Poetic LIcense...or...In Other Words #4

Every now and then your favorite songs are so good that they allow you to look past certain quirks and nuances that are so contrary that in a lesser work they would be the subject of ridicule. It's Okay by Land of Talk is one of my all-time favorite song & likely my all-time favorite ballad. But leave it to me to find one line that I feel was either purposely changed to avoid being cliche, or... I don't know why they would make the creative choice they did other than to just do something different that wasn't so obvious. But in this case I feel the obvious lyrical choice would do the sentiment of the song so much Justice and it wouldn't detract from the lyric at all.

It's Okay

Land of Talk

Lyrics

It's okay,
I don't even cry
all I think about is a memory
and the dream when you kissed my arm
as I look away, don't hear what I say

That maybe when I die,
I'll get to be a car
driving in the night
lighting up the dark.
something in your voice
it sparks a little hope
I'll wait up for that noise
your voice become my home

One way road, don't care what I find
A little thunder's good, I thought maybe you would
but it's okay, we all feel left out
sometimes growing up, it can get you down.

I give you something that no one's going to give you
my sleepin' skin and my heart deep down in you
I'll never tell you, but you're my little scar
Goodbyes are hard and they're hard and they're hard

Maybe when I die
I'll get to be a car
driving in the night
Lighting up the dark
Something in your voice,
sparks a little hope
I'll wait up for that noise
your voice becomes my home

Songwriters: Elizabeth Powell

It's Okay lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

So here is the phrase:

Maybe when die
I'll get to be a car
driving in the night
lighting up the dark.


The obvious change:

Maybe when I die
I'll get to be a star
Shining through the night
Lighting up the dark

Poetic Embellishment:

Maybe when I die
I'll live on in your heart
Spirits intertwined
Never drawn apart

There are plenty of ways to spin it but none are necessary because Elizabeth sings the original with vulnerability and sincerity so potent that thr curious imagery of automotive reinCarnation is totally acceptable.