Begin the Beguine

When I heard that David’s 4th studio album ‘Begin’ (I don’t consider ‘Forevermore’ to be an official David Archuleta album) was to be released this August a song with this word in the title immediately sprang to mind.

I don’t suppose many of you would know about this song. I’m not trying to insult anyone here but the song was written in the 1930s before any of you (me included) were born. The beauty of the song lies in it’s timelessness and the many interpretations of the word ‘Beguine’ which the songwriter has cleverly alluded to in it’s melody, thematic elements and lyrics. It also sounds as good today as it did back in the 1930s. This is a more recent version of the song by Michael Buble:

I find the word ‘Beguine’ intriguing because of it’s many meanings; it’s the name of a ballroom dance that originated from the West Indies, it’s the name of a sisterhood of religious women that, although not particularly affiliated to any religious order, leads a very austere life, it’s also the name of music written in the bolero rhythm and also appropriately rhymes with the word ‘Begin’.

But the definition that I like the most comes from the French word which is also spelled ‘Beguine’ which means infatuation or flirtation.

The song ‘Begin the Beguine’ often talks of beginning something and also reminiscing about something that’s lost. For those who are more romantically inclined it’s a song of lost love and what could have been. It has a very wistful feeling to it – a memory of something that’s sweet and nostalgic tinged with regret for not having done more and yet reluctant to rekindle the fire:

What moments divine, what rapture serene,
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted,
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted,
I know but too well what they mean;

It’s probably true to say that I’ve lost a bit of my ‘infatuation’ with David lately because I feel that he has not applied himself to his craft with enough artistic integrity. His more current musical endeavours comes across as far less ‘involved’ and frankly, plain lazy. It’s disappointing and perplexing to say the least. I find it hard to imagine the possibility that he could ever lack the inner pride to strive to create something noteworthy in his chosen field in which I feel he has ample talent to leave a significant imprint.

It feels like he is more often ruled by his heart than by his head, which is not always bad I suppose if you’re talking about helping a fellow human being, but in one’s chosen work one must have that singular pride and integrity, an unyielding compulsion to make sure that it’s done well. It doesn’t matter what type of effort you put forth – how and what we create makes a big statement about who we are. It’s a reflection of our character – whether we have pride in our work or are we just going through the motions and hoping for the best? Would we expect a Leonardo Da Vinci to be anything less than distinctive? Or a Picasso to be dull and uninspiring?

But I am prepared to throw caution to the wind and trust that David has expended more effort in this forthcoming CD. I am ready to be ‘bewitched, beguiled and bewildered’ once more for a talent and a voice that deserves to be better represented. So like the song says ‘begin the beguine’ and lets be reminded of the past which once promised so much and hope that the magic and allure is still there. I want that magic again.