4. Come Back to Me

The really interesting thing about songs #3 and #4 on the record is that although they were written by completely different people, in very different musical styles, thematically, they are very complementary. “Light On” is a song about leaving someone you love, and “Come Back to Me” is about letting someone you love leave.

Other than that, though, “Come Back to Me” is fairly generic, as far as love songs go. It definitely taps into the same sentiment – and by extension, perhaps the same fanbase – as Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby,” although I will argue that David’s version of ABMB is sadder and considerably more moving than CBTM.

For all its faults, I quite like “Come Back to Me.” It’s definitely the most instrumentally diverse song on the record. I think the drums in this song are just phenomenal, especially on the chorus. I think this is the only song where the bass drums get so much mileage, which is a pity, because bass drums add so much depth and richness to a sound. I also love that this song has strings, because the rest of the album is very guitar-heavy. In fact, the strings give this song a very grand, U2-esque feel. I remember when I first heard this song, and thinking it ordinary at first, but then at 2:25, where there’s that extended drum roll that leads into the last iteration of the chorus, and David’s wailing in descant above the melody as the drums, guitars, and strings pound out the chorus below, I found myself entranced by how epic it was.

Lyrically, for a song not written by David Cook, it’s surprisingly David Cook-ish in parts. Granted, some of the lyrics are a bit… cheesy (“Picture you with the wind in your hair” – really? Can you be more generic pop?), and the rhyming is a bit dodgy (“here” and “there,” for instance) but the lines “I can’t get close if you’re not here / I can’t get inside if there’s no soul there” reminds me a little of some of the lyrics in “Makeover,” actually.

One thing that I could do without is the “ooh—ooh” in the last minute or so of the song. And there’s nothing wrong with it; I happen to personally dislike ooh-ing. I have the same problem with the excessive “whoa”-ing in “A Daily AntheM.” I would just rather hear David sing words than vocalizations.

Rating: 4/5
Comments: I wonder how they’re going to play this live. Is David going to have to relearn the violin?