BEAUTIFUL FEELINGS
(words  by Rick Springfield) 

Things get stuck in my head 
And they're taking me nowhere 
And sometimes it's hard 
Just to find what you need

But lately I'm feeling 
Something good's come around 
Cause she just takes me way up 
And she won't let me down

And Beautiful Feelings are starting again 
And all of my heartaches are starting to mend 
And Beautiful Feelings are there 'til the end 
So I open 'em up and I let them in

Well I need to feel 
That I'm destined for something 
And I need to get down on my knees 
More and pray 
And I need to feel a warm body near mine 
When I wake in the morning 
Suddenly to find

That Beautiful Feelings are starting again 
And all of my heartaches are starting to mend 
And Beautiful Feelings are there 'til the end 
So I open 'em up and I let 'em in

I get feeling guilty 
For climbing too high 
I'm looking for problems 
That just don't apply

And Beautiful Feelings are starting again 
And all of my heartaches are starting to mend
And Beautiful Feelings are there 'til the end 
'Til Beautiful Feelings die 

This can be found on Beautiful Feelings and Rick Springfield - The Early Sound City Sessions


(total playing time: 2:52)

 

According to US

Here's the "depression" song of the album. Now that I know all about Rick's battle with depression, it seems I can go back and find at least one song (if not more) on each of his albums that I could attribute to that.

I don't have the disdain for this song that I have in the several that I've already flogged from this record. I don't know if it's the flow-y sounding rhythm to the music. Or the fact that it's a sort-of ballad -since I'm such a sucker for a ballad- that has me tolerating it more. It could be that I can identify with the words being sung here. There are lines that really stick out for me, "I need to feel that I'm destined for something, and I need to get down on my knees more and pray". Spoken like the guilty catholic girl that I am, and I'm attracted a lot to the *why am I here, and what am I supposed to be doing?* thread that seems to pop up in a lot of Rick's songs. 

I think Rick's term of Beautiful Feelings is used here to signify that his depression has lifted, or is lifting and he can feel it -feel himself getting "better". It makes him feel somewhat whole inside again, and so he's going to welcome them and let them stay until the depression rears it's ugly head once more.

I think the term Feeling got a little redundant on this album -with Brand New Feeling in the position right before this track. I think that's a glaring siren right there that Rick didn't have a hand in the issue of this album, I can't see the perfectionist that he is keeping both of them here. I'd like to think that he would've saved this track, and possibly re-worked some of the music. Both songs sound like they came from the same coin, just opposite sides -as if he were experimenting. The "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" sound of Brand New Feeling just makes the whole topic sugar-coated from whatever Rick was trying to express. This song's type of music, slower more forlorn sounding -seems to fit the subject better. - Michelle P.

I really like this song, even though it could have used some good 'ole tuning up from Rick, which I am sure would have happened if he had gotten the chance. This song sounds like something that could have played at a prom somewhere in the 80's. Listening to it closely though, it seems that the beat would have made it hard to move to.
The lyrics are simple, but yet say so much. I like that in a song, and Rick is a master at accomplishing this. When some songs get complicated and turn back and forth, I get lost...this one just breezes through and gives me a warm feeling inside....(geeky, I know) but that young sexy Rick voice is perfect for making anyone feel that way, and it all just feels nice and blends together smoothly. The music itself is not all that it COULD be , but coming from this album, I would say it 'matches' the rest of the songs. - Amy L.

I love the music, how it builds. I love Rick's vocal on this song, very clear and emotional. In one part of the song he sings about looking for problems that don't apply. I think he had so many trials in the beginning of his career that he had doubts about good things lasting for him. I really like this song, the lyrics and the music. I know Rick doesn't claim to write many upbeat songs, but this one feels that way to me.  - Elizabeth S.

Oh this one is a toughie... I don't like this song much overall but I don't really cringe with it either - just go 'eh'. To be it feels like one long breath - not so much in the speed of the lyrics (as the past songs have had) but the each verse just seems to meld into the next one. And I get the impression of pain through the vocal sounds of this song -- and unless he doesn't want to feel these feelings I don't know why he'd have pain. Almost like he's being forced to sing the song versus really expressing the song.

I just think given the chance to rework it the song could be much stronger - as it is, eh. - Jen H.

This song is just "okay" in my book. It is one of those Rick songs I can take or leave. I like the sentiment behind it, and the lyrics are okay in parts. It is sweet in it's own way I suppose, and when I hear it I feel glad that Rick was having "beautiful feelings" at the time he wrote it. But I cannot figure out for the life of me why I don't like this song more than I do. It seems to go with the general theme of most of the songs on here, and it has that sappy feel to it, which I usually adore. Yeah, I'm a sucker for sad, sappy love songs! But this one just doesn't "grab" me the way some of his others do. Like with Guenevere, which has all of the same aspects, is one I could listen to over and over. In fact, it is one of my favorites from BF. So why this one doesn't get to me…I do not know! Although, I rarely ever skip this song if it happens to come on in random play or if I happen to be playing the whole BF CD straight through (which is rare). I guess because it does seem to fit as the track following Brand New Feeling. It kind of picks up where BNF leaves off, at least in my mind. BUT---I'd be happy to go straight from BNF to Guenevere, and would never miss it much.

Rick's amazingly beautiful voice almost always redeems some of his worst songs for me. (or I'll say it nearly saves the song. At least putting it in the "it's okay category.") I mean, the man has THE greatest vocal chords out there. I am constantly surprised at the many "forms" his voice can take. But for a song to get a lot of play time here, it just needs more. A great song requires a heck of a lot more than a beautiful voice. Maybe the lyrics are not "deep" enough for me. It's pretty much straight to the point…it is what it is. One line I DO appreciate is when he says, "well I need to feel that I'm destined for something. And I need to get down on my knees more and pray." That feels like a pretty common emotion, and one that Rick seems to always dwell on. As in the song Living In Oz where he says, "I remember having dreams of grandeur, I was gonna be someone." He obviously longs for some sort of destiny, as so many of us do. Another interesting line is "I'm looking for problems that just don't apply." Insecurities again? Could it be from an emotional wall he built to keep his heart in check? He seems to look for the worst, feeling that "real" happiness is just not available to him.

Ok…that is all I know to say about this one. It doesn't go any further for me with this song. One thing I do know…I am glad that Rick DID in fact find some love and happiness. This song might be a lot sadder for me if he hadn't. - Kelley Pearson