What happens when you no longer need the love song? You might be married - or have given up on being with another - or have given your life over to sex & death - or many other fates. But still - as if the world is populated entirely by teenagers - the love song continues.
The love song's reach has never exceeded its grasp. The love song goes on forever. But lovers do not. Lovers grow old & die. Lovers lose interest or have their love worn away. The love song abandons old lovers because there are always new lovers growing up, feeling the urge, entering into the world of longing & desire.
Like most love, the love song is trite & banal. Like most love, the love song is exquisite & expansive. Like most love, the love song wants everyone to sing along.
John Lydon made sure you understand that he was not singing a love song. Bo Burnham says the secret to the modern love song is to repeat lyrics so the song is easy to memorize. But it helps not to overthink it. Love songs mostly suck because most of the ideas you have about love suck. Why else would you even listen to most of the songs on this list? Or this list? Or this list? Or especially this list?
Go ahead. Give up the love song. Dismiss it as juvenile. Think you've outgrown it. Pretend to be above it. The love song doesn't care. It never needed you.
You needed it.
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