I've seen this commercial for TiVo a few times and heard this artist. Until then, I'd never heard her sing before.

Love Song

As sung 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’m gonna need a better
Reason to write you a love song today

I learned the hard way
That they all say things you want to hear
And 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’m gonna need a better
Reason to write you a love song today

Promise me that 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


I'm not sure I totally agree with the sentiments of the song. I think it might be better to have generic love songs, aimed at brotherly love. That reminds me of the song that was a part of the Cocoa Cola commercials from my youth:

I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees, and honey bees,
and snow white turtle doves.

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to buy the world a Coke
To keep it company.

Then I think about what the song is actually saying and I have two trains of thought in reference to the movie, The Rainmaker. The sheriff in the movie is a divorced man whose wife left him with a traveling salesman (I think). He's led everyone to believe that he's a widower because he wants to save his pride. Out of respect to him everyone in town goes along with his farce. Until Lizzie has a conversation with him about it. She asks him what really happened and then questions him as to whether he asked his wife to stay. His answer was in the negative because he felt that he shouldn't have to.

On the one hand I agree with that. If you've laid your heart and soul out there for someone I'm not so sure you should have to make such a request. It would seem to me that by baring your feelings it would be implied that you wanted them to remain. I think that's how the sheriff felt.

On the other hand, what if you have been less than forth coming with your true feelings or you've ran hot and cold? It might be in order to write your feelings out in a love song.

I guess the way I see it- if you are serious about someone just come out and say it. Speak from the heart. Risk being hurt. Tell the other person what your intentions are. Life's too short to play games. I did that a lot. I was such a tease and then I'd sabotage the whole thing because I was afraid. That's no way to live.

When I finally took the plunge I got my heart broke. But I can live with myself knowing that I gave it my best shot. I didn't run from something because it was different from what others had. I didn't run from it because he couldn't make up his mind about who he was and what he wanted. It did not end because I wished it to. It ended because he made choices that did not include me in his life. He was the one who ran.

If I have the opportunity to take the plunge again I will do so with gusto!