Loving You Will Be The Death Of Me
Tom Odell
The Intensity of Love and Its Consequences
Tom Odell's song "Loving You Will Be The Death Of Me" delves into the complexities of a passionate, yet potentially destructive relationship. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a love so intense that it borders on the obsessive, likening the connection between the lovers to a drug. The repeated invocation of 'Jesus Christ' at the beginning of several verses suggests a plea for help or an expression of astonishment at the situation they find themselves in. The setting of their encounters, 'in the toilet making love,' implies a raw, perhaps reckless intimacy that defies conventional romantic norms.
The chorus, 'Time is passing by so fast,' followed by mundane imagery like 'Friday night in front of the TV,' contrasts the extraordinary fervor of their love with the banality of everyday life. This juxtaposition highlights the all-consuming nature of their relationship, which seems to eclipse everything else. The protagonist's prayer to make God aware of their predicament underscores the sense of desperation and the fear that this love might indeed be fatal, either metaphorically or literally.
The song's title, 'Loving You Will Be The Death Of Me,' encapsulates the central theme of the lyrics: the acknowledgment of the dangers of their love, yet an inability or unwillingness to change course. The repeated line 'We should slow down' is immediately followed by 'I don't know how,' indicating a loss of control and the difficulty of moderating their intense emotions. The song is a poignant exploration of the darker side of love, where passion and pleasure are intertwined with risk and potential ruin.