Highly recommended for those who like romantic lyrics with whimsy and creativity:
Thomas Rhett wrote a very romantic love song for his wife.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2CELiObPeQ
by Thomas Rhett / Sean Douglas / Jon London
Die a Happy Man
Baby, last night was hands down
One of the best nights
That I've had no doubt
Between the bottle of wine
And the look in your eyes and the Marvin Gaye
Then we danced in the dark under September stars in the pourin' rain
And I know that I can't ever tell you enough
That all I need in this life is your crazy love
If I never get to see the Northern lights
Or if I never get to see the Eiffel Tower at night
Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand
Baby, I could die a happy man
Happy man, baby
Mmm
Baby, that red dress brings me to my knees
Oh, but that black dress makes it hard to breathe
You're a saint, you're a Goddess,
The cutest, the hottest,
A masterpiece
It's too good to be true,
Nothing better than you
In my wildest dreams
And I know that I can't ever tell you enough
That all I need in this life is your crazy love
If I never get to see the Northern lights
Or if I never get to see the Eiffel Tower at night
Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand
Baby, I could die a happy man, yeah
I don't need no vacation,
No fancy destination
Baby, you're my great escape
We could stay at home,
Listen to the radio
Or dance around the fireplace
And if I never get to build my mansion in Georgia
Or drive a sports car up the coast of California
Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand
Baby, I could die a happy man
Baby, I could die a happy man
Oh, I could die a happy man
You know I could girl
I could die, I could die a happy man
--
I especially like the verses,
"If I never get to see the Northern lights
Or if I never get to see the Eiffel Tower at night
Oh, if all I got is your hand in my hand
Baby, I could die a happy man"
There are a few concerns such as calling his wife a 'girl." Yes, I know that is a traditional characteristic of popular music (like the never ending "baby,") but one wonders if songwriters will ever get around to writing about a "woman" instead of the ever-sung 'girl' as if every relationship is about junior high infatuation.
And, while my youthful inner self still personally likes vivid visual
images such as "Baby, that red dress brings me to my knees
Oh, but that black dress makes it hard to breathe
You're a saint, you're a Goddess...,"
it would be good to sometimes see references in song lyrics to a woman's personality, accomplishments, and spiritual-ethical concerns.
--
HOWEVER, several of the other songs Rhett sings lack in creativity and ethics. Sadly, like many popular ones, some of the lyrics are negligent, unethical, and almost gross:
from "Craving You"
When it comes to you, no, I ain't got no patience
There's something 'bout you girl I just can't fight
You're like that cigarette
That shot of 100 proof
No matter how much I get
I'm always craving
That feeling when we kiss
The way your body moves
No matter how much I get
I'm always craving you
Craving you...
A girl that the guy 'loves' is like a "cigarette," like nicotine....Good grief!
Well, at least Thomas Rhett didn't write those rather ethically sick lyrics. While he sang them--bad enough--it was the strange songwriters, Julian Bunetta / Dave Barnes, who wrote the cigarette simile.
Then there is "Get Me Some of That":
You're shakin' that money maker,
Like a heart breaker, like your college major was
Twistin' and tearin' up Friday nights
Love the way you're wearin' those jeans so tight (so tight)
I bet your kiss is a soul saver,
My favorite flavor, want it now and later
I never seen nothin' that I wanted so bad
Girl, I gotta get me, gotta get me some of that
I gotta get me some of that
Yeah, I gotta get me some of that
Oh girl, I gotta get me some of that
by Akins Rhett / Cole Swindell / Michael Carter who wrote--"gotta get me some of that" and "want it"--and compares her to a 'pay-cash-for-butt' stripper.
Back when I taught poetry for years, I let students bring in their favorite song lyrics on posters to put up on the walls of the classroom. Some of them were amazingly creative, at times deeply moral, even spiritual.
But like these last two losers, a few lyrics just crossed the line into the sewer. Tragic that so many young people and adults memorize such lyrics, singing them over and over.
For instance, one girl student said she loved this one rap song which crowed about the rapper hitting his girlfriend without regret!
Thankfully, there is plenty of contrary music which brings beauty, understanding, care, and joy to humans.
What song lyrics do you especially like and why?
Despite the Darkness, the Light Still Shines,
Daniel Wilcox
4 comments:
Thanks for sharing some of your own favorites. I've heard some songs by Rammstein, but only the powerful instrumentation. Heard them because one of my sons really liked them 15 years or so ago. I don't recall if he gave me a translation of the German lyrics. At least I don't remember what the songs were about. (I'll check out the titles you listed.)
Totally agree with you on the trouble with translating lyrics! Years ago, back at university, I was reading some Baudelaire poems in translation, but became confused because two poems sounded similar. What the heck? I found out that it was the same poem but translated by two different linguists!:_)
That soured me on even bothering to read other languages' lyrics for a long time.
Thanks for the song lyrics from "Paradise." I'll definitely check that song out in a few minutes. Good poetry. I especially like consonance (as already mentioned) and near rhyme. The most striking line is "wheel breaks the butterfly;" the hyperbole reminds of the old 60's group, Iron Butterfly, who I first heard while living in Haight-Asbury in '67.
So off to YouTube I url:-) I'll respond to "Let It Go" after I check it out.
You wrote, "Unheilig, for example, has a song "Für Immer" ("Forever") which is a really wrenching expression of persevering love in the face of life's adversity and struggle."
Intriguing that I got a different impression from the English translation. It does seem that the singer is speaking of commitment to the suicidal person, but after early on saying he will "hold" the individual, he later says he will "jump," too, as part of his commitment.
Its theme reminds me of the Blue Oyster Cult song, "Don't Fear the Reaper."
Was pleasantly surprised that the song "Paradise" is from the group Cold Play which is mentioned in Rhett's song.
I'll respond to "Let It Go" on your website.
Interesting. I hadn't looked at an English translation of "Für Immer". Some of it certainly has implications of suicide, but more of it seemed to be about fighting back against the pain of life. Also, the very last line is Brauchst du mich bei deinem letzten Schritt / Ich halte dich, which means "If you need me when you take your last step / I will hold you" (this translation, which came up when I searched for one, gives it as "I jump with you", but that's definitely wrong for ich halte dich, although "I jump with you" does appear earlier in the song). It sounds to me more like promising to be with the other at the hour of her death, than like a suicide pact.
I suppose in most cases art is somewhat open to interpretation. This song has a strong resonance with me because of a real-life situation that preoccupies me a great deal, even though I never mention it on the blog.
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