By ROSEMARY DEROCHER
COLUMNIST
“You Take Me As I Am” is best described as one of the most exuberant songs I have ever heard. The opening track on Tales from Terra Firma, the second album from the British folk band Stornoway, is a rampantly joyous testament to the power of love. I know this sounds like nothing new, but bear with me. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of songs about love that we can choose to listen to. So what makes this one so special?
It’s the joy. “You Take Me As I Am” is an effusive expression of joy, both lyrically and musically, that captures the hearts of its listeners and doesn’t let go for five beautiful minutes.
The lyrics use the story of a seaside wedding to express the bliss and inspiration that love has brought to the song’s narrator. Imagery of waves, cliffs and sunsets fills the narrative verses with a profound sense of the natural beauty that exists in this world and of gratitude for it. Then, the chorus comes in. The narrator emphatically declares, “You take me as I am / With all my faults and problems / And you build me to withstand every gust and every gale.” The narrator can do anything with love and support – or, at the very least, he can expand beyond the limits he encounters on his own.
Considering the wedding story, there is no doubt that this song is about romantic love. I think, however, that this does not need to be the only way to look at the ideas in the song. Love and the powerful support and comfort that it gives comes not only from a spouse or significant other, but also from family and friends. Love and support can come from anyone who is a valuable part of your life. Surrounding yourself with those people who give you that sense of possibility is important, regardless of their relation to you. The capacity to give and receive love isn’t limited to one person, or one type of relationship.
The music also embodies the joy that is so clearly a part of the song’s lyrical matter. Musically, “You Take Me As I Am” has two of my favorite things: a vibrant, rollicking piano, and horn (trumpet, trombone, saxophone, etc.) parts. Even if they weren’t my favorite things, it would still be impossible to argue against the crucial role they play in creating the joyous atmosphere that makes the song so delightful. The bouncing piano of the intro and chorus keep the song from sinking into sappy, acoustic sentimentality and the ecstatic full-keyboard slides toward the end make the final minute the best one of the entire song. For counterpoint, the deftly written horn lines accentuate the melody perfectly. Simply put, a lot of beautiful noise is being made.
Instead of singing at you about some great idea of love, Stornoway whisks you off into a musical version of the experience they are trying to share. “You Take Me As I Am” does not just tell you about love, but shows you by example. Every moment of the song overflows with excitement and gratitude for life and the love that comes with it, and shares these things wholeheartedly with everyone who listens.
