re: 8... Chris Funk's guitar solo is perfect. Those slow aching bends make me feel a rare something. The fact that it's so short and so simple makes it all the more beautiful. Say what ya gotta say and then step back out of the spotlight. Pure magic.
* From 3:13 through the bridge, chills every time! Like I am watching this wave approach and that's when it finally crashes!
* This does not feel like a 5 minutes long song. I'm always sad it's over. It feels more like a 3 minute song!
*It's so melancholy ... all the feels reading this breakdown, while thinking about pulling backward from the person I sang at the top of my lungs to this song live many times. So bittersweet. And the sweet part is the answer to the question is yes, it did :)
This was (and is) one of my favorite songs. I didn’t grasp it fully, though, until a relationship ended. It helped me realize a lot about each of our actions and forced me to face my own. The power of a song that started off as Colin noodling on the guitar while listening to something else. ;)
This song, this story, hit such a personal chord for me when it was released. I’ve listened to it countless times, and it still gives me all the feels. Thank you for sharing this.
"I have a sense that it grew out of my thing with love songs that put a romantic spotlight on lesser-desired body parts."
I've always loved the thin fingers/thin fingernails lines the most in this song and, as an overall big fan of admiring all kinds of bodies and body parts, I love that it came from this kind of place. Red Right Ankle has always given me a similar vibe.
Yes! It also immediately called to mind the Regina Spektor lyric from Folding Chairs
"But sometimes I forget
I've got a perfect body
'Cause my eyelashes catch my sweat"
even if eyelashes are an aesthetically accepted thing to reference, I always loved the weird and scientific way that she valued utility as a way of letting go of beauty standards or bodily discomfort
I was, you'll be glad to hear, singing along "Did it make you better?" as a question. But to my horror, I was mis-singing a different line: "Like the perfect paramour, you burned your letters". Don't ask me what it means, it made sense at the time.
In terms of content, I bookend "Make You Better" with "Never Heal Myself" from Cults' first album in 2011, a song about someone whose partner wants her to change for their relationship. It has a great punchline.
The placement of this on the album, after the opening 3 each with their own strangeness, really makes it hit as a Perfect Pop Song. I feel like those 3 are the pramble and then Butter is where the Real Album starts. Kudos.
This has become the song that I most hope to hear at any of your concerts I go to. I was so glad it came up in Grand Rapids last summer! Although I don't resonate too personally with the lyrics, I still find the relationship expressed through them powerfully wistful.
This song means a lot to me, which goes to say that it means something entirely different to me than what you intended. I’m guessing that’s okay with you. This song caused me to write a novel. I like that Cohen had a part to play in it coming together. He also impacted me as well. Thank you again.
One of my favorite songs on the record for sure. As a person who has a fulfilling epistolary relationship with a penpal the last 8 years, letters is definitely an anachronism but a joy. and I think as a song, the communication medium doesn't need to be current. loved the snarky, silly tone of that footnote. Sliver to call mine/shimmer of your shine is a great "multi" as we say in rap parlance (multi-syllabic rhyme). Minute of your time nestles nicely in that rhyme scheme but of the three, it's definitely the best one of the three! Building layers in a song sure is tough but god is it effective and euphoric when done well! One thing I love about these peeks into the process is your references to other artists' style and creative approaches. Thanks again for the decades of beautiful music and writing!
Glad I’m not alone in my high regard for this song.
Except, of course when I was the only one standing at the 8/8/22 Mountain Winery show during the song, as mentioned in the March 10 post comments, so pls pardon the digression and continued beating of said dead horse...
re: 8... Chris Funk's guitar solo is perfect. Those slow aching bends make me feel a rare something. The fact that it's so short and so simple makes it all the more beautiful. Say what ya gotta say and then step back out of the spotlight. Pure magic.
Oh... that solo. Ambien for the ears.
* From 3:13 through the bridge, chills every time! Like I am watching this wave approach and that's when it finally crashes!
* This does not feel like a 5 minutes long song. I'm always sad it's over. It feels more like a 3 minute song!
*It's so melancholy ... all the feels reading this breakdown, while thinking about pulling backward from the person I sang at the top of my lungs to this song live many times. So bittersweet. And the sweet part is the answer to the question is yes, it did :)
Yes, chills!
Even as I read your recollection. Chills...
This was (and is) one of my favorite songs. I didn’t grasp it fully, though, until a relationship ended. It helped me realize a lot about each of our actions and forced me to face my own. The power of a song that started off as Colin noodling on the guitar while listening to something else. ;)
This song, this story, hit such a personal chord for me when it was released. I’ve listened to it countless times, and it still gives me all the feels. Thank you for sharing this.
The first time I heard it I cried, still do occasionally, but not every time that would probably be weird and concerning 😂
"I have a sense that it grew out of my thing with love songs that put a romantic spotlight on lesser-desired body parts."
I've always loved the thin fingers/thin fingernails lines the most in this song and, as an overall big fan of admiring all kinds of bodies and body parts, I love that it came from this kind of place. Red Right Ankle has always given me a similar vibe.
Yes! It also immediately called to mind the Regina Spektor lyric from Folding Chairs
"But sometimes I forget
I've got a perfect body
'Cause my eyelashes catch my sweat"
even if eyelashes are an aesthetically accepted thing to reference, I always loved the weird and scientific way that she valued utility as a way of letting go of beauty standards or bodily discomfort
I was, you'll be glad to hear, singing along "Did it make you better?" as a question. But to my horror, I was mis-singing a different line: "Like the perfect paramour, you burned your letters". Don't ask me what it means, it made sense at the time.
Yes thank you for the backstory . Gilding the Lily and icing on the cake. One of my favorite songs for sure.
Hits and soothing to the heart and soul.
Does anyone know what Colin means when he says "This whole G-G-G-A bit.." ? The chords in the chorus include A, G, D, and Bm.
Yeah, not sure. That line in particular seems like A-A-A-A-G to my ears.
In any case, it's great to read the backstory!
Love reading the process, but also how the band worked to "make it better!"
In terms of content, I bookend "Make You Better" with "Never Heal Myself" from Cults' first album in 2011, a song about someone whose partner wants her to change for their relationship. It has a great punchline.
The placement of this on the album, after the opening 3 each with their own strangeness, really makes it hit as a Perfect Pop Song. I feel like those 3 are the pramble and then Butter is where the Real Album starts. Kudos.
This has become the song that I most hope to hear at any of your concerts I go to. I was so glad it came up in Grand Rapids last summer! Although I don't resonate too personally with the lyrics, I still find the relationship expressed through them powerfully wistful.
This song means a lot to me, which goes to say that it means something entirely different to me than what you intended. I’m guessing that’s okay with you. This song caused me to write a novel. I like that Cohen had a part to play in it coming together. He also impacted me as well. Thank you again.
One of my favorite songs on the record for sure. As a person who has a fulfilling epistolary relationship with a penpal the last 8 years, letters is definitely an anachronism but a joy. and I think as a song, the communication medium doesn't need to be current. loved the snarky, silly tone of that footnote. Sliver to call mine/shimmer of your shine is a great "multi" as we say in rap parlance (multi-syllabic rhyme). Minute of your time nestles nicely in that rhyme scheme but of the three, it's definitely the best one of the three! Building layers in a song sure is tough but god is it effective and euphoric when done well! One thing I love about these peeks into the process is your references to other artists' style and creative approaches. Thanks again for the decades of beautiful music and writing!
Thank you so much for the backstory.
Glad I’m not alone in my high regard for this song.
Except, of course when I was the only one standing at the 8/8/22 Mountain Winery show during the song, as mentioned in the March 10 post comments, so pls pardon the digression and continued beating of said dead horse...