Information:
- Angel is a song about the band's mother. It's a response to the loss of her mother and a strong conviction that her mother is an angel watching over them in what Andrea hopes is a better place. The lyrics are filled with examples of who their mother was and the lessons she taught them. It's a lovely tribute from a daughter.
Some quotes from Andrea regarding the song:
- From a 2004 GMTV interview (2:50): "Angel lyrically is basically like a conversations with her. It's a very optimistic song, really, because within it, there's an absolute blind faith that she's in a better place, and it's basically like what's it like there."
- From the Borrowed Heaven Documentary (30:22): "Angel myself and Jim wrote. Jim had come up with these chords on the guitar. He's playing the guitar in the studio one day, and I just started singing along with it, which is often the way we've written, and come up with a melody, and it was kind of like a love song. But it wasn't true; I didn't mean any of it. So that's not going to work. It didn't work; the song was a better song than what I was writing. So I just was then like, What do I care about? Obviously, our mother dying is the most life-changing thing that has ever happened to me, that probably will happen, you know, please God."
- Angel is an example of Andrea's penchant for setting dark or sad lyrics to bright, catchy music.
- The album version of the song has a one-step-up key change between the bridge and the chorus (around the 2:30 mark). In live versions, they skipped this and stayed in the same key.
- Andrea has said that she felt when they played this song her mother's spirit and memory were kept alive.
- Produced by Olle Romo.
Written By:
- Angel was written by Andrea and Jim for their mother Jean.
|
Lyrics:
She lived like she knew nothing lasts
Didn't care to look like anyone else
And she was beautiful, so beautiful
I still hear her laugh like she's here
Shower it down on all the young
It isn't so wrong to have such fun
Forever angel, I hope they love you like we do
Forever angel, I'll be proud to be like you
Be like you (I'll be proud to be like you)
Does the sun shine up at you when you're looking down?
Do you get along with the others around?
It's got to be better than before
You don't need to worry now you're gone
Forever angel, I hope they love you like we do
Forever angel, I'll be proud to be like you
Be like you, just like you
And when I go to sleep at night
I'll thank you for each blessed thing surrounding me
For every fall I'll ever break
Each moment's breath I want to taste
Confidence and conscience, decadent extravagance
Never ending providence, for loving when I had the chance
Angel, I hope they love you like we do
Forever angel, I'll be proud to be like you
Forever angel, I'll be proud to be like you
Be like you
I'll be proud to be like you
|