Music Review: Justin Timberlake "Mirrors"

Justin Timberlake

Mirrors

Album: The 20/20 Experience

Year: 2013

                       Justin Timberlake prepares his wedding vows in the enchanting “Mirrors.”

                Stately synths open the single, setting a ceremonial tone. His fiancée is out for the day with her sister and a couple of her girlfriends to get fitted for their dresses. With the house to himself, he decides to write out his vows. She’s his other half, which is certain, but he is blocked and can’t think of much beyond it. He walks around the house, brainstorming. He passes by the living room, noting the Van Gogh prints but tosses the idea out right away. Finally, he walks by their bedroom and sees the mirror. It’s the mirror which describes their relationship best. She has such a love of life which gives her a glow. When she dances around the house while vacuuming, he has to join in with her. She gets her bad days, too and it’s important for her to know he will be right there with her.  (“Aren't you somethin' to admire?/Cause your shine is somethin' like a mirror/And I can't help but notice/You reflect in this heart of mine/If you ever feel alone and/The glare makes me hard to find/Just know that I'm always/Parallel on the other side.”)

         In the pre-chorus, he writes they will be able to make it through life’s difficulties together. If she ever gets sick or hurt, he will take care of her. She needs to believe in him and not give up, even though it may seem hopeless. (“Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul/I can tell you there's no place we couldn't go/Just put your hand on the glass/I'll be tryin' to pull you through/You just gotta be strong.”)

           In the chorus, they are in their 30s. She’s ready to start a family. He wants to make their relationship official. She can finish his sentences and anticipate what he’ll like before he mentions it. He’d been in other relationships before. However, it took plenty of effort and work to get know to each other.. With her, she just knows. Their relationship did have some ups and downs. She had wanted to settle down a few years ago but he freaked out at the commitment she was asking him to make. They broke up for a while. In between, he dated some women and couldn’t muster up any deep emotion for them. Compared to his now-fiancee, they were cardboard. After about six months, he apologized and got back together with her. (“'Cause I don't wanna lose you now/I'm lookin' right at the other half of me/The vacancy that sat in my heart/Is a space that now you hold/Show me how to fight for now/And I'll tell you, baby, it was easy/
Comin' back into you once I figured it out/You were right here all along.”)

         He continues to say his current accomplishments (promotion at work, getting along better with his family) are due to her. She prodded him along, encouraging him to try. Marriage is right for them. (“It's like you're my mirror/My mirror staring back at me/I couldn't get any bigger/With anyone else beside of me/
And now it's clear as this promise/That we're making/Two reflections into one/Cause it's like you're my mirror/My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me.”)

           She’s an independent young woman who thinks for herself. Unlike some of her friends, she doesn’t play any games or dumb herself down to get her to like him. She gives him strength and a sense of peace. He has grown up a lot since they got together and understands what he has gone through. (“Aren't you somethin', an original/Cause it doesn't seem merely assembled/And I can't help but stare, cause/I see truth somewhere in your eyes/I can't ever change without you/You reflect me, I love that about you/And if I could, I/Would look at us all the time.”)

          The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

          The problems they had before won’t ever be an issue again. However, she may not be able to get pregnant, he could lose his job. Many potential problems could happen. They will have to rely on each other. (“Yesterday is history/Tomorrow's a mystery/I can see you lookin' back at me/Keep your eyes on me/Baby, keep your eyes on me.”)

         The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

          In the bridge, he doesn’t want anybody else. She’s the one he’s been dreaming about.  She’s his muse. She’s been was the person who got him writing again and thinking in notes. He can’t wait for her to hear what he wrote for her. He expects lots of tears. He reassures he’s no longer the commitment-phobic, devil-may-care boyfriend he was in the past. (“You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/ You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/You are, you are the love of my life/Now you're the inspiration for this precious song/And I just wanna see your face light up since you put me on/So now I say goodbye to the old me, it's already gone/And I can't wait wait wait wait wait to get you home/Just to let you know, you are.”)

          “You are, you are the love of my life” is repeated eight times.

 

She’s his reason for living and has influenced him in every aspect. (“Girl you're my reflection, all I see is you/My reflection, in everything I do/You're my reflection and all I see is you/My reflection, in everything I do.”)

           “You are, you are the love of my life” is  repeated sixteen times to end the single.

          Timberlake’s  tender, smitten vocals are chivalrous, checking in on her to see if she’s ok. He realizes he has flaws, some which drove her away before and she’s a saint for putting up with him. Without her, though, he’s useless. In his eyes, she’s perfect. She’s the best decision he’s ever made.

          The single clocks in at a 8 minutes, 4 seconds. However, the patient arrangement seems to have been divided up into three parts, as each section dissolves with a change in instrumentation. It keeps the single moving on a smooth course, anticipating the next direction before it can become monotonous.

        The lavish “Mirrors” is the can’t-miss event of the year.