What’s in a song?

January 30, 2009

Filed under funny quotes, life, parenting, The Spin Cycle

9 responses

First things first, I would like to say that I do enjoy “Love Story” by Taylor Swift. It is fun to sing along to when the kids are in the car.  But, it truly scares me on a few levels.  Its funny how being a parent can change your perspective on what should be a fun and catchy tune.

It has a nice pop melody and the words are cute.  But, here is where things start going wrong…

“That you were Romeo you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don’t go, and I said:

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I’ll be waiting all there’s left to do is run
You’ll be the prince and I’ll be the princess
It’s a love story baby just say yes”

If you paid attention in high school literature, you probably read Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare.  If you didn’t, like most kids today, you think of Romeo & Juliet as the ultimate love story.  Star crossed lovers, defying their family and friends to be together.  Let be honest though, when was the last time that your parents truly hated someone that turned out to be the best person in the world?  Heck, when did that person even turn out to be not so bad?  I will tell you for me, it has never happened.  Granted in Romeo & Juliet, the parents would have hated the arrangement solely on the fact that their families were feuding.  But, that really doesn’t happen very often in today’s world.  The song only get worse…

“Romeo save me I’ve been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head, I don’t know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

And said:

Marry me Juliet you’ll never have to be alone
I love you and that’s all I really know
I talked to your dad go pick out a white dress
It’s a love story baby just say yes”

This part scares me for a few reasons.  First, it suggests that someone can save you from feeling lonely.  I don’t think that is possible.  You have to be happy with yourself before you can be happy with someone else.  If you can’t stand to be alone, you will latch on to anyone who gives you positive attention.  Anyone who has even been in an abusive relationship knows how much of a bad idea that can be.  Second, “Romeo” has talked to “Juliet”‘s father and some how managed to change his mind.  Because I am a cynic, my brain immediate thinks that money or favors have changed hands.  If that is the case, then “Romeo” may feel like he owns “Juliet” since he had to pay for her. 

Besides all of my reservations about the song and the lyrics, the main characters are Romeo and Juliet.  Things didn’t end well for them.  By the end of the story, Romeo’s family was cursed, just about everyone was dead and they did not end up together.  So, I tell my girls, with regard to this song…  “I don’t care how much you like a boy, stabbing your heart out with a large hunk of metal is never a good idea.” 

(Just in case you are unfamiliar with the end, Romeo poison’s himself because he thinks Juliet is dead.  Juliet wakes up from a coma like state to find Romeo poisoned.  Then, she stabs herself in the heart with his dagger.)

Comments Feed