The song I chose to demonstrate romanticism, I Sing I Swim by Seabear, is not one I would normally consider the most romantic, but after looking at it from all angles it seems to me like the perfect choice. It argues the position of romanticism by using some more mature and poem-like lyrics with a slightly innocent simple melody that subtly hints at the new and childish feeling found in loving someone. Nature imagery is also used to fortify the romantic sensation of listening to it. Looking at the list of ‘the romantic’, you can definitely see innocence over experience, feelings over reason (the lyrics don’t all make a whole lot of sense), and rural over urban in this song. It embodies much of what we have defined as our culture’s ‘romantic’.
The song starts off with delicate guitar strumming which is used for nearly the entire song and develops to more complex sounds with some sounds that would normally probably be considered annoying or abrasive, but put in context with the rest of the music blends rather nicely and results in a noticeable tinkling. These noises prevail throughout and give the song an airy and shiny feel, like a bright new bell, like snow falling on the beloved head of your special person. Even if you merely look at the music rather than the lyrics you get a gentle romantic feeling, suggested by the apparent frailty of the melody (towards the end it even pauses for a while and you only hear a series of whistles, laughing and tinkling noises). This is not the romanticism proposed by The Notebook, Rihanna, or any cheesy pop songs, but something much more innocent, like a first crush or the simple romantic feeling of the first snow.
The lyrics of the song are not quite so innocent, but sung in the dreamy style of Seabear and balanced by the instrumentation they are barely noticeable. The lyrics, as well, convey romanticism in an unexpected way. It’s about winter, which is highlighted in lines like “Trails lost in the snow…Make way for winter’s eerie glow” and “you left you winter clothes, And your teeth marks in my skin”. These lyrics remind someone of holing up with a loved one to avoid winter’s harsh cold, and despite their more mature appeal they still have a more childish feel in the context of the song. Although the harsh weather and numbing cold is clearly not something enjoyed by everyone, much enjoyment can be had from listening to this song and meditating on its approaches to ‘the romantic’.
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