Arguably the rawest and most emotionally telling song on Jeff Buckley’s iconic 1994 album Grace, this song seems to transcend musical genres. Both fans and stars of multiple types of music see this as one of their favourites. It hits so close to the human condition that it refuses era and genre. It just is. If it needs a genre, instead of being ’90s indie’ or ‘singer-songwriter’, it needs to be put in the ‘true, honest and raw outpouring of grief’ category.
It was recorded at Bearsville Studio in Woodstock, New York, with producer Andy Wallace. He was chosen for his work just before this project, on Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine’s debut albums. Wallace was an easy pick for him due to Buckley’s love of Rage Against the Machine and the obvious genius of Nevermind. Choosing Columbia as the label was also a decision made for its past stars such as Bob Dylan. He seemed to have always had being a part of history in his mind.
The song in question is written about his fading relationship with the musician, actress and artist Rebecca Moore. As their relationship was coming to an end, Buckley described how he wrote this song in his apartment while waiting for a phone to ring that never rang. He knew that he had made irreversible mistakes in their relationship, but wanted one more chance to experience her and to save their love. It is track seven on the album and rubs shoulders with such classics as Hallelujah and Last Goodbye, to mention just two. It is 6 minutes and 43 seconds of Buckley explaining how he himself is responsible for his own current turmoil.
The song is in D major, which may be surprising for such a melancholic song, but Buckley’s knowledge of the guitar takes us on a massive journey. This is far from a simple four-chord song; we are taken on a musical journey of rising and falling chord progressions. There is also the fact that his voice is so tender and emotionally weighted that we get the depth of feeling from there instead. He laments and holds notes so that we can hear that heartbreak seeping through.
The most quoted lyric is probably “Too young to hold on and too old to just break free and run”, and for good reason. A very identifiable lyric, showing Buckley in a position where he feels like he is not mature enough to be secure and committed, but also too far into it to be able to just do whatever he likes. With great love comes great responsibility. We know as the song goes along that the fact that this love is over is taking a massive toll on him and is heartbreaking. He says, “My body turns, and yearns for a sleep that will never come”. We can hear the pain, the guilt, and the wish to do it over again, but better. We hear him start the repetition of the line “It’s never over“, the lyric that has lent itself to the recent documentary film about his life. He then tells of the massive things he would give for the small things he misses. “My kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder” and “all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter”. He then finishes by saying, “she’s a tear that hangs inside my soul forever”; we are left in no doubt about the depth of depression here.
There is a lot of talk about the circumstances regarding Buckley being found in the Mississippi River on the 4th of June 1997. The official ruling was that he was taken under the water by a passing boat, which is the most probable and plausible explanation, but such is the depth of songs like Lover You Should’ve ComeOver,people who identify emotionally and artistically with Buckley will always leave a door open to his own anguish being a motive. The pain, regret and feelings of never getting over it exhibited here are undeniable.
Buckley said, “I don’t really need to be remembered; I hope the music’s remembered”, which is its own contradiction in regard to him because, with his music being so personal, as his music is remembered, so is he. It is hard to separate it from him as a person. This song perfectly encapsulates that. Millions love it because we are taken into the very depths of a man’s heart through his music.
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