Not Rotten, Just Heartbreaking
There are a lot of songs out there about young love, but precious little about love that goes the distance. This may be a challenge, either my ears aren’t listening or it’s not part of popular culture and it needs to be sussed out. I'm trying to find songs that are heartfelt without being too syrupy, but that is in the heart of the beholder.
Hawaii, Johnny Rotten - The song that started the idea in the first place. The punk rock icon took the last few years off from the music business to care for his terminally ill wife. This song was written during a particularly wonderful vacation to Hawaii, which she promised to remember as long as she lived. He presented it as his Eurovision entry and it didn’t pass muster. WTF is wrong with you, Europe?
Harvest Moon, Neil Young - AllMusic’s review of the song says it well “The power of nature and music, as well as a feeling of celebrating lifetime love are the focal points here, and Young captures it all in his typically literate, artless style.” My only beef with this is his style is literate, and there is beauty, truth, and art in that.
He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones - “Why today?” my naive self asked. Then he explained. Ohhhhh. I don't think I was ok for a while after that.
Landslide, Fleetwood Mac - “Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides; can I handle the seasons of my life?" This song in particular speaks to me about the trials of growing older together and facing changes that while not sexy, deepen a relationship.
Grow Old With Me, John Lennon - For as divisive as Yoko Ono is to even the most casual fan, give her a little for having been a Beatle Widow for - my God - the last 43 years. Where we as fans were robbed of his talents, she was robbed of a partner and made out to be a villain temptress. And yet she has carried on his legacy, mended rips in his patchwork family quilt, in particular making things right for Julian and his inheritance, befriended Cynthia while she was still living, and cared for his estranged half-sister, the one Julia gave up for adoption in 1945. John may not have grown older with her, but she did with him.
These Are the Days of Our Lives, Queen - Roger Taylor wrote it observing his children growing up and gave it to Freddie Mercury. Freddie, as he was dying of AIDs, gave the song an additional poignant layer of meaning as he knew it was likely the video for the song would be his last public performance. One last "I still love you," and a kiss to the camera as he walked off screen.
Hawaii, Johnny Rotten - The song that started the idea in the first place. The punk rock icon took the last few years off from the music business to care for his terminally ill wife. This song was written during a particularly wonderful vacation to Hawaii, which she promised to remember as long as she lived. He presented it as his Eurovision entry and it didn’t pass muster. WTF is wrong with you, Europe?
Harvest Moon, Neil Young - AllMusic’s review of the song says it well “The power of nature and music, as well as a feeling of celebrating lifetime love are the focal points here, and Young captures it all in his typically literate, artless style.” My only beef with this is his style is literate, and there is beauty, truth, and art in that.
He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones - “Why today?” my naive self asked. Then he explained. Ohhhhh. I don't think I was ok for a while after that.
Landslide, Fleetwood Mac - “Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides; can I handle the seasons of my life?" This song in particular speaks to me about the trials of growing older together and facing changes that while not sexy, deepen a relationship.
Grow Old With Me, John Lennon - For as divisive as Yoko Ono is to even the most casual fan, give her a little for having been a Beatle Widow for - my God - the last 43 years. Where we as fans were robbed of his talents, she was robbed of a partner and made out to be a villain temptress. And yet she has carried on his legacy, mended rips in his patchwork family quilt, in particular making things right for Julian and his inheritance, befriended Cynthia while she was still living, and cared for his estranged half-sister, the one Julia gave up for adoption in 1945. John may not have grown older with her, but she did with him.
These Are the Days of Our Lives, Queen - Roger Taylor wrote it observing his children growing up and gave it to Freddie Mercury. Freddie, as he was dying of AIDs, gave the song an additional poignant layer of meaning as he knew it was likely the video for the song would be his last public performance. One last "I still love you," and a kiss to the camera as he walked off screen.
Danny’s Song, Loggins and Messina - Well, this may be a cheater, but it’s the story of a dude celebrating the next phase of his life, from being a stupid frat boy to a committed man in love with a son on the way.
Evergreen, Barbra Streisand - If there was one song that was on the nose, this would be it. Too bad Kris Kristofferson’s character in A Star is Born has to go and die like that. Oops, spoiler alert?
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