♪ OVERJOYED ♪ [Bastille]

There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts. Inside you they work their magic. ― Diane Setterfield

Wow. Is that like a gut punch to anyone else? I meditate on those words, and it’s as though the wind gets knocked out of me. Never underestimate the power of your words. They are your greatest gift and your fiercest weapon. The only thing that rivals my love of music is my love of words. (It’s been rumored that I find reading the dictionary to be quality entertainment. I won’t confirm or deny this rumor… but it’s always a fun challenge to learn a new word and then figure out how to use it properly in a sentence. 🙂 Hey, I’ve never claimed to be the life of the party.) More on my love affair with words HERE.

When Overjoyed, by Bastille, came to my attention, the opening lines worked their way inside me, weaving around my heart like twine.

Oh I feel OVERJOYED
When you listen to my words
I see them sinking in
Oh I see them crawling underneath your skin

Words are all we have

But as much as I enjoyed the song, and found myself lost in the lyrics, it wasn’t until I heard this acappella version that I became head-over-heels unequivocally enraptured. What is it about a melancholy tune that has the power to turn me inside out? I have been indulging in countless hours of repetitive listening. This rendition encapsulates so much of what I love about music: raw emotion, flawless harmonies, and reverence for the song itself. When a piece of music is truly honored (the way Bastille does here) it takes on a life of it’s own. The ambient setting and the chirping birds both pay homage to the beauty of this song, as well. It’s simply breathtaking.

More on Bastille:
Official Website
Facebook
Hey Man, Check my Band (excellent write-up)

It feels as though I am doing you a disservice by only sharing this song. Here are two more songs I adore by Bastille —
Flaws (I love this almost as much as this version of “Overjoyed”.)
Of The Night

Another noteworthy version of Overjoyed
Overjoyed