Music Review: Maroon 5 "Love Somebody"

Maroon 5

Love Somebody

Album: Overexposed

Year: 2013

           Adam Levine wants to be in a meaningful relationship in the endearing  “Love Somebody.”

               Soaring synths open the single, setting a freeing tone.  She only went to get them some more drinks. He asks the question out loud to his friend and then turns his gaze to the bartender.  She’s off to the side of the counter with his cousin. He’s miming digging and already Levine knows what story he’s telling her. He excuses himself from the conversation and heads towards her.  He grabs their drinks and says to his cousin that he needs her for the next dance. He’s tempted to put his arm around her and laugh into her shoulder. He wonders how her job presentation will go on Monday. At lunch, he’ll be calling her to see how it went. Their friends consider them a couple even though they are not dating. She cares for him. He’s certain of it. However, he knows she’s been waiting for him to tell her. (“I know your insides are hollow/And I know it’s such a tough pill for you to swallow/But if I fall for you, I'll never recover/If I fall for you, I'll never be the same.”)

                   In the chorus, he wants to hold her in his arms on the dance floor and simply stare into her eyes for the entire night. (“I really wanna love somebody/I really wanna dance the night away/I know we're only half way there/But you can take me all the way, you can take me all the way/I really wanna touch somebody/I think about you every single day/I know we're only half way there/But you can take me all the way, you can take me all the way.”)

                               She’s awesome at her job and is currently up for a promotion. She’s thoughtful, remembering he hated tomatoes and didn’t put any in the salad she made. He can only hope she loves him back and wants to be with him. He can see them getting married one day.  He couldn’t handle it if she rejected him. Being with her means letting go of the bitterness he’s had for years. However, if she considers tonight a date, he will be okay entering a relationship with her.   (“You're such a hard act for me to follow/Love me today don't leave me tomorrow, yeah/ But if I fall for you, I'll never recover/If I fall for you, I'll never be the same.”)

         In the bridge, he doesn’t know how to begin the conversation for a relationship. Everything he’s thought of sounds like he would be a stalker. It would cause her to run away, thinking he’s a freak. However, the connection they have has been solid for at least two years.  As he helps her put her coat on, the question: “will you spend the night with me?” is caught in his throat. (“I don't know where to start, I'm just a little lost/I wanna feel like we never gonna ever stop/I don't know what to do, I'm right in front of you/Asking you to stay, you should stay, stay with me tonight, yeah.”)

             The chorus is sung again.

            Levine says “you can take me all the way, you can take me all the way” to end the single.

         Levine’s adoring, supple vocals tug at the lovesickness inside of him, pushing and pulling away every time he gets another inch closer to her. However restrained he may be, he’s aching to admit what he feels.

          The pining “Love Somebody” finally gives into the fizzy synths and pops.