Day 4: All Fired Up – Matt Corby

 

Love is fun. You have cute dates, meet each other’s families, and just have a good time. It’s easy, right? Well, no. It’s fun, but not always easy.

Love is a commitment, too, no matter who you love. Not just romantic partners, but family and friends. You commit to spending time with them, showing them you care, and being there for them. Sometimes that takes sacrifice. And when it goes awry, well, it can get messy fast.

Sometimes, it’s good to take stock. At the beginning of this year, I did some evaluating. What am I putting energy into, and what am I neglecting? What does that say about me? I realized that I was very inward-focused – focusing on what was going on inside of me instead of outside. I realized I had to straighten out my “outside” affairs and really pay attention to what I was devoting time to. Was I watching Netflix in my spare time, or reading a book? Was I connecting with friends, or avoiding them? Was I checking in on people, or just worried about my own affairs?

I made a mini resolution at the New Year that I wanted to invest in the people I was close to. I wanted to show them I cared. So I started being a bit more intentional with my inner circle – making plans, sending “hey, how are you?” text messages, doing some relational housekeeping, if you will. I’m not saying this to make me sound like this amazing person, because I still failed in many ways, and I’m still taking stock of what’s important to me.

What gets me all fired up, if you will.

Day 4: All Fired Up – Matt Corby

This song is not what you think it is. When I showed this song to my boyfriend, he thought it was gonna be riotous and fist-pumping. But it’s very much not. Matt Corby is known for his melodic, soulful voice that does best in legato rather than staccato, if you know what I mean. The song opens with a simple melody played on keys, followed by one, constant tone above the first verse, as if exemplifying the constancy of love.

We could try
To put out a light that’s been on so long
I never missed you until I know I won’t be coming home
But I’m always coming home

I know people in longterm relationships. And longterm is never smooth-sailing. Most people I talk to about marriage say marriage is hard, which isn’t always how we see it from the outside. One of my friends said it’s never 50-50. Some days you give more, some days you take more. It all depends on yours and your partner’s needs. Corby sings about that longterm effect. Sometimes love gets tired, and you come to a crossroads. He’s singing to us at that crossroads – a possibility of “putting out a light.” Then he says something interesting, something along the lines of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.” Yes, the longterm might be hard, but it’s worth it.

Cause when you fall I fall
When you break I break

To me, this line is reminiscent of a verse from the book of Ruth: “Where you go, I will go.” Sometimes this passage is spoken as a wedding vow. I’d argue that Corby’s lyrics could be the same. When life is hard, we’re in it together. That’s why we made this commitment. The same could be said for any relationship – friends, family, houseplants (maybe. Just keep watering them, okay?)

You’ve got me all fired up
I’ve got my hands tied up
I wanna know what gets you all fired up
Got me all fired up

As I poured into people this year, I realized that I felt a lot more filled up myself. It wasn’t a chore to look after the people I love. Love is supposed to get you all fired up. That’s why there’s so many love songs out there.

Corby changes his tone slightly in the bridge. We can imagine that there have been rocky moments in this relationship, but this song seems like a re-commitment. “Hey, whatever you’re going through, I’m right alongside you. Whatever arguments or disagreements we have, whatever changes occur, we go together.” Here’s the bridge:

Try a little harder
Don’t let it destroy you
Don’t regret the things that made you strong

Mistakes happen in relationships. People can grow distant for one reason or another. And people inevitably change. That’s where most relationships come to a crossroads. But Corby urges his partner not to let it destroy her – “don’t regret the things that made you strong.” Because mistakes are okay, as long as you say you’re sorry, and come out of it on the other side stronger than you were before.

I’ve seen longterm relationships fall apart. It’s one of the most painful things to watch – two people who were so involved in each other’s lives just become complete strangers. It leaves a lot of lasting damage. So what happens? A crack in the foundation? A misunderstanding? Distrust? Betrayal?

It can be anyone of those things, but I think part of it is how you stand when the going gets tough. Will you go when they go? Will you break when they break?

You gotta be there for them. No matter who “they” are. A pillar of every relationship is just being present. Listening. And being all fired up for them.