Her self-titled debut album, Mathilde Santing, came out in 1982 and she gas released well over fifteen studio albums since, most of them sung in English, although she sometimes performs and records in her mother tongue as well. Known for her whispery and vulnerable vocal style, Santing is a prominent gay role model in The Netherlands. She sang at the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1998 Gay Games in Amsterdam.
Santing's biggest chart success came in 1999 with the lush ballad 'Wonderful Life', which hit #6 in the Dutch Top 40. The song was taken from the 1999 album To Others To One, which is her highest charting album in her native Netherlands to date, reaching #4 in the Dutch album charts.
Ain't That Peculiar
Mathilde Santing Lyrics
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Stay away too long and I can't do without you
Every chance you get you seem to hurt me more and more
But each hurt makes my love stronger than before
I know flowers go through rain
But how can love go through pain
Ain't that peculiar
Ain't that peculiar baby
Peculiar as can be
You tell me lies that should be obvious to me
I've been so much in love with you baby til I don't want to see
That things you do and say are designed to make me blue
It's a doggone shame my love for you makes all
Your lies seem true
But if the truth makes love last longer
Why do lies make my love stronger
Ain't that peculiar
Peculiar as can be
Ain't that peculiar baby
A peculiar-arity
I cried so much just like a child that's lost its home
Maybe baby you think these tears I cry are tears of joy
A child can cry so much until you do everything they say
But unlike a child my tears don't help me to get my way
I know love can last through years
But how can love last through tears
Now ain't that peculiar baby
A peculiar-arity
Ain't it peculiar baby
Peculiar as can be
Said I don't understand it baby
It's so strange sometimes
Mathilde Santing's Ain't That Peculiar is a soulful song that expresses the singer's confusion and frustration about her love for someone who constantly hurts her. The lyrics are a mix of contradictions, highlighting the complex nature of love - on one hand, the person she loves does her wrong and hurts her, but on the other hand, every hurt makes her love stronger than before. She knows that the things he does and says are meant to make her feel blue, but her love for him makes all the lies seem true. The singer acknowledges that love can withstand the test of time, but wonders how it can survive the pain and tears that come with it.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the peculiar nature of the situation - how can someone love another person who continuously hurts them? It's strange and inexplicable, but it's also an experience that many people can relate to. The verses explore the different ways in which the singer's love is tested, from being away from her lover to confronting the lies he tells her. The song speaks to the struggle of loving someone who is imperfect, and how that imperfection can sometimes make the love stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
Honey you do me wrong but still I'm crazy about you
Even though you treat me poorly, I still have strong feelings for you
Stay away too long and I can't do without you
When you're gone for too long, I feel like I cannot live without you
Every chance you get you seem to hurt me more and more
It seems like every opportunity you have, you intentionally hurt me worse than before
But each hurt makes my love stronger than before
Despite the hurtful actions, my love for you continues to grow stronger
I know flowers go through rain
Just like how flowers need rain to grow, love also requires some difficulties
But how can love go through pain
However, it's difficult to understand how love can withstand a lot of pain
You tell me lies that should be obvious to me
Even though your lies are transparent, I'm blinded by my love for you
I've been so much in love with you baby til I don't want to see
My love for you is so strong that I refuse to acknowledge the negative aspects of our relationship
That things you do and say are designed to make me blue
Your words and actions are meant to intentionally make me sad
It's a doggone shame my love for you makes all Your lies seem true
Unfortunately, my strong feelings for you make all of your lies believable
But if the truth makes love last longer Why do lies make my love stronger
Even though honesty is important for a lasting relationship, my love seems to grow stronger with your dishonesty
I cried so much just like a child that's lost its home
I cried so much for you that I felt like a lost child without a home
Maybe baby you think these tears I cry are tears of joy
Perhaps you misunderstand my tears and believe they are tears of happiness
A child can cry so much until you do everything they say
Sometimes a child's crying can lead to them getting what they want
But unlike a child my tears don't help me to get my way
However, my tears don't have the power to get me what I want
I know love can last through years
Love has the ability to endure the test of time
But how can love last through tears
It's uncertain how love can survive through constant tears and sadness
Said I don't understand it baby It's so strange sometimes
I admit that I don't fully comprehend our relationship, as it can be quite peculiar and unexpected
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: WARREN MOORE, SMOKEY ROBINSON, WILLIAM ROBINSON JR., ROBERT ROGERS, MARVIN TARPLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind