Shawn Mendes’s ‘Illuminate’ album is shaping out to be one for the record books. We have tasted what’s to come with “Treat You Better” and “Ruin” and now we have another soulful track from the upcoming album. This new single is titled “Three Empty Words” and puts together a heartbreaking description of a relationship going stale.
‘Illuminate’ is turning out to be a soulful album with a lot of insight into relationships. We have yet to hear a song about a relationship that’s all about joy and bliss from Shawn Mendes. May be he is saving that for the album release in Spetember.
Listen to “Three Empty Words” by Shawn Mendes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5zwFemnmzQ
Download “Three Empty Words” on Amazon and iTunes
Review of “Three Empty Words” from Illuminate Album
The song goes on a non-stop elaboration of what it’s like to be in a relationship that isn’t moving anywhere. Both people are in it for the sake of being in a relationship. Somehow, the spark between them has died.
I’ll pick you up at the same time
The same place, the same old drive
We’ll just talk about our day
To try to fill the awkward space tonight
Its hard to keep a long term relationship without a little randomness, bizarre, mystery and fun in it. When life gets monotonous, we tend to get bored. And that’s what has happened to the singer in “Three Empty Words.”
The singer in the relationship describes the ‘same old’ things they keep on doing in hopes of moving the relationship forward. But only the exact opposite happens. Everyday it’s the same conversation, same place and same activities. They are simply not pushing their boundaries.
Even the music in “Three Empty Words” stay in same tune at the first verse.
We’ll play the songs we used to love
While we try to fall in love again
We don’t know who’s wrong or right
We don’t even care enough to fight
The second verse describes the situation further. There are those moments that made them fall in love in the first place. Shawn Mendes tries to recreate them to no avail. They are so deep in this rut, that they don’t even see what’s wrong and how to fix it. They just keep on keeping on. When that spark dies, there’s just no easy way to re-ignite that.
We’re going through the motions
‘cos we can’t fix what’s broken
And I know it’s gonna hurt
But darling I’ll go first
‘cos I won’t keep on saying those three empty words
And I won’t keep on saying those three empty words
We come to he chorus of “Three Empty Words” and the tune of the song changes. Shawn Mendes picks up a more upbeat rhythm because the song speaks out his mind in this verse.
The singer expressly says the relationship is broken, and without seeing a way to fix it, he just can’t keep on saying those meaningless three words-“I Love You”. It’s not going to fix anything, because they are empty words in this situation. He’s ready to break up and he says he will say it loud first and end this psychological torture on each other.
We’re still talking everyday
I’m running out of things to say to ya
What’s really gonna break my heart
Is to have to tell your little brother
It might be easier to stay
But it will never be the same…no
And if something doesn’t change
Then we’ll keep on sinking further
The third verse of “Three Empty Words” sums it all up. The couple keeps on talking daily, but there’s no romance. In fact, they are even running out of things to say to each other. It gets boring to keep on reiterating the daily schedule every day.
The singer must have been pals with the little brother of the girl, and that’s the most worrying bit about this breakup for the singer. Hence, that should give a pretty good idea about the nature of this relationship.
It could be easier to stay in the relationship and just keep going through the motions, but it will be a soul-sucking experience for the rest of their lives. If a miracle doesn’t happen soon, the relationship is destined to fail.
Shawn Mendes seems to be getting better at describing relationships that are not so going well. We don’t know if he draws inspiration out of his personal experiences, but the music video for “Treat You Better” was one of a kind.
Listening to these emotional tracks makes us wonder what ‘Illuminate’ album has in store for us. But taking a hint, we would say it’s going to be a breakup album-maybe, breakup album of the year!
What are your thoughts?