Music Review: Maroon 5 "Daylight"
"We knew this day would come, we knew it all along"
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Maroon 5
Daylight
Album: Overexposed
Year: 2012
Adam Levine spends a final night with his girlfriend in the bittersweet “Daylight.”
A torn up guitar opens the single, setting a resigned tone. He made sure it was the perfect day for her. First, they went to the park where they would walk, holding hands while having a conversation about whatever came to their minds. Then, they drove to Ann Arbor, the place where they first met. Then,. he took her to the restraurant where they had their first date. Afterwards, they went back to her apartment and made love. He looks over at the alarm clock and it’s 4 am. At 8 am, they will share their last goodbye and he will return back home. About six months ago, she told him about an internship in Washington D.C. She figured she would try for it, even though it would be a longshot. Throughout the interview process, he encouraged her but tried not to think too much about what would happen beyond it. Two months ago, she received a phone call that changed both their lives. She got the internship. As happy as he was for her, it devastasted him at the same time. They had discussed long-term relationships and decided that it would be for the best if they broke up. He sees her suitcases lined up in her room and the entire apartment is nearly empty with only a few necessary things. It doesn’t feel real to him yet. (“Here I am waiting, I'll have to leave soon/Why am I holding on?/We knew this day would come, we knew it all along/How did it come so fast?”)
In the pre-chorus, he struggles to stay awake, trying to think of whatever he’s always wanted to tell her. He won’t have the chance again. By sleeping, he will miss moments he wished he could get back. (“This is our last night but it's late/And I'm trying not to sleep/Cause I know, when I wake, I will have to slip away.”)
In the chorus, he wants to be with her until the last second. He’s shared too much of his life with her so far to simply give her a kiss on the cheek goodbye and leave. (“And when the daylight comes I'll have to go/But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close/Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own/But tonight I need to hold you so close/Oh, whoa, oh whoa.”)
He looks over her body. He traces the mole on her shoulder and lingers on the scar she has above her eye from softball. From the window, the sun is starting to rise, lighting up the room and he puts his head on her shoulder, praying for time to stop just once. (“Here I am staring at your perfection/In my arms, so beautiful/The sky is getting bright, the stars are burning out/Somebody slow it down.”)
Tears are falling from his eyes and onto her, causing her to get up. He tells her he’s ok and wipes his eyes. He holds onto her as he gets out of bed and gets dressed, looking at her the entire time. He will remember her sitting up in bed, returning to his gaze with wistful eyes. (“This is way too hard, cause I know/When the sun comes up, I will leave/This is my last glance that will soon be memory.”)
The chorus is sung again.
In the bridge, he prefers to have stayed with her. The idea of dating again overwhelms him. His family loved her, hoping they would even marry. Going through it all again, to introduce someone into his life only to have them leave, is something he doesn’t want to happen. (“I never wanted to stop because I don't wanna start all over, start all over/I was afraid of the dark but now it's all that I want, all that I want, all that I want.”)
The chorus is sung twice to end the single.
Levine’s forlorn, hard vocals are numb, unable to function, existing in a blank state. She’s gone forever and he won’t ever have her in his life again. He gets out of his comfort zone on the single by using a lower register and it pays off really well. The song requires him to be broken and with the vocals, it’s as though he’s already in pieces on the floor.
The striking “Daylight” has unexpected depth, delving into emotion only hinted at in previous singles.