This Is New

Song Meaning

Julie Andrews, a name synonymous with timeless elegance, delivers a disarmingly raw emotional core in "This Is New." The song isn't just a declaration of love; it's a rebirth, a shedding of a former self that existed rather than truly lived. The opening lines, "I was merely existing / This is new / And I'm living at last," cut through any saccharine expectations. It's a primal scream of newfound vitality, suggesting a profound shift from a muted, perhaps even suppressed, state of being. The lyrics capture the intoxicating disorientation of transformative love. Andrews sings, "Head to toe / You've got me so I'm spellbound / I don't know / If I am heaven- or hell-bound," a sentiment that acknowledges the potentially destabilizing nature of such intense connection. It's a loss of control, a surrender to something larger than oneself, and the ambiguity of the destination—heaven or hell—only amplifies the vulnerability. The repeated invocation of "This is new" serves as both a mantra and a testament. It underscores the radical departure from the past, the stark contrast between mere existence and vibrant life. The reference to Venus, the Roman goddess of love, suggests a divine intervention, a force beyond the singer's control that has propelled her into this new reality. This isn't just about romantic love; it's about a deeper awakening, a recognition of one's own capacity for joy and passion. The line, "Is it Venus insisting / That I'm through / With the shadowy past?" hints at a conscious decision to leave behind old patterns and embrace a future filled with light. The imagery of being "hurled up to another world" further emphasizes the transformative power of this experience. It's not a gentle transition but a forceful, almost violent, shift into a state of bliss. This suggests that the singer's past may have been marked by pain or hardship, making the newfound joy all the more intense and disorienting. The simple repetition of "Where life is bliss / And this is new" at the song's close serves as a powerful affirmation, a declaration of independence from the shadows and an embrace of the light. In "This Is New," Julie Andrews doesn't just sing about love; she embodies the terrifying and exhilarating experience of becoming fully alive.