“HE [Doesn’t] LOVES ME”: Words, Sounds, and Disappointment

Never date an artist if you don’t want to end up disappointed about a love that doesn’t exist. Artists’ voices will make you dream about it, but life will wake you up to the undeniable truth. “He Loves Me” is the musical blue pill I willingly took repeatedly. And it felt so good… until it didn’t.

Artist – JILL SCOTT

Song – “He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)”

Album – Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1 (2000)

Do you remember the Millennium bug? It always springs to mind when I think about the year 2000. I’m glad the world didn’t end then because, that year, Jill Scott gifted us with her inspiring and poetic debut album, Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1. I know that in the fully fledged streaming era, albums no longer play a central role in artists’ careers and are actually becoming unbearably unprofitable for the music industry’s newcomers. Nevertheless, when we come across such fine work like Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1, one cannot help but point the finger at the streaming economy’s unmercifulness: unless you’re Drake, you might consider keeping your day job. I’m not considering cancelling my Spotify premium account, though. I even think they should sponsor Never Date an Artist because it’s mostly about emotion-rattling singles. Jill Scott’s “He Loves Me” is a lovely and obvious example.

Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1

Again, I can’t talk about “He Loves Me” without mentioning the album. The track is great on its own, but once you listen to it with the other songs, you’ll realise it’s a precious moment in a very well-structured narrative. Therefore, before you get to “He Loves Me” (track seven), take a moment to learn who Jill Scott is in “Jilltro”. She introduces herself as a poet who likes to sing, and her album is (mostly) about love. Simple, straightforward, and it meets all expectations. This lady uses words like paintbrushes, sharp pencils, and clay. And I feel honoured to be invited to listen to the outcome of her creative process.

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Do reminisce with her in “Do You Remember” about a relationship that I’m not certain the other party knows of (it’s giving stalker vibes here; sorry, Jill!). But no worries, if she’s with the same person in “Exclusively”, you gather she’s over the moon about the romance when she goes out to buy breakfast for two after a full love session. Then, at the shop, she discovers that the relationship might not be as exclusive as she assumed, and a strained conversation ensues in “Getting’ In the Way”. “I Think Is Better” comes next, where Jill says goodbye to a lover to love another… exclusively.

Following her painful decision, it’s time to take “A Long Walk” around the park after dark for conversation, verbal elation, stimulation with a man who’s no saint, but… hey, we all are sinners. Despite his flaws, she thinks he’s so phat, and I do agree if we’re talking about the same man at the end of that black and white video. That long walk is so worth it! The excitement in the lyrics is almost palpable, which makes “He Loves Me” the right track to follow. In “It’s Love”, feelings reach a climax, “The Way” shows a heart smiling, and from “Honey Molasses” onwards, things go sour. Why pretend “to live happily ever after” isn’t a myth, right?

“He Loves Me”: a romantic blue pill

In 2012, I embodied Forrest Gump’s running phase and set it as a goal to run 10k three times a week with no difficulty or shortness of breath. Everything is possible when you have the will and a good soundtrack. Who Is Jill Scott?: Words and Sounds, Vol. 1 was one of the albums playing in rotation in my Sony Walkman, and those songs made my feet feel so light and happy!

“He Loves Me” is probably the song that caught my attention the most because I didn’t know it. At least, I hadn’t kept it in my memory like “Getting’ In the Way” or “A Long Walk” (I always loved that video). So, when I listened to “He Loves Me” for the first time, a feeling of surprise and elation invaded my body during that running workout. The peculiar thing about exercising with music is that we, by ‘we’ I mean I, tend to absorb every word and sound with closer attention. It’s an involuntary action, really. My brain focuses on the music to prevent deceiving thoughts of physical fatigue from creeping in.

Surprising confidence in love

What struck me the most about “He Loves Me” was the novelty (for me) of listening to a female voice explaining so clearly why her lover/partner loves her. How many people can say it with such unwavering confidence, let alone sing about it? We’re not talking about ‘being fond of’, ‘appreciating’, or ‘caring about’. Yes, that’s included. But the main topic is the magic of love! And he loves her. Now, does she love him? Based on her gratified confessional tone and lyrics, I assume she does. She never says it, though. Have you noticed?

Interestingly, if the first line were “I love you”, it would work just as well. The message would be slightly different, I dare say. Nevertheless, in “He Loves Me”, you learn more about the qualities in him that made her fall in love than the specific words he said to confirm the prime assertion. Why does he love her? The conclusion is mostly based on his behaviour and how he makes her feel: happily excited, wooed, courted, pleased, teased, liked, loved. It must be love, right? The answer is a resounding “yes” from both parties (or so I hope), considering the song is about Jill Scott’s then soon to be husband, now ex-husband, Lyzel Williams.

To Love and To Like do not always go hand in hand

One detail that I found particularly interesting is Jill Scott’s mentioning that he likes her. On the surface, it sounds a bit superfluous, bearing in mind that ‘love’ trumps ‘like’. But both sentiments can coexist in perfect harmony without the former cannibalising the latter. Both have their place in the semantics of life and cannot always be coupled together. One can like another without loving them, but the opposite also applies. I understand the assumption that people only love whom they like. It makes sense. However, difficult moments tend to challenge that assumption. A scene from a film or series suddenly springs to mind: the female character turns to her lover and says, “Baby, you know I love you. I just don’t like you right now”. Raise your hand if you can relate!

He loves me. He loved me… not

I’m not the type of person who always pays attention to lyrics. On the contrary, I am a skilled mondegreen practitioner! Not, however, with “He Loves Me”. I’ve always taken every single word in with meticulous attention. And the more I listened, the more I knew those were the words I longed to say to someone. Why? Because I’m attracted to those traits and aspire to feel those feelings. Life is funny, isn’t it? I found that person, and he ticked all the boxes, except for one: “he loves me”. He loved me not.

Never date an artist because they’ll make your heart ache with their words and sounds; or, in the case of Jill Scott, make you believe that a love like that is possible. Or is it? Let me know in the comments.