Kieron Gillen's workblog

 
             

   
 
 

11/02/2003

 
Posted in This Thread on Billy Bragg on the Brian Wood Forum. Cross-posted here on a whim.

"I saw two shooting stars last night
I wished on them... but they were only satelites.
It's wrong to wish on Space-Hardware.
I wish, I wish, I wish you care"

Writing a genuine, emotionally effecting love-lyric in the modern age is the hardest thing in the world. The words "I Love You" stinks of comodified lies in a the vast majority of pop songs - and it's a sign of a truly great one which can still say that and get away with it (Recently Dexy's kicking out "I Love You" was a reminder it's still possible).

That lyric nails it. Starts on a cliche. Plays with it... and then in a delirously sung rush of words, having trouble fitting the actual song, brings it into worldly confusion. Next line is kitchen-sink wry humour, playful. A laugh. And then, just as suddenly as it turned into comedy, you're back into the simplest forlorn love words. The triple iteration on the I wish is a killer too.



 

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