Last week’s edition made the case for unrequited love being the second most common source of inspiration in popular song.
As in life, so with unrequited love – there are the situations you find yourself in, and there are the ways you choose to deal with them. Songwriters generally go one of four ways.
Option 1: Deal with it.
The Left Banke’s harpsichord player fell in love with the bassist’s girlfriend and wrote a song about it. When the girlfriend showed up at the recording, he was shaking so hard he couldn’t go through with it and returned later to record the song in private. Of the many great versions of his song, not least Billy Bragg’s spin, the Four Tops’ is untouchable.
Option 2: Settle for less.
The South African band Clout had a big hit despite their desire to appear on Top of the Pops remaining unrequited during the cultural boycott. The gist is: I’ll fill in if your girlfriend checks out. Incidentally, this will always be the soundtrack to a seaside family holiday in 1978 that was ended prematurely by my father’s kidney stones.
Option 3: Change your mind about settling for less.
Dirty Work by Steely Dan. The gist is: I’ve been filling in when your boyfriend checks out and I don’t feel great about it, so I think I’m done.
Option 4: Beg.
This is the tactic that even exponents of ‘settle for less’ think lacks a little dignity. It often comes when a previously requited love becomes un. John Denver sank this low with ‘Don’t close your eyes tonight’ and Kenny Rogers went there with rather more justified poignancy in ‘Ruby don’t take your love to town’.
But the last word on unrequited love songs is Bonnie Raitt’s.