It does exist …
Posted on January 28th, 2013 by James Higham
… just not all that much of it [women writing love songs about their devotion to a man]:
As the interviewer said to Susanna Hoffs: “There are just not that many around.”
Filed under: Music, Society & human issues
Whitney Houston:
“Saving All My Love for You” is a song written by Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin with arrangement by Gene Page.
“The Greatest Love of All” is a song written by Michael Masser and Linda Creed and originally recorded by George Benson. [She wrote the lyrics about her medical condition.]
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” is the first single from Whitney Houston’s second studio album Whitney. It was produced by Narada Michael Walden, and written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam.
“When You Believe” is a song by American recording artists Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. The song was written and composed by Stephen Schwartz.
Right, I’m going to wind this search up – it’s pretty clear what’s going on here. Take a song “The Dark End of the Street”, a 1967 soul song written by songwriters Dan Penn and Chips Moman and first recorded by James Carr.
Here is his version:
http://youtu.be/tzcdNwIkmYA
Sorry – the guy’s voice is great but there is something lacking on the emotional side. And I know why – that dark end hidden lvoe, forbidden fruit thing is a very womanly approach and that comes out full blast in Linda Ronstadt’s version:
http://youtu.be/3Us0zopFrnc
Tell me I’m wrong but there are some great songs by women and great songs by men but when a woman interprets a man’s song it can be inspired.
Diane Warren
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Warren
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Diane_Warren
Suzanna Hoffs, what’s not to like? The Bangles were a great little band. The first one was their reunion, comeback single.
Maybe there are more men writers than women; I would add that men, who on the whole are pretty useless at in-relationship expression, if creative can find it when it’s over or under strain. Or perhaps it’s easier to say it indirectly in a song.
I Will Always Love You, written by Dolly Parton.
Twilight – yep – she’s certainly a phenomenon.
Tinks – we cross-posted. Interesting comment: “… men, who on the whole are pretty useless at in-relationship expression, if creative can find it when it’s over or under strain.”
Yes – compare that to Diane Warren herself:
Warren has never married and does not think of herself as a person of commitment and even believes her lack of a romantic life makes her more peculiar as a songwriter. “I’ve never been in love like in my songs. I’m not like normal people. I’m no good at relationships. I draw drama to me – it’s the Jew in me …”
Although she considers herself to be cynical regarding romance, she does not let this affect her songwriting … Her mother has expressed concern that she is too engulfed by her work, saying “she’s always, constantly thinking of a song”, and urges her to think about starting a family.
I will always love you – as mentioned above, it’s disqualified because it was a song getting rid of a man, rather than a love song.
By the way, try this:
http://youtu.be/NUCJOR-IS4o