Better With You

One blistering day last June - a day off when I was feeling blissful and excited and full of possibility - I set an intention to write a song. I had never written a song before. I would not classify myself as a musician in any capacity.

And yet - I set myself this intention, scrolled through lyric-less backing tracks and found one I thought I may be able to write a melody over. I hummed along to it again and again until it was formed, then started to piece together the words, scribbling them frantically into a notebook in case they evaporated into the ether and evaded me. After about an hour I sang through it a few times to make sure I had grasp of it - and it was done. I had written a song.

It may have been an uncomplicated, sweet, pretty little song but I was proud of it. It sounded like it was a real song and I had fulfilled my intention.

Later on, my fiancé came home from work and I told him, ‘I have written a song for you like I wanted to.’

I sang it for him though I had to face the other way to ensure that nerves didn’t interfere with the performance. And I was proud of it because I knew that it was probably a better song than he thought I would be able to write and it was a better song than I thought I would be able to write.

A few months later, toward the end of summer we were sitting beside the river enjoying a drink - something we do frequently when the weather is fine. He said, ‘Sing your song for me’. So I did - and he recorded it, as per the clip below.

It’s June but I remember

A cold night one late December with you

Outside warming each other

In the sky, exploding supernovas in bloom

And did you know I caught a fire in my chest that night?

Don’t think I ever told you but you guessed

And you are, you are as magic as that sky

I will protect you ‘til the day that I die

*

You, you make me fly

Through the stars and through your eyes

Can we watch the pale moon rise?

It’s getting better, it’s always better with you

You, I’ll break your fall

When there’s no-one else at all

If you scream I hear your call

It’s getting better, it’s always better with you

*

Another night, think it was August

Around a campfire -

Me always acting modest like I do

Watching the flames and the light

That was dancing ‘cross your face

Don’t know why - why I have been so damn afraid

When your heart is the safest place I ever laid

And your soul is up there with the stars

*

You, you make me fly

Through the stars and through your eyes

Can we watch the pale moon rise?

It’s getting better, it’s always better with you

You, I’ll break your fall

When there’s no-one left to call

And we’ll always have it all

It’s getting better, it’s always better with you

*

And did you know I catch a fire in my chest each night?

And somehow when I’m with you I’m my best

You are, you are as magic as that sky

I will protect you ‘til the day that I die

*

You, you make me fly

Through the stars and through your eyes

Can we watch the pale moon rise?

It’s getting better, it’s always better with you

You, I’ll break your fall

When there’s no-one left to call

And we’ll always have it all

It’s getting better, it’s always better with you