For this week’s Throwback Thursday, I wanted to dive deep into the melancholy classic “Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star. Written by vocalist Hope Sandoval and producer David Roback, “Fade Into You” ventures into the trenches of how consuming love can be, and how painful those deep connections can turn out to be. The song is one of the greatest  love ballads of the 90s, and dare I say, of all time. 

Characterized by haunting slide guitar and Sandoval’s almost whimsical vocals, “Fade Into You” is a song that completely washes over you, engulfing the listener with its melancholy soundscape. The song’s lyrics, however, are what tell the story of love and longing, with lyrics like “I wanna hold the hand inside you/ I wanna take the breath that’s true” expressing the overwhelming desire to love so deeply you become a part of someone. 

“Fade Into You” is so powerful in its simplicity; a simple four chord guitar ballad that tells a story beyond lyrics and perfectly encapsulates the desire, pain and complexity of falling in love, whether both parties are aware of it or not. The song is timeless — its captivating instrumentation and painfully honest lyrics serving as a lullaby for the hopeless romantics it reaches.