GOSHEN, Ind. – There are two elements to a song that I’m a sucker for; somber lyrics and a summer tone. The song “Time Makes Fools of Us All” by Nathaniel Ratelife and The Night Sweats has it both.
Off the jump, they placed me straight into a time full of sweltering heat and sunscreen with the groovy guitar intro, reminiscent of a summer road trip with friends. Following the initial rush of the guitar, the lyrics tell a different story, setting the tone with a simple yet effortless honesty.
“In the storm we waited it out, to see if it would clear // But the weather was so hard back then // it stuck with us for years.”
While these lyrics remind me of summer, he sings of winter and grief, followed by an overarching darkness. With the darkness though, he speaks of green grass and making it through the winter. Even the singing of a child being born. He sings of hope.
Throughout the song, the chorus is a hopeful gut punch on the cost of living a good life and going all in on the good. Stating that “Time makes fools of us,” and “I’m feeling it now.”
Although the lyrics and guitar seem contradictory, they complement each other beautifully with the guitar modifying what used to be words of pain into words of wisdom. This song embodies the good of nostalgia while acknowledging the twinge of pain that comes with our stories – our lives. Especially a good one.
This song encapsulates the bittersweet feeling of graduating from high school and the turmoil that ensues; good and bad. This song is about heartbreak, love, hope, pain, wonder, and love.
– Charlie, Globe Pal
Each week, a Globe-pal (AKA a DJ at 91.1 the Globe) uploads a review of a Globe track that is sent out and posted on globeradio.org/music. The Globe Track of the Week is proudly presented by 91.1 the Globe, the best college radio station in Indiana.
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