Greatest love songs ever: #52 “Silly Love Songs”

By Tom Quiner

Love is the antidote for abortion. The more love in the world, the less desire to destroy God’s creation, who are the unborn. Each person is made in the image of God, so each abortion is a desecration of God’s gift to humanity: His children.

This blogpost begins our countdown of the top 52 love songs ever. Remember, this is my list, yours will be different, and I want you to share them with this blogpost as the year progresses.

Good love songs, no matter how secular, are an antidote for a culture that craves love, but doesn’t know it. God is love. Therefore, love songs promote God, because they are life-creating.

Love songs are not mere escapism

Music historian, Ted Gioia provided a secular viewpoint on the value of love songs in his book, “Songs: The Hidden History”:

“People are wrong to view these songs as mere entertainment or escapism. The purpose of a successful love song is to create love. The first love songs were part of fertility rites and they aimed at changing the world, not just describing it. When the Beatles sang ‘All You Need Is Love’ or John Coltrane performed ‘A Love Supreme’, they wanted to transform the world in which they lived. And on a personal level, many of us would not be here today if our parents hadn’t heard a love song at the right time and place. Those love songs aren’t just life-changing, they are life-creating.”

Paul McCartney’s twenty-seventh #1 hit!

#52 on my list is Paul McCartney’s 1976 hit, “Silly Love Songs.” The song was McCartney’s 27th number one hit single.

In reality, I have many other love songs I like more than this one that didn’t make this list. But “Silly Love Songs” came into existence for the very reason expressed by Ted Gioia: the world needs them.

McCartney wrote this song in direct response to a cynical put-down directed at him by his former bandmate and collaborator, John Lennon. Lennon was a singularly unpleasant personality who slurred McCartney for writing “silly love songs” and “sentimental slush.”

I have logged my feelings on Mr. Lennon’s songs in previous blogposts. [See “John Lennon’s most obnoxious song.”] Suffice it to say, none of Lennon’s solo efforts made this list.

Lyrics matter as much as the music when it comes to love songs. Music revivalist/singer/pianist Michael Feinstein mused that what’s wrong with modern love songs is that they lack wit.

McCartney is one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, and he understands wit.

A witty riposte

The refrain of ‘Silly Love Songs’ provides a witty riposte to Lennon’s sardonic putdown:

“Love doesn’t come in a minute,

Sometimes it doesn’t come at all,

I only know that when I’m in it,

It isn’t silly, love isn’t silly, love isn’t silly at all.”

Thank-you, Paul McCartney! That was enough to earn your place on this list! Here’s what he has to say about this song:

“I thought, Well, I know what they mean, but, people have been doing love songs forever. I like ’em, other people like ’em, and there’s a lot of people I love — I’m lucky enough to have that in my life. So the idea was that “you” may call them silly, but what’s wrong with that?”

John Lennon’s issue was war; so is ours, only ours is the war on the unborn. Sadly, the peace and justice crowd morphed from an anti-war movement in the 1960s into a pro-abortion movement in the 1970s (not that Lennon was necessarily pro-abortion himself).

Silly Love Songs is a delightful response to cranky progressives who tear down everything they touch.

I’ve noticed something interesting about “Silly Love Songs.” It isn’t often covered by other artists, unlike many of the upcoming love songs on this list. Go figure.

Director Baz Luhrmann included an excerpt in his 2001 musical, “Moulin Rouge!” starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan MacGregor (below).

Here’s a cover by the South Australian group, Hindley Street Country Club:

There’s nothing silly about love. It’s what makes the world go ‘round! (Sounds like a great song idea!)

What are your favorite love songs? Leave your comments with as much detail as you’d like.

See you next week with #51 on our list. You’re going to love it!

[If you like this blogpost, be sure to share it. Then donate to help spread pro-life love.]