So I caved. I bought myself a monthly premium account on Spotify and I am already in love. In keeping with the 5 changes I have set for myself this year, this one falls under number 5 “Choose Happiness”. Remember I said I wasn’t sure how I was going to accomplish that, but music is definitely something that makes me happy.
Specifically discovering hidden gems. Now this song I am about to speak of is really not a “hidden gem”, per say, but the artist who wrote it certainly is.
Bon Iver, an indie folk band from Wisconsin is well know for its beautiful song “Skinny Love” recorded for the For Emma, Forever Ago album back in 2007. In doing some research on the band, I learned of it’s very talented front-man, Justin Vernon who composed and wrote all the songs on the For Emma, Forever Ago album. I found out that he actually locked himself in a cabin in the woods for four months and recorded the whole thing from there while recovering from a bad case of mononucleosis. Crazy right? The only things that were added to the album after he returned from his 4 month unabomber-esque lifestyle were a couple of background vocals, but even most of the beautiful harmonies you hear are Vernon harmonizing with himself.
I have loved this specific song,”Skinny Love” , since I first heard it back in 2009, but it was not until I started hearing other recordings of it that I began to fully appreciate the beauty and talent that went into its creation. Vernon’s vocal range is very impressive as he soars throughout in his beautiful falsetto voice, but yet ends the song with a gruff almost yell of frustration.
English musician, Birdy released a cover of “Skinny Love” in January 2011 and it’s popularity immediately took-off in the UK. I don’t feel it’s as beautiful as Vernon’s original(though impressive as she is only 15), but while cruising through my Spotify I did find another acoustic rendition by Gavin Mikhail that gave me chills(the good kind).
There is a lot of online discussion about the lyrics of this song and what they mean. And like most music, I have found it means different things to different people. That’s the great thing about music. Most take a very literal translation and believe it to be about a girl suffering from anorexia and the downfall of her relationship due to her disease, but when asked about it’s meaning in an interview with Pitchfork Magazine Vernon said this “…it’s about that time in a relationship that [one goes] through; you’re in a relationship because you need help, but that’s not necessarily why you should be in a relationship. And that’s skinny. It doesn’t have weight. Skinny love doesn’t have a chance because it’s not nourished.”.
And now I love it even more.
Happy listening,
Jessica
Below I have posted the videos of the three versions of “Skinny Love” that I mentioned in my article. Would love to know which one you like best.
