We must admit that #TEAMw21 had slightly lost track with which number single we were up to in Hannah White's year of 12 releases - but "God Only Knows", Hannah helpfully informs us is number eight. latest. If you are hoping for a Beach Boys cover then sadly you'll be disappointed however it's the only letdown that this tune will deliver.
The Lockdown period seems to have had a varying effect on different artists, for some it gave time to write copious amounts of songs that have surfaced over the last few years in massively long albums that in most cases could have been made into much better shorter ones!. By Hannah's own admission, the period was mainly unproductive, however one of the songs that did materialise was "God Only Knows", essentially a letter written to her sister set to music.
Considering that the time was one of uncertainty, especially for performing artists the actual contents are beautifully mundane, yet it quite possibly mirrors the events happening in many houses across the nation - what else could you talk about when very little was happening?
"It's been a long time since we've been together
Since we've seen each other, it's such a long time
I thought I'd sit down and write you a letter
Makes me feel better for such a short time"
Musically things are kept clean and simple, there is slight percussion from Nigel Appleton, Tom Daley's warm sounding bass and on at least three different guitars Keiron Marshall's work perfectly fits the mood, gently moving us forward not trying to steal the show in any way.
"Well hasn't it been the hardest of winters?
I know the seasons and I know the vibes
The sage I was growing has dried up to nothing
In name and in nature this garden is wild"
In essence it is a piece of urban history, everything had changed and yet in some ways nothing had changed!
"Well I'm late with the rent, but the children are standing
Still making dinners and washing their clothes
Running around doing nothing
Maybe it's something - God only knows"
Naturally things turn to reminiscing, about the career that Lockdown put on indefinite hold.
"I remember the days when I was working all hours
I'd drive to a venue to sing to a crowd
I'd jump on the stage still covered in kitchen
Bearing my soul till I'm grounded and proud"
It leads to possibly one of the most accurate succinct summations of the period, written at the time, not seeking to add any hindsight wisdom. It was a that was then and this is now kind of time
"Well those are the memories and these are the days
Bleeding one to another like a river that flows
And doesn’t it feel like nothing means nothing
Or maybe it’s something
God only knows"
The song closes with Hannah reinforcing that writing the letter has been a temporary diversion and her most affecting delivery contains the realisation that the slight relief is now sadly coming to an end.
"Makes me feel better for just a short time"