LoVE: Softly To Me

[silentseason]

"Softly To Me"
From: LoVE, side one, song five
-Running time: 3:10
-Recorded: January 26, 1966 Sunset Sound
-Written by: Bryan MacLean
-Lead vocal and rhythm guitar: Bryan MacLean
-Lead guitar: Johnny Echols
-Bass: Kenny Forssi
-Drums: Alban 'Snoopy' Pfisterer
-One of four songs written solely by Bryan, which combined with the two more in which he was listed as co-writer on gives him a total of 6 songs in the LoVe catalogue.
-One of three songs where Bryan was the lead vocalist.
-Quotable: Michael has this to say about this song:

"...the phrasing and the sophistication...that's a great song, born (shall I dare say it?) of genius."

-IMHO: A prime example of Bryan's writing style. The lyrics (Orange, Sugar, Chocolate, Hot Cinnamon and lovely things and you) support the widely stated view that Bryan's "hopeless romantic" style of writing provided a softer counterpoint to the band's darker, aggresive lyrical tendencies. The blend of these two opposing styles was a huge part of what gave the band its unique sound.
-Fun fact: The band went to Dallas in June of '66 to promote the first album in a rare promotional jaunt. While there one of the activities was an album signing session, which according to Johnny the band provided their own unique slant on:

"These were usually promotional events, like the Dallas, Love field tie-in. They gave us the key to the city, and had us signing albums, hour after hour at Neiman Marcus department store. Elektra along with our management, had us doing this kind of thing to generate sales. After a while, I would be so tired of writing my own name, I'd sign Lee Harvey Oswald, or Jack Ruby. Anything to overcome the mind numbing (and finger numbing) boredom.

PS: If you happen across a Love Album signed by John F Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, or Jack Ruby.... It's authentic, one of us signed it. By the way after enduring this assault on our digits, we were required to go on stage, and try to play music. Not one of our best shows."

Lyrics:

I could love you more and more each day for a million years
And I'd sit around all day just crying happy tears
To dance and sing my life away (life away)
And laughing with you, my darling, softly to me

Orange, sugar, chocolate, hot cinnamon and lovely things and you
And darling, you know there was really nothing else that I could do

And my darling you will never know how elegant
you'll always be to me
And my darling I was so in love it was evident for anyone
To see, and I suppose they already do
And how come so suddenly everything depends on you

And if I kissed you once I'd probably do it again
But then that's not so inconceivable, my friend