# Why the dearth of songs about women's love for their guy? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 8, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428 "2013-11-08T16:25:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/41 "2013-11-09T03:39:37Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > For those who continue to post new songs: As I mentioned in post #21, “the main thesis in the OP is incorrect”, that is, you guys have made your point and I agree that women do write songs about guys they love. > > The funny thing is that I actually know a lot of the songs that have been brought up, but could not think of them when writing the OP. > > Looking back, I think the reason is that I phrased the OP overly-broadly. I wrote it about songs that express love for people of the opposite sex. But what I really was thinking, and you can see that from the list of songs I wrote in the OP, is songs that express love for a person of the opposite sex and also include that person’s name. > > That is, there are love songs about Amanda, Mandy, Alice, Annie, Caroline, etc, but what I don’t know are any love songs with “John” in the title, or Bob, or Mike, or Jason, or other male names. > > All the great songs you guys listed are indeed love songs from a woman and about a man, but I don’t see any with guys’ names in them. > > I know I did not specify this in the OP, so I don’t want to seem to be moving the goal-posts. But I think that’s the sort of thing I was thinking about when I said I couldn’t think of analogous songs from women about men they love. > > Based on the history of this thread and your extensive musical knowledge, I expect someone to quickly prove me wrong again, that is, that there are indeed love songs by women about the men they love/have a crush on, with the man’s name in the title. I said Denis, we’ve also, on a quick glance had Bill, Willy and Carey… ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/42 "2013-11-09T03:49:26Z")
Eddie My Love Mr. Lee Ode to Billy Joe Norman ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/43 "2013-11-09T03:52:12Z")
Oh - and last but not least, Goodbye Earl. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/44 "2013-11-09T04:11:13Z")
Can you read my mind? Do you know what it is you do to me? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/45 "2013-11-09T04:16:27Z")
Does it have to be in the title? _[Wedding Bell Blues](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8kuo-TRZU8)_ does not have a name in the title, but it is made _very_ plain in the lyrics that the man she wants to marry is called Bill. I think you may be right, however, to think that love songs by women about men are less likely to mention the loved one’s name (in title or lyrics) than are love songs by men about women. Indeed, _Wedding Bell Blues_ sprung to mind for me, in this context, largely because the repeated mention of Bill’s name in the song has always seemed a bit awkward and jarring to me. I am not sure why, but perhaps it has something to do with the fact that, in our culture, women’s names are usually more inherently melodious (perhaps by being heavier on vowels and liquid consonants). Incidentally, I don’t think Joni Mitchell’s _Carey_ is really a love song. She is dumping him, albeit very gently. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/46 "2013-11-09T04:29:27Z")
“Jimmy Mack” by Martha and the Vandellas ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/47 "2013-11-09T04:36:04Z")
Dr. Feelgood? Maybe she called him Doc. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/48 "2013-11-09T04:42:34Z")
With all the males posting in this thread, I can’t help but think of David Spade and Chris Farley weepily singing along with Karen Carpenter. _“Don’t you remember you told me you loved me, baby? You said you’d be coming back this way again, baby?”_ (Actually, a lot of her stuff fits – _Close To You,_ and _Rainy Days And Mondays_, and _I Won’t Last A Day Without You,_ and…) ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/49 "2013-11-09T04:46:29Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I am not sure why, but perhaps it has something to do with the fact that, in our culture, women’s names are usually more inherently melodious (perhaps by being heavier on vowels and liquid consonants). I’m remembering a bit by IIRC Bill Cosby about how you want to give your child a name with a vowel at the end so when you yell down the street at them you can really stretch it out. I imagine singers like to have some nice vowels to stretch out too, and in English at least there are more women’s names than men’s names that end in a vowel. Just trying to think of songs with men’s names in the titles (not necessarily love songs) the first few that sprang to mind were Toni Basil’s “Mickey”, ABBA’s “Fernando”, Lady Gaga’s “Alejandro”, and Janis Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee”. Two of these use Spanish men’s names with an “o” on the end and two use diminutive forms of English men’s names with a “y” on the end. But I imagine that some songwriters may hesitate to use these diminutive forms of men’s names in love songs for fear that they’ll sound childish. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/50 "2013-11-10T18:08:10Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > No, they’re about how he was a dirtbag and didn’t deserve her and blew his chance and how lucky she is that he’s gone and it’s too late for him to mend his ways. I used to joke that anyone who started dating Taylor (will get a song written about him) and then breaks up with her (another song about him) might as well leave the country for a few years, because he’s obviously just a dirtbag who broke that sweet young thing’s heart and all of America knows it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/51 "2013-11-10T18:30:15Z")
One I just recalled that hits the nail right on the head is [Catherine Howe’s ‘Harry’](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA3rnvjQ6_s). (I am not sure whether that Youtube version is the same as the one that was a UK hit for her). Another that might seem to is [Lesley Duncan’s ‘Sam’,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnQoBAw7-uc) but in fact it is about her son rather than a lover. (I owned a couple of Lesley Duncan albums back in the day, and think she deserved to be a lot better known than she was.) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/52 "2013-11-11T08:06:46Z")
Some of these have probably already been listed here: Dionne Warwick [ul] [li]I Say a Little Prayer[/li][li]Then Came You[/li][/ul] Dusty Springfield [ul] [li]You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me[/li][li]The Look of Love[/li][li]Son-of-a Preacher Man[/li][/ul] Bonnie Raitt [ul] [li]Something to Talk About[/li][/ul] Aretha Frankling [ul] [li]I Never Loved a Man the Way I Loved You[/li][li]Baby I Love You[/li][li]A Natural Woman[/li][/ul] Roberta Flack [ul] [li]The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face[/li][li]Feel Like Makin’ Love[/li][/ul] Carly Simon [ul] [li]The Right Thing to Do[/li][li]Nobody Does It Better[/li][li]You Belong to Me[/li][/ul] The Supremes [ul] [li]Stop! In the Name of Love[/li][li]My World Is Empty Without You[/li][li]I’m Gonna Make You Love Me[/li][li]Someday We’ll Be Together[/li][/ul] Phoebe Snow [ul] [li]Poetry Man[/li][/ul] Then there’s the Tin Pan Alley era, in which there were huge numbers of love songs written for women, or that could be (and were) sung by both men and women. Things like, “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” “Somebody Loves Me,” “From This Moment On,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Let’s Fall in Love,” “That Old Black Magic”. . . ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/53 "2013-11-11T09:01:33Z")
Without even bothering to look for specific examples and being sure that some in my last category will have been listed: tons of traditional tunes, as well as boleros, half of Chabuca Granda’s work, and a ton by that D. Parton person. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/54 "2013-11-11T09:22:00Z")
Some more with men’s names in the title: - Stephen - Kesha - Bill Bailey, Won’t You Please Come Home? - several, including Patsy Cline & Della Reese - Frankie - Sister Sledge - My Funny Valentine - from _Babes in Arms_ (most people think the song is about someone calling a loved one his/her ‘Valentine,’ but it’s about a girl singing to a guy actually named Valentine!) - Harry - Catherine Howe - Jimmie Mack - Martha and the Vandells - Candy - Big Maybelle (this can be sung by either a woman or man) - Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares - Jonathan - Fiona Apple - Winter Dreams (Brandon’s Song) - Kelly Clarkson - Alfie - Dionne Warwick - Chuck E’s In Love - Rickie Lee Jones - Don’t Mess with Bill - The Marvelettes - Jesse - Carly Simons ---
**Author:** ![Celyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@Celyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celyn)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/55 "2013-11-12T03:33:08Z")
… Roberta Flack [LIST] [li]The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face[/li].[/QUOTE It was written by Ewan McColl for/to Peggy Seeger, wasn’t it? But I suppose it became better known with Roberta Flack. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/56 "2013-11-12T14:40:25Z")
“What’s New?” “Never Before and Never Again” (Okay, this is from **The Muppet Movie** , so it’s technically about a pig’s love for a frog, not a woman’s for a man, but still.) ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/57 "2013-11-12T15:44:23Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Incidentally, I don’t think Joni Mitchell’s _Carey_ is really a love song. She is dumping him, albeit very gently. Point taken [despite the whole ‘mean ole daddy, but… outasight’ bit]. So, scratch _Carey_ and add [Michael from Mountains](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in0g-rpb9S4). Boy’s namecheck and everything. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/58 "2013-11-12T16:52:24Z")
[Soldier Boy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NYw83uAQig), The Shirelles [Please Mr. Postman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=425GpjTSlS4), The Marvelettes [Leader of The Pack](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McvWodRXA7k), The Shangri-Las ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/59 "2013-11-15T01:41:36Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > But what I really was thinking, and you can see that from the list of songs I wrote in the OP, is songs that express love for a person of the opposite sex and also include that person’s name. Here’s a few. I think women are far less likely to name the song the guy’s name, though, it’s true. I Might Be Wrong “Elliott” Bree Sharp “David Duchovny [why don’t you love me?]” Anok “Michel” Poe “Angry Johnny” (okay, it’s hard to tell if she loves or hates him…) Lamb “Gabriel” Concrete Blonde “Joey” ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428/60 "2013-11-15T15:32:43Z")
What about “Fuck me, Ray Bradbury” by Rachel Bloom? Can’t get clearer than that, and it mentions him by name! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-dearth-of-songs-about-womens-love-for-their-guy/673428.md?page=4)