Plain White T's - 'Hey There Delilah'
When it comes to a song like this - which comes to you with it's tiny beating heart cupped in tender hands, so that you can stroke all the pain out of it and maybe help it find a safe new home - there are of course only two legitimate responses. The first is to coo softly, tears welling, and gently hug yourself that you're lucky enough to receive such a lovely musical present while the sun is in the sky and the birds are tweeting in the trees.
The second response is to make mock-vomiting noises every time you hear the song, invent hilarious snide comments about the girl in the video and her sad little tale, and generally wonder why people both with wet songs like this when there is perfectly good metal/spiky indie/punk rock/rough-ass hip hop to be listening to.
Neither response is necessarily wrong. Although the second one seems a bit mean, especially as there's a good strong story at the heart of the song. A provincial boyfriend waiting for his girlfriend to finish college in the big city so that they can continue to build their future dreams together.
He knows things are getting tougher for both of them, and there's an edge of desperation to his hopeful reassurance, like he's scared that everything is going to fall apart if he doesn't get his feelings down on tape and sent over, right away.
If you ignore the string section, this could easily BE the private song written by a boy to reassure his lonely girl, and we've all just happened to listen in on, almost by accident. Total honesty is kind of uncomfortable listening, and you can't help but invent scenarios for the girl, just to fill in the bits of the story that we just don't know. Like she's already moved on and that's why she hasn't been in touch, or something dreadful has happened to her, anything that would give a hint as to how the song would be received.
Er...can you guess which response I went for in the end? That's right. The second one. BRING ON THE METAL!
Download: Out now
CD Released: September 3rd
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comments
I read in a newspaper on Monday that when asked what became of the girl that was the subject of the song, the guy said he had moved on and was now getting better offers on account of now being a bonafide rock star...
I really like this song. I heard for the first time yesterday on my way home on the trian. I love the bit when he goes something like ' I will write songs that would make you fall even more in love with me....' ...ahhh
yeah I am a sucker for that kind of thing.
Totally in love with this song :D
Aww, I've had this song for about a year, and fell in love with it the first time I hear it
A year on and it still makes me smile whenever I hear it
Love it to bits
Just wish the singing wasn't so low so I could sing along :P
Oh and
"If you ignore the string section, this could easily BE the private song written by a boy to reassure his lonely girl"
The version I have doesn't have strings, I've never thought about it in that way before, but now I will lol
hmm...
My main problem with the song remains the fact it just goes ON and ON and ON and this is meant to be a long-distance phonecall, boy, spit it out...
That and all the other things I hate about it. But especially that.
I like it, but only in the scenario of a guy who is still in love with a girl who has moved on.. and he hasn't quite accepted that yet (even though she's probably dropped some pretty not-so-subtle hints about it :P). There's just something horribly sad about the music that insists I go with that :P
Imagine it.. playing in a movie as this guy travels up to see his girl.. volume drops but keeps playing as he finds out that she's moved on from him and then bang, volume back up as the audience watches the guy's heart break.
The song would go from being sweet to heartbreaking in minutes ^_^ Awesome, eh? :P
[*sniiff* yeah... - Fraser]
I much prefer the acoustic version without the strings, the version from the original album. The strings seem to have been added to make it more radio friendly but I like the original because it seems much more personal.
I first heard the song over 18 months ago when a friend played it to me and have played it frequently since then. It is nice to hear it on the radio and the string version is quite good but I think people need to hear both versions to truly appreciate the song.
i heard this song about a year ago. & i'm still absolutly in love with it.
played it for a couple of people, who've loved it too.
it's seriously one of my favorite songs. EVER.
& the video's quite nice aswell :]
I truly have fallen in love with this song!
It's awesome and totally cute! xxxx
To Fraser M.
My first question, WHO ARE YOU?
How can you turn round and say one of the most beautiful songs to ever be made is just not as good as some burly men screaming how a microphone?!
I never know whether to smile or cry at this song, its just so emotional and it would be interesting to know a little more about it, ie if the singer actually wrote it for someone from his past.
I feel the ±«Óãtv are lacking a little on a open minded critict and should get there act together.
Katie
[Er, Katie...I gave the song 5 stars. Out of 5. That bit about metal at the end there? That's a joke. You've missed the point a bit there, sorry. - Fraser]
There was this guy on my holiday that was singing and playing this song at the adult talent thing and he done it really awesome.....This song has grown on me alot. I really like it now...it makes me feel all relaxed and calm. Does it make anyone else feel the same?
Rachel
xxxxx
it makes me want to date a musician so that he can write a song to me that is as beautiful as this. i wonder if delilah knows this is about her. hmmm
Is it okay if I post a html link to a vid on youtube? It's a really funny version of this song a guy done.....it's kinda creepy.
Its:
It's so funny. It makes me laugh whenever I hear the original.....it's ruined the song for me now lol!
[NOTE: By all means watch this, but be warned that is IS creepy. It's also A JOKE, and contains MILD SWEARING. You have been warned - Fraser]
the first time i heard this song i hated it but now im in love with it i've always wanted 2 date a guy that would write a song bout me cuz im a sucker 4 a romantic guy but i have 2 play this song constintly cuz i am oficually in love with it
I heard these guys when i was in america and they were amazin and so is their album which isnt all acoustic and mainly rock stuff
Yay.....they posted my link. :) I heard this song on the radio the other day and I started laughing because i remembered the creepy funny version, and everyone stared at me ;)
Rachel
xxxxx
this song is amazing his voice is so dreamy i luv it!!!!!!!!! xxxxx
OMG i love ur new song
it allways gets stuck in my head
im not into rock music but i loved this song!!!
I LOVE THIS SONG!! LOL I think it actually means something! Its so sweet... lol :D
totally luv dis song. makes me feel a gd feeling.