But to expand anyway… I am really sick of love songs that are focused entirely on the beloved’s beauty/pretty/sexy/hot-ness. It’s depressing. Is love based on other things not worthy of being sung about? Is the love men feel for women centered so intensely on appearance and sex?
Yes, there are love songs that don’t reference appearance, but they also tend to not reference anything else - they just talk about the love, not the reason for the love or the love object’s non-physical attributes.
I’ve always felt this way, but I was reminded about it last night when I was listening to “Girl From Ipanema”:
Which immediately made me think of that MADDENING song by James Blunt, “your’e Beautiful”
Perhaps it’s just an issue of the songs being lust songs about unattainable women? Probably not. I did a search and so far I can’t find a love song that praises something in the beloved that isn’t:
Their appearance
Their sexiness
Their love for the singer of the song
"
She thinks all my jokes are corny
Convict movies make her horny
She likes ketchup on her scrambled eggs
Swears like a sailor when shaves her legs
She takes a lickin
And keeps on tickin
Im never gonna let her go."
Buju Banton has a song I love called “I Don’t Know Why”
It is kind of a cheat, because in the actual chant, he does mention her physical attributes.
But the chorus, sung by Wayne Wonder, really is beautiful.
"You may not be a movie star you may not drive a big fast car
But I love you in everyway I love you in every way
(Buju Banton: Every way I can tink off)
I don’t know why (I will tell you) oh why I don’t know why oh why… ( Oh oh yes) "
I can’t find this following part in the lyrics on line, but he sang the following words in the concert that I just saw him in this past Saturday:
“The dress you wear
May be too tight
People may say
It don’t look right
But, I love you in every way…”
I had never noticed that particular lyric in the song before; and I have heard it hundreds of times. I wonder if he added that part just for the live performance. Anyways, I love it alot.
You don’t live in a beautiful place
And you don’t dress in the best of taste
And nature didn’t give you such a beautiful face
But baby, you got what it takes…
How about Grand Funk Railroad’s Some Kind of Wonderful? I’m pretty sure they don’t mention the woman’s appearance at all. First verse:
I dont need a whole lots of money,
I dont need a big fine car.
I got everything that a man could want,
I got more than I could ask for.
I dont have to run around,
I dont have to stay out all night.
cause I got me a sweet … a sweet, lovin woman,
And she knows just how to treat me right.
Well my baby, shes alright,
Well my baby, shes clean out-of-sight.
Dont you know that shes … shes some kind of wonderful.
"We ain’t in the same crowd,
I always see you with the hoopers.
But we got the same lunch,
You might see me with the cooler
That’s 'cause I don’t eat pork
You can never be sure.
Oh, you like Linkin Park?
That’s the hat from the tour.
I got a autographed shirt they wrote “Much love to ya.”
Man, that’s really funny how we like the same music. "
A sweet dorky love song.
Todd Rundgren had a wonderful example with his song “Does Anybody Love You” from his album A Wizard/A True Star:
*
You can dress up or dress down as you
Gaze in the mirror, hung up on your body
What good can it be when there’s no one there to see
You’re so lovely, so wise
You could make Venus crawl
But love between the ugly is the most beautiful love of all*
“The girl that I lament for,
The girl my money’s spent for,
The girl my back is bent for,
The girl I owe the rent for,
The girl I gave up lent for
Is the girl that heaven meant for me.”
“Oh, I couldn’t live a single day without you
Actually, on second thought, well, I suppose I could
Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, honey, you’re the greatest
Well, at any rate, I guess you’re…pretty good”
The Beatles, “Ask Me Why.” No reference to appearance, just “I love you, 'cause you tell me things I want to know.” Jeez, he might as well fall in love with Mr. Wizard.
A very good example (I think) is “She’s Always a Woman.” Doesn’t say a thing about her looks (unless you count wounding with her eyes) or what she does to the singer, except that he apparently loves her despite the fact that she’s a bitchy narcissist.
Not to mention the enlightened advice of Jimmy Soul.
A pretty woman makes her husband look small
And very often causes his downfall.
As soon as he marries her
Then she starts to do
The things that will break his heart.
But if you make an ugly woman your wife,
You’ll be happy for the rest of your life,
An ugly woman cooks her meals on time,
She’ll always give you peace of mind.
There’s this teen pop-ish song (sung by a male) that I’ve heard on the radio called “Beautiful Soul,” I believe.
It fits the OP, but frankly, I always thought it was written specifically so girls who don’t think of themselves as attractive (which number many, I’d imagine) would swoon and buy the singer’s album. Definitely NOT because of any interest in women’s lib; quite the opposite, in fact.
“Forever and Ever Amen” by Randy Travis: They say that time takes it’s toll on a body
Makes a young girl’s brown hair turn gray
But, honey, I don’t care, I ain’t in love with your hair
And if it all fell out, well, I’d love you anyway
Actually, a lot of Randy Travis’s lyrics belongin this thread.