In my opinion, I think it is every (male) artist's agenda, whether hidden or not, to get the girl through their craft. A good example of this would be poetry, which, in turn, if you add instruments, you get music. This craft of trying to woo the girl through music has definitely been hit or miss through the ages. When you get fed up with it, you end up with some of the Shakespearean Sonnets that don't speak very well of women, but when you do put the right type of imagery, metaphors, or similes, you can really attract that certain someone. How do you think Hanson, NSync, Backstreet Boys, Jonas Brothers, and Justin Bieber did it. It couldn't be that teens are hormonally enraged and can't think clearly....so it must be the music. HA! Let's be serious now. You think of All 4 One with their song, "I Swear" or Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" and how even the listeners use the songs to get that certain someone. Let's face it, there is a love song for everyone.
What, exactly, is the key to a good love song? Don't most love songs contain huge promises, lovely compliments, and dreamlike images? This is what most people want in relationships, and it's not hopeless to dream like that, but what happens when all these things don't work? As a true artist, one should never give up. In fact, sometimes you just need to try a different approach. Let's look at a guy who gives encouragement for not only himself, but other artist in need of guidance.
"The Minstrel's Prayer" by Cartel
And all these stupid silly songs
Keep trying to catch your ear
I'm trying desperately
It's just so hard to persevere
And even if you listened
And never had much to say
Cause it's the same old song
I've written for the day
I used to be this guy. Why do you think I learned how to play guitar back in high school. Let's face it, girls like guys with skills. In high school, when playing for a group of people, you would have women swooning over you because you know how to play their favorite songs. Even in college, I would get replies from women that they thought my performance was "hot". Unfortunately, that was it. All I received were compliments, no one was fully lured into my poetic snare. I had to work harder. What women could resist the trifecta: singer, songwriter, and musician. Regrettably, I found out I get off key too easily and songwriting sucks. No matter what, though, I was going to keep at it because even if you do write the same old songs, eventually something different comes along and then the world is at your fingertips.
Shelter me oh genius words
Just give me strength
To pen these things
And give me peace to well her wings
And oh, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl
Try, try again. The message in this chorus is a prayer of sorts. Just as humans cannot live without air, food, or water, a minstrel cannot survive without words, that is, well thought out, constructed, words that bring hope, beauty, and love. I hope I have caught your ears through my writing. Without my writing, how would I express my feelings or emotions?
All these minstrels through the ages
That is really all we are
Simply singing for the girl
That makes us try so very hard
To craft the perfect limerick
To wield unending woe
To write such silly songs
And the difference never know
This verse goes back to what I said about a well constructed love poem. It is all silly, and yet women think it's cute. I know that when I say "cutesie" things, I think to myself, good thing there aren't any other men around. Sometimes I laugh at myself, but women have this control over us that makes us say these things. We work day and night, trying to come up with the perfect limerick. For instance, when a guy tries to get a girl he'll use a pick up line, or when a guy is dating a girl, he'll say most anything to keep her happily in love with him. We try to find the perfect setting and words for an engagement, and then at the wedding, we use words, or songs, to express our love for the wife. It's not that we don't want to, women readers, we really want to keep you happy and wanting to stick around, I promise. I, pray, for all men, that you are listening to us when this stuff comes up. Read the next verse and you'll know why.
And I'll hold on to the dream
Of this beggar's plea and optimistic fantasy
Just hold the hand and drop the knee
You're facing love
You're embracing melody
Women, when you see a man trying to grab your attention through music, or poetry, or anything of the like, I hope you at least notice the effort and see that he is willing to drop his macho facade to show you he will do anything. This entails being sensitive to your needs because he cares that much for you. It is literally as the songwriter puts it, a beggars plea and optimistic fantasy.
And carry on, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl
Minstrels, don't give up. Keep singing your songs no matter how many people turn down your words. Speak from the heart, stand behind what you say, and your words will fall on the right ears. When this does happen for you, the relationship is well worth the wait.
Carry on minstrels of the world, carry on!
The Minstrel's Prayer by Cartel
What, exactly, is the key to a good love song? Don't most love songs contain huge promises, lovely compliments, and dreamlike images? This is what most people want in relationships, and it's not hopeless to dream like that, but what happens when all these things don't work? As a true artist, one should never give up. In fact, sometimes you just need to try a different approach. Let's look at a guy who gives encouragement for not only himself, but other artist in need of guidance.
"The Minstrel's Prayer" by Cartel
And all these stupid silly songs
Keep trying to catch your ear
I'm trying desperately
It's just so hard to persevere
And even if you listened
And never had much to say
Cause it's the same old song
I've written for the day
I used to be this guy. Why do you think I learned how to play guitar back in high school. Let's face it, girls like guys with skills. In high school, when playing for a group of people, you would have women swooning over you because you know how to play their favorite songs. Even in college, I would get replies from women that they thought my performance was "hot". Unfortunately, that was it. All I received were compliments, no one was fully lured into my poetic snare. I had to work harder. What women could resist the trifecta: singer, songwriter, and musician. Regrettably, I found out I get off key too easily and songwriting sucks. No matter what, though, I was going to keep at it because even if you do write the same old songs, eventually something different comes along and then the world is at your fingertips.
Shelter me oh genius words
Just give me strength
To pen these things
And give me peace to well her wings
And oh, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl
Try, try again. The message in this chorus is a prayer of sorts. Just as humans cannot live without air, food, or water, a minstrel cannot survive without words, that is, well thought out, constructed, words that bring hope, beauty, and love. I hope I have caught your ears through my writing. Without my writing, how would I express my feelings or emotions?
All these minstrels through the ages
That is really all we are
Simply singing for the girl
That makes us try so very hard
To craft the perfect limerick
To wield unending woe
To write such silly songs
And the difference never know
This verse goes back to what I said about a well constructed love poem. It is all silly, and yet women think it's cute. I know that when I say "cutesie" things, I think to myself, good thing there aren't any other men around. Sometimes I laugh at myself, but women have this control over us that makes us say these things. We work day and night, trying to come up with the perfect limerick. For instance, when a guy tries to get a girl he'll use a pick up line, or when a guy is dating a girl, he'll say most anything to keep her happily in love with him. We try to find the perfect setting and words for an engagement, and then at the wedding, we use words, or songs, to express our love for the wife. It's not that we don't want to, women readers, we really want to keep you happy and wanting to stick around, I promise. I, pray, for all men, that you are listening to us when this stuff comes up. Read the next verse and you'll know why.
And I'll hold on to the dream
Of this beggar's plea and optimistic fantasy
Just hold the hand and drop the knee
You're facing love
You're embracing melody
Women, when you see a man trying to grab your attention through music, or poetry, or anything of the like, I hope you at least notice the effort and see that he is willing to drop his macho facade to show you he will do anything. This entails being sensitive to your needs because he cares that much for you. It is literally as the songwriter puts it, a beggars plea and optimistic fantasy.
And carry on, oh carry on all you minstrels of the world
We will catch our ladies ear
We will win for us the girl
Minstrels, don't give up. Keep singing your songs no matter how many people turn down your words. Speak from the heart, stand behind what you say, and your words will fall on the right ears. When this does happen for you, the relationship is well worth the wait.
Carry on minstrels of the world, carry on!
The Minstrel's Prayer by Cartel
The Shakespearian Sonnet jab needs some 'splainin'. "A rose by any other name," "How do I love thee" and etc, are instances of the longing for the love of a woman. The opportunity to do a comparative sort of analysis between contemporary music and Shakespearian poetry is screaming at you here. I think it would be pretty interesting to see the differences and similarities of historical "wooing" as you put it. That is, what is it about the rhythm of a poem read or a song sung that initiates a relationship between two people? What is the fantasy, in other words, of what that voice is inspiring with regard to love? Is there a difference between the 'wooer' supplying the music in a song and allowing the 'wooee' to imagine her own melody? These are questions that go towards our wish for untroubled love as well as a determination of the growth in respect between men who woo and the women who are wooed.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be pretty interesting to see the differences and similarities of historical "wooing" as you put it. That is, what is it about the rhythm of a poem read or a song sung that initiates a relationship between two people? What is the fantasy, in other words, of what that voice is inspiring with regard to love? Is there a difference between the 'wooer' supplying the music in a song and allowing the 'wooee' to imagine her own melody?
ReplyDeleteGreat Questions to really consider!