Love Songs!
Note: Written on February 14th
Today is Valentine’s day, the day where most of the world celebrates love and friendship. Love is a complex emotion, fueled by different factors; it is as wide as the ocean and as grand as the universe. Yet, it is universal. Everyone on the planet has experienced love at some point, and has expressed it in some way. In all of human history art and music have commonly been the easiest way to express love for another human being. From Shakespeare's sonnets to rock and roll ballads; works of art from every significant era convey this emotion that has enraptured the minds and hearts of so many.
Specifically looking at love songs, it is easy to see why there are so many; love is a universal theme that everyone can understand. These songs, including poems, range from declaring love and passion to analysis of the emotion to the tragedy of heartbreak. I do not exaggerate when I say that there is a song that applies to every scenario involving the matters of the heart. Take for example Shakespeare’s sonnets and modern equivalents that share similar themes.
William Shakespeare commented on the enduring characteristic of love. In his 116th sonnet he describes love as, “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out to the edge of doom.” (Line 11&12) To Shakespeare, love is enduring and strong, it defies the everlasting march of time and the storms that fights between partners bring. A modern equivalent of this theme of eternal love is from the song “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion. This song, debuting in the movie Titanic, is about someone remaining true to their love even as years pass; it “lasts a lifetime.” Poetry and song have often been the best tools to use when describing what love is.
Another purpose for love songs is to declare the love someone might have for another person. Take for example the song “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. This song is played by the character Lloyd Dobler in the movie Say Anything to woo the heart of Diane. With this song he practically confesses the love and passion that he feels for her. Even in history, poems have often been used as a way to convey the feelings a suitor may feel towards the individual he is courting. In this way love songs serve the purpose of being a medium to confess love, passion, and true emotions.
Tragedy is a common theme in all forms of media, but is also a prevalent theme in love songs. Ranging from sadness about a love dying, a love leaving, or a love that simply cannot happen. Thomas Rhett explains the despair at loving someone who doesn’t love you in his song “Marry Me,” Death Cab for Cutie beautifully emulates the feeling of following a love into death in their ballad “I Will Follow You Into the Dark,” and Bruno Mars conveys the melancholy of seeing someone you love with another person in “When I was Your Man.” While love songs can describe the feeling of love and passion, they can also describe the tragedy that love also brings.
Love songs are a timeless part of any culture. They portray the raw feeling and passion of love and the tragedy that often accompanies it.