Song: Fall At Your Feet Artist: Crowded House (Originally published Dec.1, 2011)

I have to admit that I didn’t hear this song until quite recently when I saw Neil Finn perform it live as an acoustic solo on a television show. I pretty much fell at his feet! I have always admired Crowded House, so I’m asking myself why I never bought one of their albums? They have some powerful songs, the songwriting is very solid and their harmonies are simply delicious. “Don’t Dream It’s Over” was the first song that caught my attention when it was released in 1986. Fall At Your Feet can be found on their 1991 album “Woodface”.  You can listen to the song in the iTunes player to the right.

There are a lot of websites or blogs dedicated to song meanings, and on one site I found that most people seemed to have more than one possible interpretation of this one. There seemed to be a general consensus that it had to do with the singer trying to comfort a woman he’s in a relationship with. But others thought it might have more to do with cheating or a break-up. The funny thing about lyrics when we hear them is that we tend to stamp our own meaning and experience on them.  So when you’re a songwriter, you’re always trying to get the idea of a “universal” experience into your lyrics.  If it’s too, too personal, others can’t make it their own.

I think a key line in this song is “the finger of blame that’s turned upon itself”, which to me, indicates some kind of flux in their relationship. Also, when he sings the first verse he’s singing about “her”, whereas the rest of the song is about “you”. However you look at it, there’s a love song in there, and a break up song, and a song about being brought to your knees by a relationship for any one of a number of reasons.

Here are the lyrics:

I’m really close tonight
And I feel like I’m moving inside her
Lying in the dark
And I think that I’m beginning to know her

Let it go
I’ll be there when you call

And whenever I fall at your feet
You let your tears rain down on me
Whenever I touch, your slow turnin’ pain

You’re hidin’ from me now
There’s somethin’ in the way that you’re talkin’
The words don’t sound right
But I hear them all moving inside you

Know
I’ll be waiting when you call

Hey, whenever I fall at your feet
Won’t you let your tears rain down on me?
Whenever I touch, your slow turnin’ pain

The finger of blame has turned upon itself
And I’m more than willing to offer myself
Do you want my presence or need my help?
Who knows where that might lead
I fall

Whenever I fall at your feet
Won’t you let your tears rain down on me?
Whenever I fall (at your feet)
Whenever I fall

Musically, Neil Finn and his older brother Tim, who co-wrote this song and others on the same album, are brilliant. The plaintive melodic phrase “whenever I fall at your feet” is such a beautiful hook, rising as the bass line is falling. I admit though, that I was actually hooked from the first verse of this particular song. If you’ve never explored Crowded House, you should give yourself the pleasure of their music. Have a listen to the song in the video below!

~ IJ