The girl that never was, Where to start...? The theme is extremely delicate, rare in music, and interwoven with perhaps the greatest human sorrow, the loss of a child. This time, not only did James push the boundaries of writing with the text and bring an incredibly serious text full of life and thought, but the video is incredibly vivid, perfectly tuned to the music and lyrics. His voice lends itself beautifully to this elegy, as does his British accent. Now a little about the text. The text is actually about a girl who was not born. Whether it was a miscarriage or a stillborn child, I didn't understand or the songwriter left it up to the listener to decide. The text has two climaxes, both beautifully emphasized tonally. The first: "First casualty of life is a plan!" is a philosophical review of the song's theme and the very meaning of life, and the second, in my opinion, is both wonderful and creepy, sensitive and tragic: We should never picked her name, cause now she has a face, and no matter what we do no one can take her place'' is that moment that causes immediate braking of the organism, the culmination of sadness on a completely different level. Parents who had to replace all their wishes and best intentions with sadness and tragedy that they will struggle with on a daily basis. And finally, I would like to emphasize the relationship between the stanza and the chorus of the song, both textually and tonally, and visually (video). The text of the stanza, which in a subtle, lyrical manner gradually intensifies the listener's empathy and sadness, is the complete antithesis of the chorus. The chorus describes what their little girl would be like a wonderfully idealized, real princess placed on the pedestal of parenthood. The music along with the rhythm gradually accelerates from the stanza to the chorus and culminates here, which is James' way of showing that hope and love always overcome sadness and pain. Visually throughout the stanzas, James and the actress playing the role of the wife pack away unused items and wardrobe for the baby, and the chorus is visually warmer with a shot of a smiling blonde girl running freely through fields of wheat bathed in the sun. Also, great contrast that is meant to enhance the message of the text. All in all, The Girl That Never Was is one of the best musical achievements of this century, a song that breaks even the hardest hearts into pieces and puts them back together with the hope that everything will be overpassed with hope and love!! It's my humble opinion
The line when he says "we neverf should've picked a name" got to me as well. Powerful, sad and relatable. He's so good at telling real life stories that most don't want to talk about. Thank you for sharing your view on this.
As for the naming of the baby; If you should read the book "Heaven Is For Real", which has never been debunked, you will hear a different outcome for this situation. And if you have some religion, it will help to soothe you no end!!!
James Blunt usually writes his lyrics from personal experience and from what I gathered here and there, he and his wife lost a baby girl before they had their 2 boys. And thinking about it, you wouldn't expect a singer to write a song about such a subject unless you've been through the exprience yourself. Thanks for the reaction Jacqueline.
On the other hand, Brad Paisley's wonderful song He Didn't Have to Be is about stepparents, but Brad based it on a friend of his, not himself. Also Mac Davis wrote In the Ghetto (made famous by Elvis Presley), but never lived that life himself, but instead was inspired by a childhood friend of his.
Just last weekend me and my wife went to watch his first concert for the tour for this album. This song played live it's just unbelievable, his voice is amazing.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE GETS THROUGH THESE SONGS. I have not lived through this devastating loss but i am crying before the first chorus every time . James is a premier story teller ,certainly the best of this century so far.
My daughter was stillborn 16 yrs ago. I first heard this while driving...after the first 2 lines I had to turn it off and watch the video at home. I just knew where it was headed. I love it, even though it hurts. Sometimes I just need a good cry.
JBV you do an amazing job of reacting and analyzing this song. It’s one of the best songs he’s done. It’s heart wrenching but I believe the song can help people who have lost a child. Thank you Jacqueline.
In my opinion, songs written from personal experience seem to leave a greater impact on the hearer. James does this in a masterful way. I think he said once that he song Beautiful was written from an experience he had. Not sure.
James said in an interview he struggles to verbalise his emotion but he is able to write it down turn it into a poem and add it to music its how he deals with trauma
❤❤ I love it.of you haven't been there you can never understand but I get it it's been over 20 years ago and now I have a wonderful memories in sted of the sadness I v felt for years and it lets me know one day I ll be with her one day.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🌟💔💞
Give James major respect for not only being able to write such a personal song but he also has a keen ability to leave his listeners in a tattered mess.
Hey my talented friend just checking on you you sound good look good love your reactions as always Dan Vasc Did it my way from on Jovi it’s epic when you have time see ya soon and this is tough loosing a love in is beyond hard I just lost my mom in Feb your reactions have helped me
I love this song. One thing I love in the original production is how he sings the word "saw," he doesn't jump immediately up to the higher note... he lingers on the first note for just as long as he spends on the higher note. Here is my favorite performance of this song - ua-cam.com/video/yS83qGz9NU4/v-deo.html&pp=ygUoamFtZXMgYmx1bnQgdGhlIGdpcmwgdGhhdCBuZXZlciB3YXMgbGl2ZQ%3D%3D
James Blunt's "Monsters" I have a real problem with, linguistically. This song breaks my heart, and always make me think of the baby my wife and I lost in the early 80's.
Not sure to many people catch the visual in the video. James starts off singing in the fully furnished nursery. By the end of the song, the room is empty. All packed away. Empty. Just like their lives without "The Girl That Never Was."
20 years ago he was the "one to hate" just like Nickelback a few years later. I never thought they were bad but I wouldn't buy an album. Here's where the Hate will come: I would rather listen to James Blunt and Nickelback than Tool. I just can't get into Tool, bring on the hate!
I get what you 'think' you're saying.... but it's WAY more complicated than that, which makes your comment actually quite insensitive. Not every abortion is simply a matter of the mother 'not wanting' the baby and therefore 'getting rid of it.' If a baby dies in the womb about midway through the pregnancy, it can put the mother's life at risk to force her to continue to carry her dead baby to term - sometimes for months - and make her go through labour and childbirth (not to mention traumatic for her.) Removing the corpse (because that's what it is now, tragically,) along with the placenta, is necessary to prevent an infection that could leave the mother infertile or even kill her, since the body will be decomposing inside her the longer it stays there. This might even be what happened to James' wife for all we know, so let's not jump to conclusions and shame the very concept of 'abortion' without considering all the nuances of both the word and the procedure itself.
I cant imagine the pain, so brave of him to put his grief into a song
He's one of the most underrated artists there is. I live his music.
The girl that never was, Where to start...? The theme is extremely delicate, rare in music, and interwoven with perhaps the greatest human sorrow, the loss of a child. This time, not only did James push the boundaries of writing with the text and bring an incredibly serious text full of life and thought, but the video is incredibly vivid, perfectly tuned to the music and lyrics. His voice lends itself beautifully to this elegy, as does his British accent. Now a little about the text. The text is actually about a girl who was not born. Whether it was a miscarriage or a stillborn child, I didn't understand or the songwriter left it up to the listener to decide. The text has two climaxes, both beautifully emphasized tonally. The first: "First casualty of life is a plan!" is a philosophical review of the song's theme and the very meaning of life, and the second, in my opinion, is both wonderful and creepy, sensitive and tragic: We should never picked her name, cause now she has a face, and no matter what we do no one can take her place'' is that moment that causes immediate braking of the organism, the culmination of sadness on a completely different level. Parents who had to replace all their wishes and best intentions with sadness and tragedy that they will struggle with on a daily basis. And finally, I would like to emphasize the relationship between the stanza and the chorus of the song, both textually and tonally, and visually (video). The text of the stanza, which in a subtle, lyrical manner gradually intensifies the listener's empathy and sadness, is the complete antithesis of the chorus. The chorus describes what their little girl would be like a wonderfully idealized, real princess placed on the pedestal of parenthood. The music along with the rhythm gradually accelerates from the stanza to the chorus and culminates here, which is James' way of showing that hope and love always overcome sadness and pain. Visually throughout the stanzas, James and the actress playing the role of the wife pack away unused items and wardrobe for the baby, and the chorus is visually warmer with a shot of a smiling blonde girl running freely through fields of wheat bathed in the sun. Also, great contrast that is meant to enhance the message of the text. All in all, The Girl That Never Was is one of the best musical achievements of this century, a song that breaks even the hardest hearts into pieces and puts them back together with the hope that everything will be overpassed with hope and love!! It's my humble opinion
The line when he says "we neverf should've picked a name" got to me as well. Powerful, sad and relatable. He's so good at telling real life stories that most don't want to talk about. Thank you for sharing your view on this.
@@jacquelinevanbierk this is about his and his wife’s loss of their unborn child , so his pain is real
Ever though of being a writer?
I wish I could copy your words the best explanation it broke my heart
As for the naming of the baby; If you should read the book "Heaven Is For Real", which has never been debunked, you will hear a different outcome for this situation. And if you have some religion, it will help to soothe you no end!!!
I'm a metalhead but James just punches me in the heart. Simply amazing and sad at once.
Same. Good music knows no genre!
James Blunt usually writes his lyrics from personal experience and from what I gathered here and there, he and his wife lost a baby girl before they had their 2 boys. And thinking about it, you wouldn't expect a singer to write a song about such a subject unless you've been through the exprience yourself. Thanks for the reaction Jacqueline.
It's so sad yet beautiful that he shares his story, healing others.
On the other hand, Brad Paisley's wonderful song He Didn't Have to Be is about stepparents, but Brad based it on a friend of his, not himself. Also Mac Davis wrote In the Ghetto (made famous by Elvis Presley), but never lived that life himself, but instead was inspired by a childhood friend of his.
Another emotion masterpiece…heart wrenching…
Just last weekend me and my wife went to watch his first concert for the tour for this album. This song played live it's just unbelievable, his voice is amazing.
OMG I bet !Songs like that hit even harder when experienced live.
James blunt is the goat of songwriting
Sorry, that's Hank Williams Sr.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW HE GETS THROUGH THESE SONGS. I have not lived through this devastating loss but i am crying before the first chorus every time . James is a premier story teller ,certainly the best of this century so far.
My daughter was stillborn 16 yrs ago. I first heard this while driving...after the first 2 lines I had to turn it off and watch the video at home. I just knew where it was headed. I love it, even though it hurts. Sometimes I just need a good cry.
Much Love to you!
As a parent this song is one of the most powerful things to ever hear. Crazy how good it is.
James blunt is the only artist that can make me cry because his lyrics have a story
JBV you do an amazing job of reacting and analyzing this song. It’s one of the best songs he’s done. It’s heart wrenching but I believe the song can help people who have lost a child. Thank you Jacqueline.
Thank you and I agree, I love that he addresses issues that are heartbreaking yet healing 💖
In my opinion, songs written from personal experience seem to leave a greater impact on the hearer. James does this in a masterful way. I think he said once that he song Beautiful was written from an experience he had. Not sure.
James said in an interview he struggles to verbalise his emotion but he is able to write it down turn it into a poem and add it to music its how he deals with trauma
Hes such a great song writer. So many can relate to this song. A friend of ours just losttheir new born son..Its the second son they lost😢
Oh no. My heart goes out to your frie nd. Much love.
You should do no bravery or carry you home by James blunt, they are old song but really underrated ones
I will check them out, I've truly become a fan of his music.
Great reaction. Next one: No bravery or Carry you home. Another beautiful songs of him.
Thank you!
I agree. Carry You Home is another slice from his life.
@@pensiveowl7791 So is No Bravery.
Thanks for reacting to this song. James voice is so unique, and song is so sad but relatable.❤
My girlfriend lost two babies and I cry everytime I hear this song by James.
Luckily my two sons live and I love them both
This is certainly the best reaction to the song I've seen. Lady, you are amazing. Sending so much love to you. ❤
This song is a tragic masterpiece. Beautiful!
Lyrically brilliant.
❤❤ I love it.of you haven't been there you can never understand but I get it it's been over 20 years ago and now I have a wonderful memories in sted of the sadness I v felt for years and it lets me know one day I ll be with her one day.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🌟💔💞
I love that so much!
OMG! I'm broken by this Song. His Voice and performance 😢
I idol James Blunt, his work is very beautiful even though this very sad
Very true!
Excellent analysis, complete with beautiful emotion.
Give James major respect for not only being able to write such a personal song but he also has a keen ability to leave
his listeners in a tattered mess.
I agree. So much respect for him.
Emotional song, Gorgeous Jacqueline
So Beautiful
It's a true story.
Honest & sincere reaction..... thank you 🙏
Thank you so much!
Hey my talented friend just checking on you you sound good look good love your reactions as always Dan Vasc Did it my way from on Jovi it’s epic when you have time see ya soon and this is tough loosing a love in is beyond hard I just lost my mom in Feb your reactions have helped me
Thank you so much, Derek My deepest condolences. Much love to you and I will definitely check it out.
I love this song. One thing I love in the original production is how he sings the word "saw," he doesn't jump immediately up to the higher note... he lingers on the first note for just as long as he spends on the higher note. Here is my favorite performance of this song - ua-cam.com/video/yS83qGz9NU4/v-deo.html&pp=ygUoamFtZXMgYmx1bnQgdGhlIGdpcmwgdGhhdCBuZXZlciB3YXMgbGl2ZQ%3D%3D
James Blunt's "Monsters" I have a real problem with, linguistically.
This song breaks my heart, and always make me think of the baby my wife and I lost in the early 80's.
i love this guy!
My baby girl had this happen twice. This is so hard.
no words needed 💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
As a woman who can’t bear her own children this song absolutely guts me every time I hear it. Tho it has a different meaning for me.
When he switched from "she" to "you" in the last chorus, 💔
❤
❤❤❤
Not sure to many people catch the visual in the video. James starts off singing in the fully furnished nursery. By the end of the song, the room is empty. All packed away. Empty. Just like their lives without "The Girl That Never Was."
The visuals are so powerful and emotional 🤧
try his song, : "no bravery"
My ex wife and myself, lost a boy that never was.
Reading in other comments, apparently James and his wife lost their first child.
1988, Would have been 36…😢
Starchild 😢
20 years ago he was the "one to hate" just like Nickelback a few years later. I never thought they were bad but I wouldn't buy an album.
Here's where the Hate will come: I would rather listen to James Blunt and Nickelback than Tool. I just can't get into Tool, bring on the hate!
James first child was a girl and was lost to a miscarriage...
Bon Jovi sorry
I knew what you meant 😉
THE ULTIMATE ANTI ABORTION SONG.
I get what you 'think' you're saying.... but it's WAY more complicated than that, which makes your comment actually quite insensitive. Not every abortion is simply a matter of the mother 'not wanting' the baby and therefore 'getting rid of it.' If a baby dies in the womb about midway through the pregnancy, it can put the mother's life at risk to force her to continue to carry her dead baby to term - sometimes for months - and make her go through labour and childbirth (not to mention traumatic for her.) Removing the corpse (because that's what it is now, tragically,) along with the placenta, is necessary to prevent an infection that could leave the mother infertile or even kill her, since the body will be decomposing inside her the longer it stays there. This might even be what happened to James' wife for all we know, so let's not jump to conclusions and shame the very concept of 'abortion' without considering all the nuances of both the word and the procedure itself.
Bit slow to the game.
❤❤