The day that Brandy and I ‘declared’ ourselves a couple became such a central part of our story that it grew to near-legendary status – at least for us! More than any other this is the song that tells that tale, our origin story if you will. As such it also would have made a great starting point for the album, but bringing it in here plays into a strong narrative tradition of starting in the middle and peeling back layers to get to the beginning.
The first line I wrote was “it’s starting to get too hard to explain to our friends what we are” and everything flowed out of that. The lines about “coming on over” and “keeping it casual” describe that long build-up where you’re dating, but not exclusive, and just beginning to question how “casual” it all really is? Until other people start commenting on it, your own thoughts tend to sleep quietly, reluctant to burst out and crystallize the obvious. I’m sure part of that is wondering if the other person feels the same way, which can make you hesitate to declare yourself too openly. However, falling in love has a certain inevitability, whether you’re actively participating or not – there’s a reason they call it “falling” not “jumping” or “leaping”. I play with that sense of falling despite yourself in the line “…as we fall / with our heels way over our heads,” giving another little twist to a famous cliché.
Musically this song came straight out of my love for folk-infused acoustic rock songs typical of the early 70’s, as I strummed that G chord very much in the spirt of Led Zeppelin’s “That’s The Way” or even more, Pink Floyd’s “Fearless” (from Meddle).
More Than Friends
I know what you’re thinking
It’s starting to get too hard to explain
To our friends – what we are
You’re coming on over
We’re keeping it casual, but the same
Can’t be said for our souls
You don’t know what to say
So you carry on until one day you’ve found
You’re more than friends
We know what we’re doing
That’s what we tell ourselves as we fall
With our heels way over our heads
And everyone noticed
Before we admitted it was true – that we
Were meant to be two
You don’t know what to say
So you carry on until one day you’ve found…
You're more than friends
more than friends
(repeat thru following:)
Everyone noticed, before we admitted
Both of us seemed to see simultaneously
We noticed love – coming on over
both of us – knowing
it could be... it's happening,
It happened so fast,
I didn’t know how quickly
I would fall in love with you…