Thoughts on Love Songs

I just want some original love songs. Is that too much to ask for? Instead all I seem to hear is the same re-hashed stuff. What I really want to know, is what do they do? That seems like a pretty dumb question. What does any music do? It's just that I think we're meant to relate to these love songs. We're supposed to be in awe of love and life and how the artist seems to know what we're feeling better than we do. That's where I think the whole thing's gone just a little wrong. Artists try to make their songs as general as possible so they sell. They rely on the fact that young women and girls are insecure. They say, "You may not love you, but I love you." I have a few big problems with all of this.

1. I DO love me. I think that playing on insecurities is a little low. I know that a lot of women are insecure, probably a majority of them. So are men though. Insecurity is just a part of being human sometimes. Making the assumption of insecurity just serves to reinforce it. It sends the message that "It's OK to hate yourself, as long as you have a man who doesn't. He'll complete you."

2. Would you really do all of those things for your significant other? *coughs* I'm looking at you Bruno Mars. I'm not sure. Maybe I'm being overly cynical here. I'm just not given to hyperbole when talking about relationships. I wouldn't "catch a grenade for you". Not on that knowledge alone. How long have we been together? What's our relationship like? Is is a real grenade? Are you annoying? Anyways, it's all just a little too Romeo and Juliet for my liking. I wouldn't expect those things of my significant other and I'd hope he wouldn't expect the same of me.

3. Repetition. Do you ever find yourself listening to the radio and having to shut it off because nothing has happened since the first chorus? That's an accurate representation of most of my radio listening. This is really more of a pop music complaint, but it's usually very obvious in love songs also. Then again, I feel like it's worse with love songs because they all blur together. Which brings me to the next point...

4. I'm tired of hearing about smiles and hair and eyes. What about some personality? What about having interesting things to say or a thought in her head?

5. Is a guy supposed to woo me with these songs? No thanks. I don't want a guy to tell me he'd die for me, can't live without me, or that he'll love me for a thousand years. I want someone to tell me the truth.

I have to admit that I got inspiration for this blog from two videos in particular. This first one is a song by Hank Green entitled Adult Female: A Song. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfBwb4I8wWk) I love this song on many levels. The other is Repeat Stuff by Bo Burnham. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCVGpvzcHko). If you have the time, I highly recommend both. They summarize my thoughts on a whole new level and they're catchy.