Rick Astley, known for his famous song and music video “Never Gonna Give You Up,” released his album Whenever You Need Somebody in 1987.

With 10 songs on the album, he writes them in the stages of a fleeting relationship. Throughout songs, he goes in order of how he’s never going to give up on a woman, to them being together forever and how the love eventually slips away. He finds someone else who moves him more and he then falls in love again.

When I’m listening to his songs, it’s very different than the average album or just any song, whether it was back then or a song now. Astley has his own style and signature beat; I not only get an old school vibe, but also a happy and joyful one. Knowing his songs are about love and how he feels about a girl, one can tell he really explains his true love for her on a deeper level.

In his song ” Together Forever,” he sings, “can’t you hear me, I’m saying I want you for the rest of my life.” In this line, he’s saying how he wants her to be with him for the rest of his life or in this case, forever. He explains that he will always be by her side no matter what. I admire that because it’s not like something you’d hear in music nowadays.

In “You Move Me,” he talks about how a woman moves him in a good way and how she’s the one thing in his life that makes him feel good. His voice is soft and subtle, blending well with his songs. He doesn’t try hard at all and he knows his vocal range.

“When I Fall in Love” was unexpected, sounding like a Christmas or ballet song. Most of his songs came together beautifully, but the way he produced this song was different, especially because it was the last one on the album. The way the harp and violins blended together made me picture New York City at night on Christmas Eve.

I just didn’t expect it from this song. In this song, Astley explains that when he falls in love, it will be forever with a girl and when they have the same feelings, that’s the moment they both fall in love.

When I first listened to Astley’s songs, I pictured being at the skating rink with old school clothes on. His songs on this album put me in a different mind space. I just forget where I am for a few minutes.

Astley’s songs open my eyes on love and make me feel like I’m in a different generation. He shows me that there’s no rush into love and that that special one will come whenever they do. It also showed me that when that special someone enters my life, just love them with all my heart and give them my all.