Too Much I Love

Chris Rice's "Too Much I Love" reads like a confession from someone overwhelmed by the beauty of the created world. The singer admits that colors sting like death, that shapes and movements drown the heart, and that vistas, music, flavors, and smells overrun his frailties. He describes living on the brink of a sweet sickness, more than a boy should bear, and wonders whether heaven could possibly better what he already loves. If it does, he begs for new eyes, new ears, a more supple tongue, and a simpler nose to take in holy tunes and long-forgotten perfumes. The final turn is a plea for mercy's cover, not because the world is evil, but because loving it so much could make him die where death is not and spoil New Eden's lovers. The song ends by calling creation an echo of better places, a homesickness that will last until we see directly, with unveiled faces. It is a rare and honest take on earthly affection and eternal longing.