Credit: peacelovedavid.tumblr.com
You know how sometimes a word or a phrase or certain notes hit you more than others during a song? Well, I got curious and asked a few peeps (the lovely Archugeezer, therealnewangel and abanana77) what those spots were for them on BEGIN.:
Angel
Archugeezer: The parts I always wait for and anticipate… for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s the message and the way David sings it. Sometimes it’s the incredible whatever he does with his voice. Sometimes it simply moves me, and sometimes it just plain wows me. [In Angel it’s] 2:25-2:30 and 2:39-2:50 (“Don’t make NO diff-e-rence” … “and in this sweet madness, AH, this glorious sadness… that brings me to mah kneeees”)
therealnewangel: “Let me be empty, oh and weightless and maybe…” “Emp-ty” is tied with “sad eyes” for me. Sometimes what he barely sings is just as amazing to me as what he fancies up with all his amazing runs and such. Like that last note of “Love Me Tender”. Did his voice crack? Did he purposely do that? Who cares– it was the bomb! Same with “empty”. It sounds empty. He’s a master interpreter.
TOfan: “Let me be empty”… so vulnerable… and later “in this sweet madness”… not something I ever imagine David saying… maybe Josh. The way he sings “dark, coooold hotel room” actually makes me feel cold. weird.
abanana77: His pronounciation of “dif-fer-rence” – I don’t have a deep reason for it or anything, I just love the way it sounds 🙂
Beautiful
Archugeezer: 1:18-1:29 and 2:56-3:20 (“So don’t you bring me down today, ay-e-ay-e-ay” … “We are beautiful no matter what they say, yes, words can’t bring us down, no whoahahohahohoh, we are beautiful in every single WAYayayaya, words can’t bring us DO-oo-OW-own, noooooooo”)
therealnewangel: I love “full of beautiful mistakes”… I know David didn’t make that up, but I like the idea of beautiful mistakes anyway. Cuz I make a lot of mistakes. But I also love, “the sun will always, always shiiiiine” because it’s like a gospel choir made up of David clones.
TOfan: I love “so consumed in all your doOoOoOm” … and the last definite low “YES” before “words won’t bring us down”… I actually wait for it, lol.
abanana77: The amazing runs or rifs or whatever you call them — I approve of Diva David. And honestly what can be better than multiple Diva Davids singing over top of one another? All the “ooh”-ing and “ah”-ing is almost too much for me to handle.
Somewhere Only We Know
Archugeezer: 2:32-2:53 (“So tell me when, you’re gonna let me in, I’m getting tired and I need somewhere to BEGIN. And if you have a minute why don’t we go, talk about it somewhere only WE know.”)
TOfan: I really love this one, my 2nd favourite after Broken I think. I love the way he sings “FAALLLEN” in “I came across a FA-AH-LLEN tree”…the rhythm/metre of it, if that makes sense.
Everybody Hurts
Archugeezer: 2:10-2:38 (“Don’t throw your hand, don’t throw your haaaaand, if you feel like you’re alone”
TOfan: I love the background “hang ons” and in the crescendo, “well everybody hurts SOOOOMEtimes”… they timed that perfectly in the video so we could see him sing that part… chokes me up every time.
abanana77: All the “hang on”s – Absolutely love his lower register here! And there’s just something about the way he sings it… I don’t often feel like this but every time I hear it, I feel like he’s speaking right to me. Not sitting in a studio 6 months ago across the continent, but right here with me, encouraging me to keep going. Whispering in my ear “Hang on.”
Credit: peacelovedavid.tumblr.com
Archugeezer: 3:05-3:23 (“Got to waaaaalk out of here, I can’t taaaake anymore, gonna STAAAAND on that bridge, keep my EEEEYYYYES down below”)
therealnewangel: The bridge about the bridge. The note that’s about three notes in one on “eyes” in “keep my eyes down below”. How does he do that? But also the very last line of the duet “there’s a place where we belong.” Can two people’s voices get married even if they don’t? I’m a “Dibby” fan.
TOfan: The line that really hits me is “It is so strange the way. things. turn.” So heavy with meaning or something. Gives me a shiver every time I hear it. … And Libby’s last “there’s a place where we belOOOONG” is so full and beautiful.
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Archugeezer: 3:52-3:59 (“When you NEEEEED a frieeeeend, oh ohhhhh”)
TOfan: For me the song really starts at “sail on, silver giiiirl” *hides* … “I will comfort chewwww” 😉
Broken
Archugeezer: 0:26-:37 and 2:55-3:20 (“Child, it seems that younger and younger they start to wipe your minds clean” … “DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? DO YOU FEEL WHAT I FEEL? DOES IT MATTER UNTIL WE SEE BROKEN LIVES HEAL??? OHHH whoah whoah ooohhh”
TOfan: The chorus with its cascading “I-I-I-I-Is” and “everything’s broken” stabs me through the heart … in a good way. LOVE everything about this song….
abanana77: The way he sings “sparkling” – This might be my favourite part of any song he’s ever sung ever. The way he sings it is so beautiful but delicate at the same time. As if he’s being careful singing this precious word, making sure he doesn’t break or ruin it in some way. And when he sings I automatically think of this little girl I know, the joy of childhood ablaze in her eyes, oblivious to the hardships in her life. <333
True Colours
Archugeezer: 1:55-2:01 (“are beauuuuutiful, like a rainbooooow”)
therealnewangel: “You with the sad eyes”. I love how he barely touches “eyes” and makes you wish you had those sad eyes so he was singing to you specifically. I love the whole beginning part w/ just the instrumental and light bongos. He should do more of that sort of thing.
TOfan: For me, the first time he whisper-sings “you are beautiful … like a rainbow” is so, I dunno, like he’s talking right to me. of course he is 🙂
Pride
Archugeezer: 2:17-2:43 (“ohooohohhhh… early mornin’ April 4th, shot rings out in the Memphis skyYYyyy, free at last, they took your life, they could not take your priiiiide”)
therealnewangel: I love all the oh-oh-oh-oh’s because they’re so David. Not how any other pop/rock singer would do it but very David-style– so polished and precise. It kinda makes me laugh but always makes me smile. He can’t shake the great vocal training.
TOfan: “Free at last, they took your LIIIIIFE, they could not take your PRIIIIIIIDE”… so full and solid and strong… kills me every time.
Be Still My Soul
Archugeezer: 2:50-2:54 and 3:46-3:56 (“Be still MYYY soul” … “when disappoooointment, grief and fear are gone”)
TOfan: “His voice who rUuUuUled them” what is he even doing there with his voice??? … no idea… And there’s a part near the end where you can hear his nose is stuffed up… I love that, I love that it’s real and raw and that maybe it’s emotion, even if not, it’s so real, so David.
abanana77: “When change and tears are past, All safe and blessed we shall meet at last” – Love the lyrics on the whole last verse, but this line especially stands out to me. Love the arrangement and how the accompaniment holds back at the end here and just lets him, his voice and his emotions take over.
So how about you guys? What are the parts that really grab you… that you wait for on every replay?
SnowAngelz: Canadian fans of David Archuleta 
Hello! This is the first time I’m writing a comment here. I couldn’t help myself when it comes to discussing how David’s songs affect me, so i’m not passing up the chance to share what I felt when I first heard “Broken” which for me is the most amazing song he has produced to date. I wrote down my thoughts about it last August 11th, so let me copy-paste it here:
‘…He starts in a sad tone as he sings with compassion to a child aware of the seriousness of her plight. I am especially drawn to the way he tenderly sings ‘heart’ with care as though if he sang it any harder it would actually break. I am also hopelessly addicted to the prolonged high notes on “And I” everywhere in the song. He emphasizes the fact that he is profoundly affected by what he sees and feels. Then there is some anger and frustration in his tone as he gets into the second stanza of the song which reveals a built-up indignation. I am amazed that he did not choke as his controlled emotions finally erupted in the final chorus, complete with the requiem-like drums in the background. The ‘cry’ in his voice was in full throttle as he belted out, “Do you see what I see?!? Do you feel what I feel?!? It doesn’t matter until we see broken lives heal! Hoh! Oh no!” These lines feel more like a bawling out due to immense frustration and sorrow, a shouted cry to anyone listening to “Please take notice! You are needed here! Do something!” His long note on “HO-OH,” along with the drumbeats had such strong lung power which I have not heard from him before, probably adrenalin-induced due to the intensity of the message. There is so much angst and a devastating grief that hits you hard in the gut. It is a bit hard to recover from it until he sings softly in the end: “Broke, but not broken.” Then I am rescued once more from the pits of gloom, and he brings you back with the comfort of his gentle, soothing voice to assure that things are hopeful. Help will come.”
Broken really stands out to me in the whole album, but I have to agree with all the comments here about the highlights in all the other songs. There are just so many to pick out and discuss endlessly. 🙂 Let me just add in particular that in Don’t Give Up, I really love the way they played with the texture of the voices in the duet, in particular towards the latter part where David’s voice is a distant background answer to Libbie’s voice in the foreground. I always look forward to the part where David goes up high “I still have FRIE-E-E-ENDS”. Ahh, so, so fine.
BEGIN is just absolutely divine all over.
Wow, ascphil, love how you described Broken there. That is pretty much exactly my impression of it but I could never have said it so beautifully!
Thanks, abanana77. There is such an overwhelming development and transition of emotions in that song that it irks me when I read reviews that consider it ‘bland’. Can’t they hear and feel the depths of what David is saying thru song? It is so strong that you wonder: are these guys deaf? End of rant.
I just want to say that I adore this CD & am so grateful to David for taking his last little bit of time to bring it to us. Every song has it’s special moments for me but the one that is such a huge surprise to me is PRIDE..and those lyrics ♫shot rings out in the Memphis sky~yyyyy♫ <-oh my goodness..no words!
I always enjoy reading the thoughts of others~what a fabulous treasure David created for us 🙂
Great post Deb. What is it about this particular album that makes us notice certain phrases and words so much? Several of you have commented about phrases, but David can even make single words sound meaningful and perfect. Aside from all the exquisite “oooooo’s, ohhhhhh’s, awwwww’s, yeah yeah’s, no no no no’s, mmmmmmmm’s, etc., here a a list of some of my favorite words. Some of these words he pronounces with such care and emotion and others stand out because of his unique pronunciation or because of the way he blends the word with a note/notes.
Beautiful: insecure, doom, gone (with the growl), today.
Somewhere Only We Know: begin (at 1:05), place (at 1:18), know (at 2:17), when (at 2:35), know (at 3:35).
Everybody Hurts: all of the “hang ons,” friends, hand (at 2:15 and 2:30) , sometimes (at 3:39). Don’t Give Up: lose, affected, turn, walk, eyes below, friends (in the background at 4:59).
Angel: waitin’, chance, reason, day, distraction, release, veins, empty, weightless, peace, angel, wreckage, reverie, find (at 1:45), difference, sadness, knees, find (at 3:56 with the break in his voice).
Bridge Over Troubled Water: weary, eyes, all (at :45), WATER (love the way he pronounces this word), you (at 2:02), comes (at 2:17), silver girl, way (at 3:44), shine (at 3:51).
Broken: here, useless, desert, CHILD, sparkling, all of the “I’s,” eyes, wrong, life, heal, yeah (at 3:33) , spoken, broken.
True Colors: you, sad, eyes, realize, colors, rainbow, crazy, show (at 2:47), beautiful (at 3:20). Pride: justify, name, love (at 2:10), SKY, yeah at 3:32).
Be Still My Soul: too many words in this one to list. He caresses every word.
OMJ, looooove hearing everyone’s fave parts!!!
the lovely @weiyannn tweeted me her comments, lol:
in SOWK, 2:20-2:26, when the violins come in and he’s like “OHHH! Oh simple thing, where have YOOOUUUU gone??!?!?!?” omg fave.
and in DGU, the ending parts where D sings the background? </333 "i still have friendsss" it's like he's reassuring himself.
and in TC, in every chorus from the second, his background vocals when he sings "i love you" & "don't be afraid" his voice kind of dips at the "love" idk how to explain it haha. and the "don't be afraid" it's like such a contrast to him belting out that line, like he's like forcing you to not be afraid, but the background voice is like impelling and supportive? Hahhaa
and in bsms, the last verse, after the bridge, the piano bit sounds a bit tragic/bleak/scary to me, but i love how it progresses as it gets into the last verse, and all the bleakness is complete gone after the "sorrow forgot" line? i love it. he sings the song with so much reverence, listening to it makes me feel so intrusive in a way idk if i made any sense at all
i just realised i should have just left a comment instead of tweeting you all of that LOL #fail
😆
The first verse of True Colors where David sings/speaks “You with the sad eyes”; the softness of the way David speaks “eyes” nails me every time. The price of the album is worth it right there. I adore all the glory notes of BOTW and Everybody Hurts, and certainly appreciate the energy involved, but it’s the softness that grabs me (every single time) and won’t let me go.
I love DGU so much that my fave part is now my ringtone. GOT TO WAAAALK OUT OF HERE, I CAN’T TAKE ANYMORE” etc.
But after listening MAYbe hundreds of times, it’s the part at the end when he sings. “never thought that I couuuuullluld be affected” also, I love the first time he sings it.
that kills me so dead.
Forget it, I am listening to it right now and I can say with confidence that every single word he sings in this song is amazing, beautiful, touching, sad, lovely, perfect, haunting.
Libbie is just perfect on this as well. She sounds truly caring. ♥
I need to think about the others, this could go on for quite some time. Good thing, too. 🙂
Wait – no one mentioned what he does to the word “down” in BOTW at 2:48? Epic.
Woo whoooo in the middle of BOTW is sooooo David 🙂
yes!! … BOTW in particular reminds me of his A.I. “style” LOL
Yes, love what he does to the word ‘down’ in BOTW momjulee! If fact love the whole song and the way he sings every bit of it. Boy, everyone has such wonderful comments, have to agree with all of them. I simply love the whole album….every single song portrayed beautifully with David’s voice and emotion.
In BSMS, there is the part in the middle where he sings the words three times, have never heard David sing that part before (or perhaps I missed something)! I absolutely adore that part and wait for it every time I listen. So beautiful, so reverent, so masterly and perfectly sung, tend to hold my breath so I can take in every bit of it. Love his gorgeous rendition of the whole song. Just love this gorgeous album, what a gift.
Love reading everyone’s favorite parts of the songs from BEGIN. I love every song so much!!! I think my favorite is when David sings “broke but not broken…broken but not broken” at the end of Broken. I cry everytime I hear that song! It is so beautiful, profound & powerful!!! Everyone in this world should have a chance to hear it.
Sorry on my second “broke but not broken” I wrote “broken but not broken”. Didn’t notice it until I already sent it.
BSMS. At one point his voice melts into the violin and I can’t tell where one ends and one begins. This is at 1:27. I have never heard such a thing. Go listen.
Going to quote my mother here: (again)
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Loving all the comments here and had to check out what parts of BEGIN. y’all enjoy. Now I have an even longer list of favorite places. No surprise.
This exercise reminded me of something nerdy I loved in school: parsing sentences, taking a sentence apart word by word to analyze the grammatical context, and then examine the relationship of words in the syntax.
OK, that’s still nerdy I guess; but there really are academic research peeps who parse music for both affect and effect. I would love to sit with a focus group of David Archuleta fans and do some musical parsing of BEGIN. It might take a while, but think of the benefits!
oooooooooo that would be such a cool focus group, AG, sign me up!!!!
New post/thread/VLOGGGGGGG! 🙂
🙂