London-based R&B band Sunstone recently unveiled their latest track, Sugar Honey Iced Tea. The song, layered with heavy themes of concern for a dying friend, offers a sombre, thought-provoking narrative wrapped up in the band’s signature soulful R&B melodies.
Opening with the poignant line, “Sitting in the dark, waiting for the curtain call,” the first verse sets a heartrending tone. The lyrics continue to create a moving and vivid picture of helplessness as the protagonist prays for their friend’s safety, capturing the torment of sleepless nights filled with worry.
The song’s chorus, a lyrical paradox, “Sugar honey iced tea, you maybe cappy, but you’re not sweet,” showcases Sunstone’s unique poetic sensibilities. On the surface, the words paint a picture of sweet things, but the underlying message hints at the harsh realities of life. The inability to predict or prevent death,”You don’t know when it comes; you can’t say when D comes knockin” is expressed subtly yet powerfully.
The refrain of the song, “Find Peace Find Love, Find God Find meaning,” serves as a cathartic mantra, perhaps a way for the protagonist and the listener to find solace amidst the turmoil. The band’s ability to articulate a gamut of raw emotions while maintaining their melodic R&B sensibility further cements their position as emotive storytellers.
In the second verse, the lyrics take a tragic turn: “Laid him in the ground; guess no one heard my calls.” Here, the reality of loss sinks in, and the listener is led through the complex feelings of grief, the seeming randomness of life and death, “Rolling straight aces, Then meets an early grave“, and the chilling solitude when prayers seem unheard.
Sunstone rounds off the song with an outro that urges us to find peace and love before it’s time to “catch the train,” a metaphor for death, leaving the listener with a poignant reminder of our finite existence.
The mid-tempo vibe of Sugar Honey Iced Tea complements the emotive vocals, expertly intertwining sorrow and hope. Instrumentally, the band manages to convey a sense of melancholy, not by overpowering but by balancing the lyrical content with their arrangement.
Sunstone’s Sugar Honey Iced Tea is a deep dive into the human psyche, a moving tribute urging us to cherish the precious moments of life. It’s a heartfelt tale of humanity’s eternal struggle against the inevitable and the courage we must muster to carry on.