Having your cake and eating it, too
The genesis of this post was a conversation with a friend about whether or not any popular contemporary music was anything more than a result of some preconceived formula by the music industry of what type of songs would be commercially successful. Being in a bit of a pessimistic mood, it was my contention that nobody really cares about integrity of story or truth behind lyrics. The powers that be only care about what would make the most money and artists must sacrifice truth for profits. Like I said, I was in a pessimistic mood…
But then I remembered a hit song from a few years ago by Sara Bareilles. It was her first single, released in 2007. It was nominated for 2009 Grammy Awards in the categories Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
The title of the song is “Love Song”. The story goes that her record label wasn’t very excited about the songs she had written for her upcoming album and rather than writing a song about an actual person, they wanted her to write a “marketable love song”. Bareilles’s response to their request probably wasn’t what they had in mind, but it was a “marketable love song” written especially for them:
Love Song (by Sara Bareilles)
Head under water
And they tell me to breathe easy for a while
The breathing gets harder, even I know that
You made room for me, but it’s too soon to see
If I’m happy in your hands
I’m unusually hard to hold on to
Blank stares at blank pages
No easy way to say this
You mean well, but you make this hard on me
I’m not gonna write you a love song
‘Cause you asked for it
‘Cause you need one, you see
I’m not gonna write you a love song
‘Cause you tell me it’s make or breaking this
If you’re on your way
I’m not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leaving
I’mma need a better reason to write you a love song today
Today
I learned the hard way
That they all say things you want to hear
My heavy heart sinks deep down under you
And your twisted words, your help just hurts
You are not what I thought you were
Hello to high and dry
Convinced me to please you
Made me think that I need this too
I’m trying to let you hear me as I am
I’m not gonna write you a love song
‘Cause you asked for it
‘Cause you need one, you see
I’m not gonna write you a love song
‘Cause you tell me it’s make or breaking this
If you’re on your way,
I’m not gonna write you to stay
If all you have is leaving
I’mma need a better reason to write you a love song today
Promise me you’ll leave the light on
To help me see with daylight, my guide, gone
‘Cause I believe there’s a way you can love me because I say
I won’t write you a love song
‘Cause you asked for it
‘Cause you need one, you see
I’m not gonna write you a love song
‘Cause you tell me it’s make or breaking this
Is that why you wanted a love song
‘Cause you asked for it?
‘Cause you need one, you see
I’m not gonna write you a love song
‘Cause you tell me it’s make or breaking this
If you’re on your way
I’m not gonna write you to stay
If your heart is nowhere in it
I don’t want it for a minute
Babe, I’ll walk the seven seas when I believe that there’s a reason to
Write you a love song today
Today
Here’s to giving people what they ask for in your own unique way.
Here’s to success without selling out.
Here’s to having your cake and eating it, too.
