I've got butterflies in my stomach.
This rate is so very dear to me.
:
I love both of these songs, but only one can win.
Before we get to our winner, please join me in paying tribute to our more than deserving runner up:
#2. Fireproof [8.792]
High Score: 11 x 8 (
@eccentricsimply,
@Fever,
@GhettoPrincess,
@Macsun,
@ohnostalgia,
@tylerc904,
@wackseed,
@Xanthippe) 10 x 9 (
@CorgiCorgiCorgi,
@DJHazey,
@KAG,
@Lost In Japan.,
@MarkB,
@MollieSwift21,
@sexercise,
@Subwaykid,
@With The Bands)
Low Score: 0 x 1 (
@Mr. Right), 3 x 1 (
@iheartpoptarts), 4 x 1 (
@A$AP Robbie), 6 x 2 (
@Sprockrooster,
@VivaForever)
I've had over a month to sit with that zero and honestly I don't want to dignify it with a response. Instead I'm going to focus on the following: 1) Fireproof was your #1 song for approximately half the voting period, 2) for a good week Fireproof had a 10+ average, 3) you blessed Fireproof with the most 11s. While Fireproof is not the winner of this rate, I'm so endeared by how many voters embraced this beautiful gem of a pop song into their hearts. In my eyes, that's just as amazing as if it'd taken the crown.
Flashback to September 8th, 2014: One Direction releases Fireproof as a free download on their website for twenty-four hours. I'm struggling to express the pure euphoria I felt that day. If I could use one word to describe Fireproof it would be stunning. Gorgeous harmonies, gorgeous melody, gorgeous lyrics, gorgeous
everything. This wouldn't sound out of place on a Fleetwood Mac album, which is the highest of compliments from me. I never ever ever thought One Direction was capable of
this. I think it's completely fair to say that Fireproof took over my life. I vividly remember driving to a pumpkin festival with my two friends, blasting Fireproof, singing along with complete abandon in the backseat. Our joy turned to absolute delight when a middle aged woman gave us the stink eye at a red light. Oh to not understand, to not be Fireproof; what a terrible fate indeed. As some of you are aware, my lifelong battle with anxiety took a sharp disastrous turn in 2014. I can't help but notice how well that opening line matches my experiences:
"I think I'm going to lose my mind, something deep inside me I can't give up. I think I'm gonna lose my mind, I roll and I roll 'til I'm out of luck." It's like a gut punch, but in a good way? And to close it with the complete reverse is so completely staggering to me:
"I think I'm gonna win this time, riding on the wind and I won't give up. I think I'm gonna win this time, I roll and I roll 'til I change my luck." It's such a powerful moment for me. One that I'm so glad I got to experience
at the very first live performance of Fireproof. Truly, it was meant to be.
I really do appreciate that
@iheartpoptarts (3) softened the blow for me-
"I hate to be so negative, but this was honestly such an “I give up” moment for me. All of a sudden they didn’t even sound like the kind of group I’d listen to anymore.."
@A$AP Robbie (4) has-
"no idea why this was the grat track" but I think that all the times I've played this for people and they've fallen in love says it all.
@VivaForever (6) -
"I know you’re all going to hate me, but this is just okay for me, not world-changing. But still, better than average, and therefore far better than 90% of Midshite Memories." I guess I shouldn't expect someone who thought Hilary Duff's Little Lies was an original song to get it.
I love
@Furball (7) for giving it a chance-
"It's nice I suppose, but 70s is not my fave decade."
We're through,
@Posh Spears (7.5)-
"This song is fine but I don’t think it’s gonna win this time. Sorry @ohnostalgia."
@SophiaSophia (8)-
"This has potential grower all over it." You'll never forget it.
@First2Run (9)-
"What a pleasant slow-jam, which is usually a One Direction weak spot."
Err... this is awkward
@constantino (9)-
"Wait at Niall actually sounding decent for once! When I saw the title I was expecting a bop, which this certainly isn’t, but it’s a nice song regardless. The decision to give the first two verses to Niall and Louis cost this a 10. Like Night Changes, the chorus is subtle but deadly with repeated listens. It’s remarkable how much more prominent Zayn’s vocals are to me now that I’ve heard his solo work. I definitely appreciate him more now." ...... You do realize Harry opens this? Right?
@Up Down Suite (9.5) singles out my fave part-
"Ah, the free download track. I enjoyed this from the very first play, the backing vocals are bliss."
@sexercise (10)-
"Finally their folk nonsense done right. The day they gave this for free was a great one."
@With The Bands (10) -
"Simply sublime, a career highlight – those harmonies!"
@CorgiCorgiCorgi (10)-
"This is very Fleetwood Mac. And I love it."
@KAG (10)
- "I like this song a lot. It's melodically sturdy, the production is smooth and everyone sounds good. I love their harmonizing. The instrumental after Louis' verse is awkward though."
Zayn and Liam have
@DJHazey (10) praising male vocalists! "
This song is sweet and has an old school 70s easy-listening vibe to it. Whoever is providing the higher registers in the chorus really does a great job selling this song. This is probably what a One Direction campfire song would sound like. It probably would have been a better choice for lead single, instead of the ’free download’ treatment it apparently got."
@Macsun (11) captures this beauty in three words-
"Classic melancholic masterpiece. Should be heralded at what great stuff 1D can produce. Liam's(?) harmonies all over the place is everything"
@eccentricsimply (11)-
"It's so good. It has a really nice vibe to it, it's a lovely song and the lyrics are really good. The arrangement is great. It deserved more than it got. It's my 11."
This is beautiful,
@Xanthippe (11)-
"i absolutely love this song, it´s like a musical embrace, i can listen to this over and over again, and i love it more every time."
@tylerc904 (11)-
"A last minute switch to my 11. Those last cascading choruses are just heavenly. An example of their potential realized, shame it wasn't a single."
This is honestly better than my entire write-up, please don't skim our final commentary from
@wackseed (11)-
"As I recall the boys took turns writing the songs on this album, and Liam and Louis wrote this one. It could be taken as a song about a relationship, but really this song is 100% about the members of the band at a time when they were on the verge of falling apart. It's honest and candid, just short of becoming raw in how needy and fervent the chorus is. It's about love coming to an end, while being aware that nobody else is going to love you like that person – or those four people – did."
