Currently, the group comprises singer and harmonica player John Popper, guitarist Chan Kinchla, drummer Brendan Hill, bassist Tad Kinchla and keyboardist Ben Wilson. Tad Kinchla and Ben Wilson joined the band following the death of original bassist Bobby Sheehan in 1999.
While Blues Traveler is best known among fans for their improvisational live shows, the general public is most familiar with the group from their Top 40 singles "Run-Around" and "Hook". They gained mainstream popularity after their fourth studio album four, released in 1994. Sheehan's death and Popper's struggle with obesity put a damper on the group's success, and A&M dropped the band in 2002.
Love Does
Blues Traveler Lyrics
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If summer never came and went, I doubt it would ever phase me
Broken in the moment of the wanton bee to look within to see her face
My fingers reach in to taste but all I meet is my own lips
[Chorus]
Time is fleeting time's a wasting and time is bleeding, forever racing
And time is money and money is time, but love does none of these
She'll twirl and spin me round and never let go the hold she has
From heaven's rafter to the ground and back and forth and twice as fast
Transit in the blink of her big brown eyes and all is right or wrong with the world
More the heart of me than as some would say just some girl
[Chorus]
But my heart beats as we say goodnight
Hoping for a kiss
Um this feeling that I get to keep
Love can most definitely do this
She's the only thing that shines among the murky gels of pink and blue
Club speakers make their noise but they can't drown out what is true
Captured in the passion of an honest smile and last call leaves us little else
I reach for her to make her turn but all I meet is my own lips
[Chorus]
Love won't keep time
Love won't keep time
Feels like forever
I'm here whenever
The song "Love Does" by Blues Traveler is a beautiful ode to the power and timelessness of love. The opening lines set the scene of the singer lying on the grass, mesmerized by the woman's bellybutton. The singer muses that if summer never ended, he wouldn't mind, emphasizing his desire to stay in the moment with her. He is broken out of his reverie by a bee, and takes the opportunity to focus on the woman's face. However, instead of feeling her skin, he meets his own lips. This line showcases the powerful imagery used throughout the song, and sets up the idea that the singer is compelled to pursue a love that may not be reciprocated.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the fleeting nature of time, but contrasts it with the steadfastness of love. The juxtaposition of time and love is poignant, as the two are often held up as competing forces in modern life. The singer reinforces this idea with the lines, "And time is money and money is time, but love does none of these." This sentiment stands in sharp contrast to the rest of the song, which is a sensory experience of the love the singer feels for the woman.
In the final verses, the singer expresses his desire for the woman, expressing that she is the only one who shines in the murky world around him, with club speakers blaring implicitly meaningless noise. The song ends on a note of surrender, with the singer stating that he will be there for the woman whenever she needs him. The theme of surrender is continued with the repeated assertion that love won't keep time, emphasizing the unimportance of time in the grander scheme of things.
Line by Line Meaning
She lies out on the grass, her bellybutton fascinates me
I find myself mesmerized by the smallest details of her being.
If summer never came and went, I doubt it would ever phase me
I don't care about time. I could stay in this moment forever.
Broken in the moment of the wanton bee to look within to see her face
The chaos of the world fades away when I focus on her.
My fingers reach in to taste but all I meet is my own lips
Even when I try to touch her, I'm only reminded of myself.
[Chorus] Time is fleeting time's a wasting and time is bleeding, forever racing
And time is money and money is time, but love does none of these
Love does none of these
While everything else around me is fleeting and money-driven, love exists outside of those constraints.
She'll twirl and spin me round and never let go the hold she has
She has a hold on me that I don't ever want to let go of.
From heaven's rafter to the ground and back and forth and twice as fast
She takes me on a journey that's both breathtaking and exhilarating.
Transit in the blink of her big brown eyes and all is right or wrong with the world
Everything seems balanced and justified when I look into her eyes.
More the heart of me than as some would say just some girl
She means more to me than anyone else could ever realize.
[Chorus]
Love is not bound by time or money. It's something deeper and more meaningful.
But my heart beats as we say goodnight
My heart races with anticipation when it comes time to say goodbye.
Hoping for a kiss
All I want is one last moment of connection before we part ways.
Um this feeling that I get to keep
I want to hold onto this feeling forever.
Love can most definitely do this
Love has the power to make everything else feel insignificant.
She's the only thing that shines among the murky gels of pink and blue
She stands out among the chaos and confusion of life.
Club speakers make their noise but they can't drown out what is true
Even in a noisy environment, I can still hear the truth when I'm with her.
Captured in the passion of an honest smile and last call leaves us little else
We're lost in the moment together and nothing else matters.
I reach for her to make her turn but all I meet is my own lips
Sometimes, even when I try to connect with her, I'm reminded of how separate we are.
[Chorus] Love won't keep time
Love won't keep time
Feels like forever
I'm here whenever
Love may not be bound by time. but it sure feels like forever when we're together.
Lyrics © MCDMAN MUSIC, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BEN WILSON, BRENDAN HILL, CHAN KINCHLA, DAVID BIANCO, JOHN C. POPPER, TAD KINCHLA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind