Music of the Day, 6 July 2025

tattered and torn

So I rewatched River over the past couple of days; I couldn’t stay away after remembering a great song that featured prominently in it. I remembered more of the story than I’d expected to … but that didn’t keep me from dissolving into a weepy mess more than once. Reflecting on the series a bit this morning brought the title of an ‘80s new wave hit to mind.

I didn’t want to write about it today. I remembered it as cheesy synths and lyrics belted out with more reverb than feeling—but knowing how wrong my memory can be, I dutifully plugged the title in to a YouTube search. Amid the expected images was one quite different: a woman holding a guitar. That’s the one I chose to listen to.

And now I’m crying again and regretting absolutely nothing. Lena Hall’s cover of the Thompson Twins’ biggest hit, “Hold Me Now,” is achingly tender and beautiful. Thinking my memories of the original were way off, I started to listen to it, but didn’t make it through the first chorus. If anything, it feels even more devoid of feeling now.