Friday's Grief Song, 7.21.23
"A cold sweat, hot headed believer..."
I’ve lapsed on these weekly songs, and for good reason. I’m managing behind the scenes work of home and childcare and occasional work on the 1935 house my husband bought us last year. It’s a LOT of work. Check that project out at my new blog- www.southbymaple.net.
This week’s Grief Song is also a love song. For any of you who’ve kept up with the weekly grief songs, you’ll note that this week’s being a love song is no anomaly. I don’t think we ever know grief without knowing love.
I came to this song years after it was first released, but when I heard it, I about lost my mind. The lyrics express this gorgeous hesitation… the fear… the vulnerability… that raw edge of falling in love….
This song became one of my comfort songs during the pandemic. I played it to my pregnant belly over and over in the last few days leading up to going into labor with my daughter.
It’s Stay by Rihanna.
I love Rihanna’s original version, from her 2012 album Unapologetic Hard to believe that Stay is over 10 years old? Holy shit….
Here’s Rihanna’s version, but I also ADORE Cat Power’s bluesy paired down take.
Let me know if you have a favorite of the two versions.
Stay
Rihanna
Written by: Justin Parker, John Sudduth
2012
All along it was a fever
A cold sweat, hot-headed believer
I threw my hands in the air, I said, "Show me something"
He said, "If you dare, come a little closer"
Round and around, and around, and around we go
Oh, now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now, you know
Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay
It's not much of a life you're living
It's not just something you take, it's given
Round and around, and around, and around we go
Oh, now, tell me now, tell me now, tell me now, you know
Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
And I want you to stay
Ooh, the reason I hold on
Ooh, 'cause I need this hole gone
Funny, you're the broken one
But I'm the only one who needed saving
'Cause when you never see the light
It's hard to know which one of us is caving
Not really sure how to feel about it
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can't live without you
It takes me all the way
I want you to stay
Stay
I want you to stay
Ooh