It's amusing how one song could mean differently for different people. I guess the way we interpret songs really depends on our mood, feelings, personal experience and other factors.
For someone who doesn't have a lot of experience when it comes to love, Little Mix's hit ballad "Secret Love Song" sure did strike a note. From the moment I heard the first line of the song, I felt goosebumps all over. And it's not just because of the powerful and emotional voices of the four amazingly talented girls of Little Mix.
As usual, "Secret Love Song" was recommended by a friend. I knew Little Mix, of course, but I didn't really like their genre so I never listened to any of their songs. They did pique my interest some time last year when I saw a video clip of them doing a fantastic mash-up of Jason Derulo's "Want to Want Me" and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody". That's when I realized how talented they are. The harmony of their voices was freaking awesome! And to think they were only put together as a group on X-Factor.
So I sort of looked up clips of them singing covers of other songs and mash-ups. But I still didn't listen to any of their songs. It was the kind of thing that I kept on putting off, telling myself I'd do it later... and then later becomes never.
Finally, I found a reason to listen to them. I'm not sure about the exact details which led me to watch the music video for "Secret Love Song". From the get-go, and the stark simplicity of the lyrics, I already interpreted it as a song for two people who love each other but they cannot be together - for some inexplicable and unfortunate reasons.
The lines "Why can't I say that I'm in love? I want to shout it from the rooftops... I wish that it could be like that. Why can't we be like that?" just hit home. Jade's clear and sweet voice reverberates in my head every time she sings her parts. And with Perrie's strong and powerful vocals, anyone listening to the song could feel the intense emotion behind the song.
Interestingly enough, the heartrending love song, which features RnB singer Jason Derulo, came about because Derulo saw Little Mix's cover of his song "Want to Want Me" - the same clip that made me notice the girls.
Derulo said in an interview with Digital Spy, "I'm in America so I wasn't super familiar with them, but once I heard the cover, I went and did some research and I liked the stuff that they've done."
In addition to that, Derulo could totally relate to "Secret Love Song". He recalled "an affair he had with a lady that he was head over heels in love with... but she has a boyfriend."
According to Little Mix's Leigh-Anne Pinnock "the song details the plight of a couple who's in love but can't be together."
Some people, on the other hand, have a very different take on the song's meaning. According to digitalspy.com: "Fans were quick to note that the narrative of 'Secret Love Song' could actually apply to the struggles the LGBTQ community face when coming to terms with their sexuality and showing affection in public."
Aside from the wonderful melody and catchy rhythm of the song, the way the girls sing was just so heartfelt that even I can relate to it. The more I listened to the song, the more it made sense to me. I guess I have my lesbian friend to thank for recommending this awesome and memorable song to me.
CREDITS: songfacts.com, digitalspy.com
