 Music critic Richie Unterberger considers that this "dramatic opening [lyric]" contains "an almost philosophical undertone of humility, acknowledging that the singer needs his woman not just to be happy, but also to be a better person".The verse opens strongly anchored on "Here" in the key of G (with simultaneous I (G chord) and melody G note) and moves equally predictably to a I–ii–iii–IV chord shift (G–Am–Bm–C) through "making each day of the year".This repeats on "Changing my life with a wave"; but immediately after (in bar 5) the song indeed changes on "of her hand".