Many of us are familiar with the age old question: “How do you know when you’re in love?” The most common answer I have found is that “all the songs begin to make sense,” but that begs the question: what songs are they talking about? These are the songs that you want to belt out in your room after your amazing first date, the songs that bring a smile to your face and make your heart melt, the songs whose lyrics touch your soul and remind you how lucky you are to have a love like that in your life, the songs that simply make sense.
You Are in Love – Taylor Swift
One night he wakes, strange look on his face
Pauses, then says, you’re my best friend
And you knew what it was, he is in love.
Taylor Swift’s You Are in Love is the epitome of the early stages of love. She does not talk of burning passion or great gestures, but the beauty one can find in a fond memory or a simple touch. Taylor manages to illustrate love at its very core, emphasizing the purity and beauty of true, untainted love.
I can listen to this song over and over again with that special someone in mind and know that every single word within this song rings true. She reveals the intangible qualities of love that we oftentimes find difficult to grasp and those that we otherwise often neglect. This song communicates the idea that love manages to reveal itself in the simplest of ways, whether it is in silence, in the drive home, or in the darkness. Love has a way of finding you when you least expect it and its simplicity will often surprise you.
Thinking Out Loud – Ed Sheeran
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
I’m thinking out loud
Possibly the most romantic song ever written, Thinking Out Loud is currently number 2 on the charts and for good reason. If ever you had to define exactly what love is, this song would be all the explanation you would ever need. Over Christmas break, I was sitting in the car with my family and this song began to play on the radio. I watched as without word or action, the voices turned to silence and there was a peace and simplicity in the moment that I will never forget.
Ed Sheeran’s angelic voice promulgated that which we all hope to find in love and in marriage, to “fall in love (with you) every single day.” Just as this very line played, I watched as my mom reached over and grasped my dad’s hand – a single, loving gesture that brought tears to my eyes.
He speaks of a love that nowadays many believe is either simply impossible or outdated, a love that is ever-changing and eternal. However, in seeing my parents, I believe that this song is not an idealization of love, it is the image of love that has been lost for so long, that many have been dying to attain.
With Valentine’s Day on its way, it’s important to remember to show those around you how much you love them, and what better way than through a song? These talented artists have a way with words that manages to touch the heart and reveal to us our innermost thoughts and feelings. So, if you ever find yourself wondering what true love really is, look to these songs to give you the answer.
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