Back when I was younger and my mom only played the local smooth jazz station (94.7 The Wave for my L.A. people), this song was always playing. It'd put me to sleep because it was so mellow and I had no idea who this was. It was until Saturday actually that I discovered who this was and his story.
Ephraim Lewis came from England around the same time that Seal broke through in America. He released his debut album Skin in 1992 and sadly died in 1994 here in L.A. under strange circumstances.
What is left is a beautiful, rich voice (what is it about English voices being so silky smooth? - Seal and Martina Topley-Bird are proof) and this song. Just the chorus "I'm drowning in your eyes, I'm floating out to sea. Helpless on the restless tide/That flows between you and me" - who writes like that anymore? R&B has gotten too direct and I'm thankful Maxwell brought some of that imagery/songwriting back into the mainstream.
The words are rich with water references. It's a love song that just caresses you in with the calming rhythms, something you can appreciate if you've ever been to the beach to find peace. It's dreamlike and the video I chose helps set that mood.
Everything about this song resonates with me personally as a man looking for peace, loving the water and longing to find that special lady. It's a beautiful reminder of a man gone far too soon and a reminder of childhood memories grown up.
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