My love for him knows no bounds, as you know. That said, if you assumed that I’d heard every song Sam Smith had sung so far, you’d be right. But, you see, I didn’t buy the deluxe version of the album. So, when perusing YouTube yesterday for something to play on the headphones that would drown out the cacophony of the people I share this office with, I naturally went to In the Lonely Hour with plans to just listen to some of my favorites from the album all over again. That’s when I saw the deluxe album and song titles I obviously wasn’t familiar with. I clicked on Restart. And went a little crazy.
It’s not just Sam’s voice, or the melody, or the rhythm, or how the song takes me back to that awesome feeling of dancing in the kitchen when I was supposed to be doing my chores. I think my passionate response is also borne from experiencing what he’s singing about. Those times in life when you finally get over a person who didn’t want you, when you finally move on, and while resting in the sweet relief that comes from leaving those feelings/people behind…boom. The past calls, and the individual you finally buried back there reaches out to you. The desire to communicate what Sam sings (what do you want from me? Let me restart) becomes acute. I’ve heard many “I’ve moved on/let me go” songs in my lifetime, but there’s something just really powerful about this rendering. Or maybe it’s because I love him more than sliced bread? In any case, listen to the latest song on my autumn playlist and think of all the weirdos that came calling back and how grateful you were when, eventually, they were booted back to the past where they belonged.
It was a Monday night when you told me it was over babe
And by the Friday night, I knew that I would be okay
Don’t say it was a good thing
Don’t say it was the right thing to do
Don’t say it was the best thing for the both of us
When I’m the one playing the fool
What do you want from me when I just wanna restart
You keep coming back for me when you’re the one who tore us apart
And the truth is I’m better on my own
And I’m the one to leave it apart
So let me restart
You’ve been lightin’ up my phone
Worried that I’ll be alone tonight
Wanna make sure that I’m fine
But baby you’re not on my mind, no more
I know it was the best thing for the both of us
Cause you’re the one who looks like a fool
What do you want from me when I just wanna restart
You keep coming back for me when you’re the one who tore us apart
And the truth is I’m better on my own
And I’m the one to leave it apart
So let me restart
What do you want from me when I just wanna restart
You keep coming back for me when you’re the one who tore us apart
And the truth is I’m better on my own
And I’m the one to leave it apart
So let me restart
This Square Peg. 