4 Feb 2009
Love and Violence
Growing up in the 80s, there were only two types of love song. The creepy I’m-so-in-love-with-you-you’re-everything-I’ll-ever-need-lemme-lock-you-in-a-cage-and-smother-you. And the alternate It-didn’t-work-out-oh-how-I’ll-miss-you-goodbye-but-you’re-my-ONE-forever. And of the two types, almost all of them were tacky. But that’s another discussion, altogether.
Those songs, along with fairy tale romances ruined my view of love. Took years to finally realize the loves we write stories about, usually only spring forth from fictional loves in the first place. No, most love, amounts to heartache. That said, we’re halfway to my point. The other end of the spectrum is hardly ever represented. The It-was-supposed-to-be-better-than-this-I-was-promised-rocket-pack-explody-love diddies. The You-cheated-so-Imma-fucking-kill-you songs. C’mon, you’ve felt that urge, and you know it. No one writes those anymore. At least not within the mainstream. Sure, Nick Cave and a few other modern murder balladiers do (PJ Harvey’s RID OF ME is chock full o’ tense-love songs), but can you name 3 or 4? Why are we so short-changed on selection here?
My current fave, although not current, is Blind Willie McTell’s ‘A to Z Blues’. Strange, that love and honesty are rarely paired when we discuss, in art or other areas, how we really feel. I should probably note here that although I’ll admit I feel said unsavory urges, I’ve never gone farther than *feeling* them. So far as any of you will ever know.
Others faves of the moment:
Tricky: Veronika
St Vincent: BANG BANG
Suggestions folks? Others out there? Enlighten me?
