In a Different Light

Twenty years ago, the Bangles’ “Everything” album was released. My older brother had the vinyl record of their previous album “Different Light.” I remember liking the band not because of “Walk like an Egyptian,” but “Manic Monday” and “If She Knew What She Wants.” I got “Everything” on tape, many months after songs like “Eternal Flame” and “In Your Room” became chart hits. I always found “In Your Room” playful and sexy, while “Eternal Flame” was part of my schmaltzy high school romance soundtrack.

But my favorite song from that album, and my fave Bangles song for that matter, is “I’ll Set You Free.” A tweaked, extended version of that was included in the Greatest Hits CD, which I got a while back. I always feel the message of the song when I hear it.

I’ll Set You Free

I remember eyes that shined as they looked so hard back into mine. Now it’s just a memory so I’ll set you free.

I hear you through the wire. Your words all sound like noise. What happened to the fire in your voice? Don’t try to hide the distance. It’s just too big to ignore. We work it out like business. It won’t work anymore.

I remember eyes that shined as they looked so hard back into mine. Now it’s just a memory so I’ll set you free. I remember words that fell like coins into a wishing well. It was never meant to be so I’ll set you free.

Still sometimes late at night, moonlight comes into my window. I can make believe that’s how it used to be. We made it look so easy. We never tried to resist. Somehow you stopped believing. Somehow we’ve come to this.

So now I must go on. What more can I do? What good is being strong, when all I ever really want is you?

All I want is you.

‘Cause you won’t, but I won’t. You won’t, but I won’t tell.