Time Is Fleeting In Vanessa Carlton's "Blue Pool"

Just in time for the heat of summer, we are getting a lush new track from Vanessa Carlton: "Blue Pool," and that's a breath of fresh air. From its sparkling piano melody to the intricate lyrics, let's take a look at the possible meaning behind her new track. (I'm going to go ahead and say that this song isn't about John Mayer.) The twinkle of the piano keys and Carlton's slightly hazy vocals give "Blue Pool" a daydream-like quality, which is fitting, given that it plays with the passage of time. The song is a paradox, in that it freeze-frames a moment while illustrating inevitable change.

So exactly how does time work its way into the lyrics? The first verse of the song finds Carlton meeting up with an old friend poolside in Los Angeles. She implies it's been two years since they've spoken, adding, "I have been well, I say through a smile. These feelings, they come and go fast."

Time brings change, another element Carlton addresses in the lyrics. Her friend is singing a new song, and they've both grown. She makes a reference to the adage "Timing is everything" as she she speaks of their relationship: "The time for you and I, it was never quite right. That matters. That means everything."

A constant theme in movies and literature is the idea that one can control time or destiny. Carlton tackles this concept as well, noting that "Time, she’s always kept you on her good side. Some people they still fight their fate." Even though two years have passed, she's looking at the change optimistically.

Through all of her statements and gorgeous imagery, Carlton directs one question to the listener: "What is living to honor the past?" She doesn't give an explicit answer, but, in the context of the rest of her lyrics, the singer seems to respect where she's been and how it influences where she's going.

"Blue Pool" will be included on the Blue Pool EP, which drops on July 24. Carlton's full-length album, Liberman, which will contain all of the EP tracks, is scheduled for release in late October.

Image: Eddie Chacon