same name, about a woman with autism discovering the world around her for the first time.

"Sing For Me" begins and I am instantly transported to a John Hughes film. The style of the guitar is reminiscent of those powerful coming of age moments of the late 80s and early 90s. Jong-wan's vocals are breathy and light. They sound reassuring and almost lullaby-like. I just get a strong mental image of a parent holding their newborn baby in the middle of the night cooing them back to sleep. There is a slow steady build that dips and rebuilds until we hit that explosive guitar solo. Going back to my mental image I visualize the child going through the milestones until they reach adulthood. The guitar solo being a major life event (I picture a wedding) for the parent and now adult child.  The joy and sadness of letting go are present in the solo, however, it's not an ending but a new chapter. One thing is for sure "Sing For Me" is full of encouragement and love.

I don't really know a lot about Nell's personal lives. The thing with Korean celebrities, unlike American, is majority of the time their private life is very private. Fan culture in Korea is very different than what we are used to here, so the dating life, for instance, can literally cost artists their careers. Yeah, it's ridiculous and a shame. That all being said these lyrics could be targeted at a partner, child, or even their fans. This song was released long after the band fulfilled their two year mandatory military service, however, the sentiments of that time may be what is presented here.

"Think of me
Though I'm not by your side
Reach for me
Hold out your hand
Sing for me
A song about me
Wait for me"

There is a lot of talk about waiting and being far from each other within the entirety of the song. Any number of things could be creating distance but I think it is important to note that it is not ever pleading it's direct. To me that means that the relationship between the singer and the other person(s) is committed and a solid bond.

"Because I'll be back
Because I will
So until we meet again
Promise that you'll be waiting"

Lyric that attacked me:
"Though we can't see each other
Dream of me
Sing for me"

Song Color: Translucent white

Mood: Calm