Music Review: Clay Aiken "The Way"
Clay Aiken
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The Way
Album: Measure Of A Man
Year: 2004
Clay Aiken is overwhelmed with love for his girlfriend in the torpid ballad "The Way."
Blubbering strings open the single, setting a sensitive tone. He says his girlfriend glows. She's beautiful even if she's wearing sweats and her hair is in disarray. He's fascinated by her mannerisms. Her lips are a lovely pink and curve to form a stunning smile. He fidgets and stumbles on his words as he talks with her. He would like to make her his wife one day.
In the chorus, he says she affects him and the inside jokes they share. He doesn't want to let her go. The intimacy between them is unlike anything he's ever experienced. She knows exactly what he's thinking.
In the second verse, he says that he thinks about her all the time. He dreams about her every night. Her eyes sparkle when she's happy. When she smiles, it makes his day. He thinks of something different as to why he so in love with in her.
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, he says he's not sure what it is. However, he knows it's love. Just thinking about their relationship causes him to tear up. If she ever asked him, he would be bawling like a baby.
The chorus is sung twice.
Aiken says he's said what he can. It's an emotion he feels inside.
Love is important to him. It's not going to say "I love you" to any girl. For him, it's going beyond sex and physical attractiveness. It's the intimacy and history they have together. It's a relationship they've been maintaining for years.
Aiken's vocals are heartfelt but vanilla. His voice is technically good, but it's uninteresting.
He can't save the single by glory-noting alone.
The songwriting is monotonous. It's difficult to tell the difference between the chorus and the verse. The writing formula stays on the same path. There isn't any variation. The music arrangement is overwrought. It leans heavily on the standard strings and weepy piano.
"The Way" elicits ughs, not awws.
Album: Measure Of A Man
Year: 2004
Clay Aiken is overwhelmed with love for his girlfriend in the torpid ballad "The Way."
Blubbering strings open the single, setting a sensitive tone. He says his girlfriend glows. She's beautiful even if she's wearing sweats and her hair is in disarray. He's fascinated by her mannerisms. Her lips are a lovely pink and curve to form a stunning smile. He fidgets and stumbles on his words as he talks with her. He would like to make her his wife one day.
"There's something 'bout the way you look tonight/There's something 'bout the way that I can't take my eyes off you/There's something 'bout the way your lips invite/Maybe it's the way that I get nervous when you're around/And I want you to be mine/And if you need a reason why."
In the chorus, he says she affects him and the inside jokes they share. He doesn't want to let her go. The intimacy between them is unlike anything he's ever experienced. She knows exactly what he's thinking.
"It's in the way that you move me, and the way that you tease me/The way that I want you tonight/It's in the way that you hold me, and the way that you know me/When I can't find the right words to say/You feel it in the way, you feel it in the way."
In the second verse, he says that he thinks about her all the time. He dreams about her every night. Her eyes sparkle when she's happy. When she smiles, it makes his day. He thinks of something different as to why he so in love with in her.
"There's something 'bout how you stay on my mind/There's something 'bout the way that I whisper your name when I'm asleep, oh girl/Maybe it's the look you get in your eyes/Maybe it's the way that makes me feel to see you smile/And the reasons they may change/
But what I'm feeling stays the same."
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, he says he's not sure what it is. However, he knows it's love. Just thinking about their relationship causes him to tear up. If she ever asked him, he would be bawling like a baby.
"I can't put my fingers on just what it is that makes me love you, you baby/So don't ask me to describe, I get all choked up inside, just thinking 'bout the way."
The chorus is sung twice.
Aiken says he's said what he can. It's an emotion he feels inside.
"There's something 'bout the way you look tonight/There's nothing more to say then, I feel it in the way."
Love is important to him. It's not going to say "I love you" to any girl. For him, it's going beyond sex and physical attractiveness. It's the intimacy and history they have together. It's a relationship they've been maintaining for years.
Aiken's vocals are heartfelt but vanilla. His voice is technically good, but it's uninteresting.
He can't save the single by glory-noting alone.
The songwriting is monotonous. It's difficult to tell the difference between the chorus and the verse. The writing formula stays on the same path. There isn't any variation. The music arrangement is overwrought. It leans heavily on the standard strings and weepy piano.
"The Way" elicits ughs, not awws.