Billie Marten and Sonny Santos Reinterpret “swear 2 g-d,” a Sweet Lullaby for the Not So Young

Their voices made to blend together, Billie Marten and Sonny Santos depict ardent infatuation without falling into clichés and maintaining an authentic delivery in “swear 2 g-d”.

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Listen: “swear 2 g-d” – Sonny Santos & Billie Marten

swear 2 g-d - Sonny Santos and Billie Marten — swear 2 g-d – Sonny Santos and Billie Marten

It has lately become a regular practice by artists to release reworked covers, usually with a more contemporary production; think about “Fast Car” or “Ain’t Nobody” slipping into the charts years, even decades, after they were released by original artists Tracy Chapman and Chaka Khan. What is not so common is for artists to revisit songs that were never that iconic, obscure tracks that unknown for the masses.

In their recent collaboration, Billie Marten and Sonny Santos have a go at “swear 2 g-d”, formerly released by The Shivers, staying true to the original essence of the track, resulting in a well-crafted croon that is set to reach wider audiences than the initial track by its creators did.

“swear 2 g-d” is the first single of London-based artist Sonny Santos’ forthcoming debut album, who sees his songs as “the captured memories of a man always caught in between, trying to stay sane and find stability in a transient life, never quite fitting in.

Watch: “swear 2 g-d” – Sonny Santos & Billie Marten

Far from reciting perplexing metaphors after one another, “swear 2 g-d” is an uncluttered love declaration of someone who wears their heart on their sleeve. The feelings conveyed in it, pure and raw, portray an almost unearthly love, capable of surpassing any boundaries. The apotheosis of ever-lasting infatuation.

Oh, but you know I swear to God
That don’t mean anything
And it is only for your kisses I stay alive
And your body in the night

Marten’s and Santos’ voices combine in an imperfectly manner, rarely coming in and out together, yet somehow blending into an endearingly imperfect melody. Quietly plucked strings surround their delivery, the spotlight shining on their touching storytelling, until they take the lead in the second half of the song in an instrumental breakdown where the tastefully chosen guitar tone becomes the protagonist.

Oh, but you know I swear to God
And when we die I’ll be kissing you for life

Following the instrumental climax, the lyrics reach their pinnacle as well, the magnitude of the last words being nearly intimidating, leaving the listeners with an intense aftertaste. The lyrics being so sparse throughout the song, Marten and Santos hang on to every note, making sure the listener is captivated by each single word.

With their two voices intertwining amongst a minimalistic instrumentation, Marten and Santos mirror an idyllic love in their delicate performance, creating a tender ode to passion and devotion in their rendition of “swear 2 g-d.”

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