Natalie Merchant – Beloved Wife

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  General Comment:I also lost my wife. Seven years ago and i feel the loss every day. This song brings me to tears every time i listen to it. As the previous post stated. i dont think you can fully understand how good this song is unless you lost your true love. Listening, feeling, crying to this song is therapeutic and keeps her with me. It is simply amazing. I saw Natalie live 4 times and for the first time i saw her sing it live in NJ on 12/09/12.

  Flag mark77on December 11, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:i lost my wife four years ago and every day since i have prayed to be with her the only thing stopping me is the fact that suicide is a sin so i must suffer till i do get to go. this song hits the nail on the head and untill you have lost some one who was your reason for living i dont think you can fully understand how good this is

  Flag andycam95on October 03, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I also read it's about her grandparents. Natalie pours so much of her soul; her very being, into this song, when she gets to the lyric's, "it's you I can't deny, it's you I can't defy, a depth so deep, into my grief, her voice cracks. Hearing her sing with that much emotion and when her voice cracks but yet she sings on, gets me every time!

  Flag lsa196on September 17, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I read an interview some time ago and this song was written about her great grandparents, whom she never met. The story was written after hearing stories and from a picture that she has or found of them. I think the story went that grandma died and grandpa followed very quickly behind her. Such an amazing tribute to them and my gosh Natalie is so talented.

  Flag Nomadgrrlon June 10, 2009   Link

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    I believe you are correct, and if you noticed, part way through the song you can hear her sob a little on the track.

    Flag Humnuton January 05, 2011  
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  General Comment:=-[ I dont know what id do if my loved one died....

  Flag King of Some Islandon June 30, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:...Am I the only one who cries of sadness everytime I listen to this song?... The sadness, the loss, the anguish, the desperation and the love of the lonely old man are all magnified and intesified by Natalie's superb voice. At the end it makes you want to justify and grant the old man his suicidal wishes. The piano is beautiful, simply moving and nostalgic itself. You're right, one of Merchant's best songs (if not her best).

  Flag RogerRogeron March 26, 2008   Link

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    agreed.. my eyes always sting with tears when I hear this song.. Yet I love it so much.

    Flag sem3000on August 10, 2009  

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    Also agreed. It's one of those songs I don't listen to often but when I do tend to hear it, it goes on repeat all day.

    Flag MarkCox11on July 16, 2012  
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  General Comment:Well, this is cheery isn't it?

  Flag Skoorbon January 08, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:It's the simplest and probably the most important song about grief that I've heard. You don't necessarily have to have lost a loved-one to sickness to relate to this song. It may be as well grieving the death of your relationship.
  
  
  
  
  Been 5 months and I'm never the same again.

  Flag wolfphileon November 09, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:to now listen to this song after what jack the brat wrote makes me love it more.I was always wondering why she was singing from a male point of view ( though it was a cover maybe!!??) so now i know so thanks for sorting that out for me.

  Flag evenfunnieron July 23, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:beautiful song...the piano in it is amazing....my teacher played it for us when we were writing poetry we had to write to someone. sweet song

  Flag sleeping_sun07on March 02, 2007   Link

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