It is the things we love most that we are most afraid to lose.

That is the crux of Benson Boone’s new single “Beautiful Things.” And while the song’s lyrics address a romantic partner, Boone uses the entire piece to communicate more than just the despair of losing his love.

He expresses a despair toward losing it all.

“Beautiful Things” starts with Boone singing about how his life has improved since the “last four cold Decembers”: he’s gotten out of a rough patch, he’s seeing his family often and he’s found the love of his life. Behind his raspy voice is the plucking of a guitar that hits a minor chord at the end of every verse, giving me the sense that, yeah, even though he’s singing about all these good things, there’s a “but” coming.

A second guitar comes in as Boone expresses gratitude for everything he’s gained. Then, he establishes his sense of dread: “But I know that everything [God] gives me, he can take away.” This mindset threatens the comfort of his current relationship, and he tells his partner that there is “no man as terrified as the man who stands to lose you.”

Then, the music shifts.

The tempo quickens, and the guitarists go from playing the simple, sweet strums of a somber love song to frantic fast notes that propel the music into the chorus, where Boone begs for everything to stay as it is:

“Please stay
I want you, I need you, oh God
Don’t take
These beautiful things that I’ve got”

The way Boone takes on a sort of rock quality to his voice makes the lyrics very yell-at-the-top-of-your-lungs-able. It’s raw, and it’s real. I can feel the emotion, not only because of Boone’s vocals but also because that emotion is a familiar one.

In the second verse, the music calms down, but it never returns to the same simplicity of the start of the song, as if once the thoughts entered Boone’s mind, he could not get rid of them.

Boone can’t help but criticize himself for wasting time, asking, “If everything’s good and it’s great, why do I sit and wait ’til it’s gone?” It’s the rational thinking we wish we could live by. Fear of the future causes us to miss the joy of the present. And yet, as Boone plunges back into the more unhinged despair of the chorus, it’s as though he recognizes that tossing aside that fear is easier said than done. He’s at war with himself. He’s at war with the world. Both are losing battles.

This soulful relatability and the song’s catchy chorus are what made “Beautiful Things” reach #8 on the Billboard Top 100 in the month since its release on Jan. 18. Even if you’re not one for pop music, it’s worth giving a listen just to hear a complex piece of our humanity put into words.

If Boone’s music does end up resonating with you, you can see him live on April 22 at the House of Blues.