I am not in love, but I know a lot of people who are.

Damn the springtime.

Lover seems to carry a different meaning today than it used to. I had a professor who couldn’t help giggling whenever he heard or said the word. I giggle when I think about this professor giggling. He’s a funny guy.

The word today has extramarital overtones, as if the one you’re married to cannot possibly love you the way a lover can.

This song seems to portray a lover as, plainly, someone who loves.

Yet, it doesn’t downplay how complicated relationships are. You can feel the aching and longing in the words that fuse so well with the music. The song gives me a little insight about being in love; about being a lover and having one.

It’s a simple and beautiful duet, by two artists who know how to sing this type of song perfectly: Rachael Yamagata and Ray LaMontagne.

Oh lover, hold on
’till I come back again
For these arms are growin’ tired,
And my tales are wearing thin

If you’re patient I will surprise,
When you wake up I’ll have come

All the anger will settle down
And we’ll go do all the things we should have done

Yes I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
I’ll be here if you will only come back home

Oh lover, I’m lost
Because the road I’ve chosen beckons me away

Oh lover, don’t you roam
Now I’m fighting words I never thought I’d say

But I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
I’ll forgive you oh
If you just come back home

Oh lover, I’m old
You’ll be out there and be thinking just of me

And I will find you down the road
And we’ll return back home to where we’re meant to be

’cause I remember what we said
As we lay down to bed
We’ll be back soon as we make history.