Thinking Out Loud and All of Me
I'll admit it, I am a sucker for beautiful slow ballads. Each year there are one or two slow songs that make it to the top 40 list and become instant classics, especially for weddings. Last year in 2014 it was John Legend's song "All of Me." It is such a simple song, the instrumentation is mostly just voice and piano, but the performance and lyrics are just marvelous and send chills down your spine.
This year we have "Thinking Out Loud," by Ed Sheeran, another great ballad that just hit the number one slot in the top 40. This song is also a relatively simple arrangement, starting with just voice and guitar, but unlike All of Me, it builds and adds drums with occasional keyboards and backing vocals. The chord progression and feeling is really similar to Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." Listen to the snare on both tracks, and they have the same character. That said, the melody, mood and emotion is something completely different. Thinking Out Loud is sweet, subtle, a little bit tender, and even has space for a nice guitar solo in the middle.
The videos to both Thinking Out Loud and All of Me are also worth watching. Thinking Out Loud is a beautiful couple sharing what appears to be their first dance. All of Me is John Legend playing piano and singing his heart out. Both of these are great romantic songs that can be played for slow dances, first dances, or any occassion where you want to make the mood sweet and intimate, and for that I am grateful.
Written by: DJ Dave Roth
For: Breezy Day Productions, Lexington, MA
