Story Behind The Song

I had originally written this song for a female vocal. After I played it for my wife, however, she said that if any man said these words to his wife, she would melt. Not entirely ignorant of the subtext of my wife's comments, I wisely took her out dancing that night.

Song Description

A presumably established and eventful relationship is on the verge of breaking up. The speaker in the song is not reflecting: he's reacting to his feelings as they occur ("and...and...and..."). And then their lips meet in a parting kiss and memories flood into the speaker's mind and he realizes what he is about to throw away. He apologizes for his forgetfulness and cautions his lover to ignore words written in the heat of the moment. She smiles coyly, they re-introduce themselves, and their lips meet again.

Lyrics

Here's a toast to all I've forgotten:
May fortune go with you and may you find the door.
To the ghosts we have begotten,
I beg you to leave us and linger no more.

And if I smile, my smile is careless,
And dry as a dune.
In a while, I'll bind up my sorrows
And be rid of them soon.

And your lips come together with mine and I remember.
And what I remember, I find even better
And I whisper again.

And your lips come together with mine and I'm forgetful.
And what I've forgotten, I've lost in a whisper
And sent on the wind.

Don't be alarmed if I'm forgetful:
Neither on letters nor journals depend.
There are things that should not be remembered;
Those taken for granted should be cherished again.

And if you smile, I may wander closer
And inquire your name.
And in a while, acquainted much better,
With memories reclaimed.

And your lips come together with mine and I remember.
And what I remember, I find even better
And I whisper again.

And your lips come together with mine and I'm forgetful.
And what I've forgotten, I've lost in a whisper
And sent on the wind.