Story Behind The Song
The album begins with the most famous sonnet of all time, "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day," Shakespeare's sonnet #18. One of the reasons it's one of my favorites is because it emphasizes aging gracefully, and the eternal beauty of the soul, something that will not fade with the gravity or misfortunes of time. "But thy eternal summer shall not fade, nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st." I particularly appreciate the sweet, child-like quality of the instrumentals, which include a fascinating juxtaposition of classical orchestration with jazz-influenced piano, bass and drums. This sonnet encapsulates the meaning of true love, something extending beyond our physical world, including the transcendent nature of spiritual and intellectual manifestations.
Song Description
I particularly appreciate the sweet, child-like quality of the instrumentals, which include a fascinating juxtaposition of classical orchestration with jazz-influenced piano, bass and drums. This sonnet encapsulates the meaning of true love, something extending beyond our physical world, including the transcendent nature of spiritual and intellectual manifestations.
| Song Length |
4:13 |
Genre |
Classical - Contemporary, Classical - Renaissance |
| Tempo |
Multiple Tempos |
Lead Vocal |
Duet Male/Female |
| Mood |
Enchanting, Endearing |
Subject |
Madly In Love, Lost Love |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
Sonnet #18 lyrics by Shakespeare
(Male) Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
(M) Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
(Female) Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May--
(F) And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
(M) Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
(M) And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
(F) And every fair from fair sometime declines,
(F) By chance or nature's changing course untrimmed.
(Both) But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
(M) Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
(M) Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
(F) When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st.
(M) So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
(Both) So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st.
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.