I was about 11 years old when I discovered for myself a basic truth of popular songs. I had been sitting on the couch in our living room for quite a long time, listening to the songs playing on the radio in the kitchen when I suddenly popped up, dashed into the kitchen and announced to my mother, who was preparing supper, "All songs are about love." She agreed with me.
I love you, you love me, I love you, you don't love me, thought I lost you, 'fraid I will, you love somebody else, I'll never love another, I want to hold your hand. The number of popular songs with a love theme is so overwhelmingly large that there is a special category for songs not about love, the "novelty" song: Doggie in the Window, Purple People Eaters, Monster Mash.
There are a some other categories that have or have had their day, of course -- Christmas songs, old folk songs, plus the folk songs of protest, and songs that musicals need to move the story along -- My Favorite Things, Whistle a Happy Tune, O, What a Beautiful Mornin'.
I'm noticing something here. Of the tunes I've mentioned, the most recent is from 1963. I guess that's to be expected from an old woman.
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