As the coolness in the air starts to become more of a regularity in the days, it seems that another summer is winding to a close with fall coming in just behind it. I’ve always enjoyed fall because after the hustle and bustle of summer events, cookouts, and gatherings, the fall comes in almost as a way of saying “chill out, man” while watching nature starting to change in the leaves, which slowly starts to transition into our kitchens and homes. I felt that this song was fitting for being in between seasons since it matched the mood.
“I’ve been beaten down, I’ve been kicked around
But she takes it all for me”
This song comes from a pop band called Parachute from the United States, as not to be confused with their New Zealand counterpart. The band and its members come from C’ville- or Charlottesville, Virginia if you aren’t from around the area. After the band initially formed through school friends who were all musically inclined, they gave themselves a few years before releasing their first official album named “Losing Sleep” in 2009 with their latest album being from 2019 which was a self-titled album. The particular song we are going to be referencing is from their initial release. To me, there is nothing as pure as an artist’s initial original release. The freshness and the newness is at its peak; it’s normal to expect anything to grow from an initial point in order to take form and become better but sometimes there really is nothing like that first initial moment. I believe that Parachute took their time making their music over their originating years and cleaning up their performance by performing shows around the C’ville area, before hitting the studio. So, what you have on their first album is a clean delivery on songs that they’ve had the chance to get used to. I actually even watched an interview with the band that confirmed my theory! The lead singer, guitarist and pianist of the band, Will Anderson, said that after the band’s graduation from high school in 2008 they spent all of that year recording until 2009, when they recorded their first album. The band and their song got their big debut in a 30 second commercial by NIVEA skin care after the company was looking for an acoustic song that went along with their commercial.
“And I lost my faith, in my darkest days
But she makes me want to believe”
Just as coincidentally, I was actually down by Dobbin’s Landing at Erie’s Bayfront when this song found me. I was watching the water on a Saturday evening and just hanging out by myself after a long week. I didn’t really hear the previous songs too well in the crowd of people, but maybe they just didn’t resonate with me. I recall when this one came on and I could hear it so clearly and by the time I was headed to my car I had found the title and artist and added it to my playlist. After sitting with this song for a few weeks I decided to do a review on “She Is Love” by Parachute.
“Well I had my ways, they were all in vain
But she waited patiently
It was all the same, all my pride and shame
And she put me on my feet”
Simplicity in art is always fascinating to me; capturing something complex in a simple way is what makes great art. The instrumentation for this song (or at least the version I first heard) is only an acoustic guitar and great vocals. There also is a full band version that you can hear in their music video for the song. In both versions, the poetic lyrics are catchy and smooth, and I think if we dive into the song we can find a spiritual message within the lyrics.
“And when that world slows down, dear
And when those stars burn out, here
Oh she’ll be here, yes she’ll be here”
In the opening lyrics of the song the singer is singing about how they’ve been beaten down and kicked around but who the singer makes reference to has helped them endure their pain. The person also helped restore the singer’s faith, possibly in themselves or in their own spirituality, which is something many of us can relate to needing, at least at one point. With each line in the song the spiritual references become clear! The feats that this individual has done seems very God like. I’ve even heard God referred to as female and male before, since God is all things and the essence of love. The lead singer said that this song was originally about a long distance relationship he was in with his wife, then girlfriend, since he was in the band and traveling to perform.
“They call her love, love, love, love, love
She is love, and she is all I need”
In the chorus of the song we get the ‘title-drop’ of the song “She Is Love” and also reinforcing another God fact: “and she is all I need”. Sometimes in the rush of life we forget this vital fact, and even if we don’t, I’ve found reminders to only be helpful. All we need is God, who is love and through love we find all we need
References:
- “Interview with Parachute.” Youtube, Bringin’ It Backwards, 3 Dec. 2019, Accessed 25 Aug. 2023.
- “Parachute – She Is Love.” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Oct. 2009.
- Parachute and NIVEA, directors. Parachute NIVEA Commercial. YouTube, 2 Feb. 2009.
- Parachute. “She Is Love.” Genius, Lyrics, 13 May 2009.
- Wikipedia. “Parachute (Band).” Wikipedia, Online Encyclopedia, 6 Sept. 2022.
- Wikipedia. “She Is Love (Parachute Song).” Wikipedia, Online Encyclopedia, 13 Jan. 2023.