What We Talk About When We Talk About Love Songs
I had a discussion about love songs recently, and it occurred to those of us involved that we didn't define "love song" in the same way. Although I've never given the matter a great deal of thought, I've always considered a love song to be a paean to love, a celebration of it. I guess I'd include songs about unspoken, impossible, or ill-fated love, but I wouldn't think songs about spurned love really fit the category. One of the people I was talking with seemed to believe that any song about any aspect of love should be considered a love song. Under this definition, breakup songs would be a big part of the love song canon (and I apologize if I'm misrepresenting that position).
The song that brought up the question was ABC's "Poison Arrow." This is a pretty bitter song about that was love that was not returned. The narrator sings, "Who broke my heart, you did, you did." Later in the song there's this exchange:
I thought you loved me, but it seems you don't care.
I care enough to know I could never love you.
The narrator doesn't seem to be singing to lost love. He's so angry and bitter at this point that he seems to hate her. Even if the object of his affections changed her mind and decided to love him in return, he seems highly unlikely to go back to his old feelings and respond in kind.
What do you think? Am I wrong, and should "Poison Arrow" be considered a love song, or are breakup songs a different category?
posted by Doug @ 9:26 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
I don't think "Poison Arrow" is a love song, seeing as 1)it has the line "You think you're smart--stupid, stupid", which you won't find in most Valentine's Day cards, and 2)the song isn't called "Happy Lucky Arrow". My guess is that it's about a guy who got burned badly by a woman, but still has feelings for her. Not love song material, in my opinion.
Also, nothing says "I'm hurt" like an ugly gold lamè suit:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=YDNTlR3Yrqw
Thanks, Joel, for your vote that hurting songs are not love songs. So far, it looks like my opinion has unanimous acceptance. And I always thought Martin Fry looked good in gold lame (even if his bandmates didn't sport it quite so smartly). It must've been hell on the plumbing when he finally flushed it down the toilet, though.
You've got my vote too. There are 'love songs' and then there are songs about love.
Boogie Down Productions' "Love's Gonna Get'Cha", which is about love of possessions, would fall only into the latter category:
"You fall in love with your chain,
You fall in love with your car,
Loves gonna sneak right up and snuff you from behind"
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