Romantic Love Songs: What Makes A Great Love Song?
What makes great romantic love songs, or great any-kind-of-songs, anyway? Well, I think I have THE answer.
The songs, its chords and especially its lyrics (words) have to extend beyond the song and its place in the movie setting or the Broadway scene, beyond the plot in the story or movie, beyond and into real life, where it touches a chord, and glimpses reality, whether that reality is good or bad.
It must tell a story of its own, it must be believable, and it must touch a life or two.
It must remind us of a wonderful life victory or a tragic life loss that is covered with romanticism and believability.
There are many such songs, and usually the entire tune leads to a conclusion, of quiet victory, good fortune, even pathos. Some parts of some of these songs may be quoted because they remind us of life lessons in a real and reasonable situation.
Sometimes one of these songs, just by its title, conveys to us a great truth. This is especially true of love or romantic songs.
Let me cite a famous love song example here.
Sad Love Songs
One of the most classic ,sad love songs is a doleful tune from the 1940's called "Send In The Clowns."
Here we have a complete concept, rather than just a few lines. This is a circus song that reflects real life and love.
When an accident happens in the circus ring, suddenly the injured person and/or animal is quickly taken off the scene, and the clowns come in quickly, to cover up the accident and to distract the minds of the people from the miscue.
Songs About Unrequited Love
So the phrase "Send In The Clowns" dramatizes real life when things go wrong - some kind of diversion and help is needed - instead of completely facing the reality of failure, incompleteness and loss.
In this actual song, a love is identified and a loss sustained, but not completely faced. Unrequited love happens to all too many people.
So there's been a loss - "WHERE ARE THE CLOWNS?" "THERE OUGHT TO BE CLOWNS", etc.
Can't this loss somehow be lessened?
This aptly describes the lady (or man) who discovers that they love someone, but that someone doesn't respond.
This is probably one of the most famous unrequited love songs ever written.
I urge you to listen closely to this romantic love song sung by Glenn Close - sad as it is - and check your emotions after you've heard it.
Did it draw you in? Did you feel the sadness and loss?
This strumming of the heart strings - either in sadness or supreme happiness, is a classic characteristic of timeless romantic love songs.
