Reviewing: Colbie Caillat's "All of You"

M: Music
For music, I thought I'd go old school and make an artist review like I used to do all the time.  Today I'll be reviewing Colbie Caillat's latest album, "All of You."  I'll try not to be biased, since I'm a fan of Colbie Caillat's music.  I love the tone of her voice and the peaceful feel to all of her songs.  I was excited when my dad mentioned she just came out with a new album.  Since she is a secular artist and her songs tend to be very clean, I was eager to see if this album would be the same way.

A huge smile came over my face when "Brighter than the Sun" first came on.  I love the cheerful rhythm.  It's such a happy song, which I love.  However, I was disappointed after I heard the d-word in the second verse.  "Brighter than the Sun" is about a girl who is surprised that she is fallen so quickly in love with a guy.  "Oh, this is how is starts, lightning strikes the heart.  It goes off like a gun, brighter than the sun.  Oh, we could be the stars, falling from the sky, shining how we want, brighter than the sun."  While I love the cheery feel to the song, I didn't like the use of the d-word, so I'll have to give this particular song a thumbs down.

I love "I Do," a song about a girl who finally finds a guy who makes her want to say "I do."  "It's always been about me, myself, and I.  I thought relationships were nothing but a waste of time.  I never wanted to be anybody's other half... That was the only way I knew 'til I met you.  You make me want to say, 'I do. I do...'"  This single was released a while back, but it still cheers me up.  What I love the most about this song is that it's about a long-lasting love relationship that includes marriage.  So many secular love songs don't seem to include that part.  "Me, a family, a house, a family.  Ooh, can we be a family? And when I'm eighty years old and sitting next to you..."  

"Before I Let You Go" is about a girl whose significant other can't stop thinking about his ex, and the girl is ready to let him go.  "'Cause you'er still so stuck in that life and I refuse to stay on this ride.  'Cause we're going 'round in circles.  Aren't you tired of never having peace?"  This wasn't my favorite song on the album because I didn't like the topic as much as the cheerier songs.

"What If" is a cute love song about a girl who has fallen in love and is imagining all of the wonderful things she hopes will come.  Marriage is also mentioned in this song, which I like.  "Picturing all our plans, I close my eyes and I can see you, and you ask, 'Will you marry me?'"  

"Shadow" Is a more serious song on the album, written from the perspective of a girl who is about to leave her significant other.  "If you want to leave, then just go, 'cause I can't get no sun in your shadow.  If you ain't gonna love me and find me, then I'm gonna turn the other cheek and go."

"Think Good Thoughts" would have to be my absolute favorite song on this album.  You can probably see why from the title itself.  It's a song all about positivity and happiness.  "Think Good Thoughts" starts out with a girl who is unhappy and finally becomes sick of her negativity.  "I'm tired of the angry hanging out in me, so I'll quiet down the devil.  I'm gonna knock him with a shovel, and I'll bury all my troubles underneath the rubble.  When I'm alone in my dark, dark room, I'll have to think good thoughts, think good thoughts.  Imagine what the world would be if we would just think good thoughts."  I love the bridge, when Colbie sings, "I just think rain on a summer night, stars filling up the sky, sun shining on my face, making a secret wish, finding my happiness.  This always makes me hold my head up high."  If you're having an awful day, "Think Good Thoughts" is a happy song that will bring a smile to your face.

"Like Yesterday" is a song about a girl who once thought she could live without love and then found someone who she couldn't live without.  It's a typical love song with pretty words.  "In the starlight after dark, kissing in the pouring rain."  Every girl's dream, right?  I can't help but think of Spiderman. ;)

"All of You" made me think of the stereotypical persistant girlfriend.  See if you can get why.  "Tell me everything.  Tell me every little thing and I won't run away.  I want to hear your heart, every single beating part: the good and the bad.  I swear I won't be mad.  It's you I want.  Just all of you."  This isn't my favorite song on the album.  Although I couldn't find any inappropriate lyrics, it still seemed a little shallow.

"Dream Life Life" is another laid back and cheerful song.  It's about a girl who wants to sit back and enjoy life with her friends and loved ones.  "All I want is a dream life life with the ones I love, playing all day long, laying back by the water slide with nowhere to go and the music on... Dear summer, will you find your way back home?  I miss your golden kiss, how you warm my skin.  Where did you go?  Take all of my worries and burn them up."

I wasn't a huge fan of "What Means the Most."  It's about a girl who, when asked if she was living her dream, wasn't sure until she realized that her true love is what means the most in her life, so she is living her dream.  "What means the most to me is waking up to you, feel the morning breeze.  You're my favorite thing.  In love, coming home to your arms, when you kiss me hello.  It's these simple things that mean the most to me."  Obviously, from a Christian perspective, the Lord should always be what means the most.  As a love song, "What Means the Most" is pretty and sweet, but it wasn't my favorite out of the album.

"Make It Rain" is a song about a girl who is in love and doesn't care what anybody else thinks.  I love the rain, so its first verse brought a smile to my face.  "I have seen when we run we make it rain.  Let's keep going for miles, playing under darkened stormy skies."  However, I don't like what she sings next.  "Push me to the wall.  Let them see, baby.  I don't care at all.  I'm not letting this go.  Like a flower breaking through, we've grown together now."  Of course, our lives shouldn't revolve around what others think, but I'm not a big fan of the whole "Who cares?" attitude and the lyrics I mentioned above seem to indicate a sexual relationship.

"Stereo" is a typical love song, but I think it's so pretty.  "I want to hear you say you love me in both ears, just like guitars on the radio.  So baby, baby, love me, love me in stereo... Let's take all the good times and put'em in a song.  No matter where we are, we can both sing along."  

I literally started laughing when I first heard "Favorite Song."  It's featuring an artist called Common, who I've never heard of.  I'm not sure what to think of the song, since it's so not Colbie Caillat, but it was definitely catchy.  The song is about a girl who wants to be a guy's "favorite song," so she'll be stuck in his head all the time.  "I want to be your melody, flowing through your head when you think of me. I want to be your favorite song."  Probably the most bizarre part of this song is when Common starts to rap.  I never thought I'd see the day when someone starts to rap during a Colbie Caillat song.
Overall, I like this album a lot and will be adding several of these songs to my playlist, including "Think Good Thoguhts," "Stereo," "I Do," and "Dream Life Life."  However, I'll be keeping away from some songs like "Brighter than the Sun" and "Make It Rain."

I personally believe it is fine for a Christian to listen to secular music, so long as the lyrics do not take glory away from God.  We need to remind ourselves constantly of Philippians 4:8, which says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things."  And while I think it's just fine to listen to most of the songs on Colbie's album, remember to balance out listening to love songs and silly, fun songs with listening to worship songs as well.