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A love song is a song about romantic love, falling in love, heartbreak after a breakup, and the feelings that these experiences bring. Love songs can be found in a variety of different music genres. They can come in various formats, from sad and emotional pieces to fast songs that only have a faint love theme and major on the sound and popularity.

History

Love songs have existed for many years and can be found in the histories and cultures of most societies, though their ubiquity is a modern phenomenon.^{[clarification needed]}

The oldest known love song is the love song of Shu-Sin, which was discovered in the library of Ashurbanipal in Mesopotamia.^[1] It was about both romantic and erotic love. Prior to the discovery of the love song of Shu-Sin, Solomon's Song of Songs from the Bible was considered the oldest love song.^{[citation needed]}

Early history

There are several theories about the origin of music in a general sense. According to Charles Darwin, it has to do with the choice of partner between woman and man (women choose male partners based on musical performances), and so the first music would be love music. However, Herbert Spencer saw music develop from a passionate eloquence, and music arise as an expression of emotions.^[2]

In Ancient Greece, music was made at weddings, and there were love songs, as Erato as a muse was the protector of the love song, but knowledge is based on myths and on archaeological evidence, not on written music. In the 9th century a musical notation was developed in the Eastern Roman Empire, the neume notation, and after the addition of lines the staff was created around the 11th century, such that the exact form of music is only well-documented from this period.

Medieval music

An explanation of the genesis of love songs can be found in Denis de Rougemont's "Love in the Western World".^[3] De Rougemont's thesis is that the love song grew out of the courtly love songs of the troubadours, and that those songs represented a rejection of the historical Christian notion of love.

Medieval love songs are called "Minnelied" in Middle High German, chant d'amour courtois by troubadour (Langues d'oc) or trouvère (Langues d'oïl). The (unfulfilled, unattainable) courtly love in a noble environment is central. The worship of a woman is a recurring theme. A number of personae return, such as a lover who regrets being rejected, the lady who regrets the absence of her lord who is on a crusade. Generosity, nobility of character, receptivity to new experiences and attention to beauty and appearance are common themes. The 14th century Codex Manesse includes love songs by dukes as John I, Duke of Brabant and William IX, Duke of Aquitaine.

The Gruuthuse manuscript - written in Middle Dutch - composed around 1400 in Bruges contains 147 songs, including a number of love songs with musical notation. The manuscript is from several lyricists, mostly unknown.^[4]^[5]

Renaissance

Francesco Petrarca has sung his beloved Laura in 366 poems, collected in "Canzonière". The poems were set to music by, among others, Claudio Monteverdi, Orlando di Lasso and Guillaume Dufay (Vergene bella).

"Je crois entendre" (I Hear as in a Dream)

Sung by Enrico Caruso in 1904 (3:09)

"Romance de Nadir" (encore of "Je crois entendre")

Sung by Joseph Rogatechwsky in 1928 (3:26)

Problems playing these files? See media help.

Classical music

Within classical music, Romanticism is most commonly associated with love music, especially romantic love music, and the love song is called a romance, although the term is not limited to vocal music.

The Oxford Dictionary of Music states that "generally it implies a specially personal or tender quality".^[6] A romance can be narrative and usually amorous, but also a simple aria in an opera, as examples, Plaisir d'amour by Padre Martini and Georges Bizet's aria "Je crois entendre encore" (romance de Nadir) from the opera Les pêcheurs de perles.

Franz Schubert wrote several romances, and Giuseppe Verdi wrote "Celeste Aida" about the impossible love for an Ethiopian slave girl. Poets such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Federico Garcia Lorca wrote romances, which were later set to music, such as Take this waltz by Leonard Cohen.^[7]

Popular music

The largest group are the love songs about a broken heart, they are sometimes less melodic, and sung more raw like Lucinda Williams' "Jackson" in contrast to, for example, Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On", the title song of the film Titanic. The best-selling song about a broken heart is "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston, written by Dolly Parton. Taylor Swift had a fondness for songs on the subject.^[8]

References

^ "Love song of shu sin". World History Encyclopedia. 2021-05-26.
^ "Essays: Scientific, Political and Speculative, Vol. 2". 2021-05-26.
^ "Best List of Love Songs 2013". Free Celebrity News. Archived from the original on 2014-01-11.
^ "Gruuthuse handschrift". 2021-05-26.
^ "Gruuthuuse manuscript on wikimedia". 2021-05-26.
^ The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Michael Kennedy, editor, 1985 (New York City: Oxford University Press), sub "Romance".
^ "Lieder.net : Text, Setting, and Song Cycle Titles beginning with roman". 2021-05-27.
^ Spanos, Brittany (2021-05-11). "Taylor Swift's Best Songs About Former Boyfriends". Rolling Stone.

[1] "Love song of shu sin". World History Encyclopedia. 2021-05-26.

[2] "Essays: Scientific, Political and Speculative, Vol. 2". 2021-05-26.

[3] "Best List of Love Songs 2013". Free Celebrity News. Archived from the original on 2014-01-11.

[4] "Gruuthuse handschrift". 2021-05-26.

[5] "Gruuthuuse manuscript on wikimedia". 2021-05-26.

[6] The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Michael Kennedy, editor, 1985 (New York City: Oxford University Press), sub "Romance".

[7] "Lieder.net : Text, Setting, and Song Cycle Titles beginning with roman". 2021-05-27.

[8] Spanos, Brittany (2021-05-11). "Taylor Swift's Best Songs About Former Boyfriends". Rolling Stone.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Short description|Type of song dealing with love}}
-{{About|the general concept|other uses|Love Song (disambiguation)|and|Love Songs (disambiguation)}}
+{{About|the type of song|other uses|Love Song (disambiguation)|and|Love Songs (disambiguation)}}
+{{distinguish|Romantic music}}
-{{Redirect|Song of love|other uses|Song of Love (disambiguation)}}
-{{Multiple issues|
-{{POV|date=September 2022}}
-{{More citations needed|date=September 2022}}
-{{expand Macedonian|topic=|otherarticle=Љубовна песна|date=February 2016}}
-}}
+A '''love song''' is a [[song]] about [[Romance (love)|romantic love]], [[falling in love]], [[broken heart|heartbreak]] after a [[breakup]], and the feelings that these experiences bring. Love songs can be found in a variety of different [[music genre]]s. They can come in various formats, from sad and emotional pieces to fast songs that only have a faint love theme and major on the sound and popularity.
-[[File:Bits & Pieces - BP331 - EYE FLM7656 - OB105202.ogv|upright=1.35|thumb|Call me darling, call me sweetheart. An accordionist plays the tune of a song, the text of which is shown.]]
-A '''love song''' is a [[song]] about [[Romance (love)|romantic love]], [[falling in love]], [[broken heart|heartbreak]] after a [[breakup]], and the feelings that these experiences bring. A comprehensive list of even the best known performers and composers of love songs would be a large order.
-Love songs can be found in a variety of different [[music genre]]s.
 ==History==
-Love songs have been around for centuries and can be found in the histories and [[culture]]s of most [[Society|societies]], though their ubiquity is a modern phenomenon.
+Love songs have existed for many years and can be found in the histories and [[culture]]s of most [[Society|societies]], though their ubiquity is a modern phenomenon.{{clarify|date=March 2024}}
-The oldest known love song is the love song of [[Shu-Sin]], which was discovered in the library of [[Ashurbanipal]] in [[Mesopotamia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lovesongofshusin|title=Love song of shu sin|date=2021-05-26|publisher=World History Encyclopedia}}</ref> It's about both romantic and erotic love. Prior to the discovery of the love song of Shu-Sin, [[Solomon]]'s Song of Songs from the [[Bible]] was considered the oldest love song.
+The oldest known love song is the love song of [[Shu-Sin]], which was discovered in the library of [[Ashurbanipal]] in [[Mesopotamia]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lovesongofshusin|title=Love song of shu sin|date=2021-05-26|publisher=World History Encyclopedia}}</ref> It was about both romantic and erotic love. Prior to the discovery of the love song of Shu-Sin, [[Solomon]]'s [[Song of Songs]] from the [[Bible]] was considered the oldest love song.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}
 ==Early history==
-There are several theories about the origin of music in a general sense. According to [[Charles Darwin]], it has to do with the choice of partner between woman and man (women choose male partners based on musical performances), and so the first music would be love music. [[Herbert Spencer]] saw music develop from a passionate eloquence, and music arise as an expression of emotions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/spencer-essays-scientific-political-and-speculative-vol-2|title=Essays: Scientific, Political and Speculative, Vol. 2|date=2021-05-26}}</ref>
+There are several theories about the origin of music in a general sense. According to [[Charles Darwin]], it has to do with the choice of partner between woman and man (women choose male partners based on musical performances), and so the first music would be love music. However, [[Herbert Spencer]] saw music develop from a passionate eloquence, and music arise as an expression of emotions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/spencer-essays-scientific-political-and-speculative-vol-2|title=Essays: Scientific, Political and Speculative, Vol. 2|date=2021-05-26}}</ref>
-In [[Ancient Greece]] civilization music was certainly made at weddings, and there were certainly love songs, as [[Erato]] as a muse was the protector of the love song, but our knowledge is written on myths and on pictures (as on vases) and not on written music based. It was not until the ninth century that a musical notation was developed in the [[Eastern Roman Empire]], the [[neume]] notation, and after the addition of lines the [[staff (music)|staff]] was created around the 11th century, with which music is only well documented from this period.
+In [[Ancient Greece]], music was made at weddings, and there were love songs, as [[Erato]] as a muse was the protector of the love song, but knowledge is based on myths and on archaeological evidence, not on written music. In the 9th century a musical notation was developed in the [[Eastern Roman Empire]], the [[neume]] notation, and after the addition of lines the [[staff (music)|staff]] was created around the 11th century, such that the exact form of music is only well-documented from this period.
 [[File:Gruuthuuse egidiuslied.jpg|thumb|Fol. 28r of the Gruuthuuse-manuscript, with to the bottom right the song '[[Egidius waer bestu bleven]]']]
 ==Medieval music==
+{{See also|Minnesang}}
-A highly controversial and startling explanation of the genesis of love songs can be found in [[Denis de Rougemont|Denis de Rougemont's]] "Love in the Western World".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://freecelebritynews.org/best-list-of-love-songs/ |title=Best List of Love Songs 2013 |publisher=Free Celebrity News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111022445/http://freecelebritynews.org/best-list-of-love-songs/ |archive-date=2014-01-11 }}</ref> De Rougemont's thesis is that the love song grew out of the courtly love songs of the troubadours, and that those songs represented a rejection of the historical Christian notion of love.
+An explanation of the genesis of love songs can be found in [[Denis de Rougemont]]'s "Love in the Western World".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://freecelebritynews.org/best-list-of-love-songs/ |title=Best List of Love Songs 2013 |publisher=Free Celebrity News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111022445/http://freecelebritynews.org/best-list-of-love-songs/ |archive-date=2014-01-11 }}</ref> De Rougemont's thesis is that the love song grew out of the courtly love songs of the troubadours, and that those songs represented a rejection of the historical Christian notion of love.
-Mediaeval love songs are called "Minnelied" in [[Middle High German]], chant d'amour courtois by [[troubadour]] ([[Langues d'oc]]) or [[trouvère]] ([[Langues d'oïl]]). The (unfulfilled, unattainable) courtly love in a noble environment is therefore central. The worship of the lady is a recurring theme. A number of personae also constantly return, such as the lover who regrets being rejected by his lady, the lady who regrets the absence of her lord who is on a crusade. Generosity, nobility of character, receptivity to new experiences and attention to beauty and appearance are also common themes.  The 14th century [[Codex Manesse]] includes love songs by dukes as [[John I, Duke of Brabant]] and [[William IX, Duke of Aquitaine]].
+Medieval love songs are called "Minnelied" in [[Middle High German]], chant d'amour courtois by [[troubadour]] ([[Langues d'oc]]) or [[trouvère]] ([[Langues d'oïl]]). The (unfulfilled, unattainable) courtly love in a noble environment is central. The worship of a woman is a recurring theme. A number of personae return, such as a lover who regrets being rejected, the lady who regrets the absence of her lord who is on a crusade. Generosity, nobility of character, receptivity to new experiences and attention to beauty and appearance are common themes. The 14th century [[Codex Manesse]] includes love songs by dukes as [[John I, Duke of Brabant]] and [[William IX, Duke of Aquitaine]].
 The [[Gruuthuse manuscript]] - written in Middle Dutch - composed around 1400 in Bruges contains 147 songs, including a number of love songs with musical notation. The manuscript is from several lyricists, mostly unknown.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kb.nl/themas/middeleeuwen/het-gruuthusehandschrift|title=Gruuthuse handschrift|date=2021-05-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gruuthuse_manuscript|title=Gruuthuuse manuscript on wikimedia|date=2021-05-26}}</ref>
-{{See also|Minnesang}}
 ==Renaissance==
@@ Line 40: / Line 31: @@
 ==Classical music==
-Within [[Classical music]], [[Romanticism]] is most commonly associated with love music, especially romantic love music, and the love song is called a [[Romance (music)|romance]], although the term is not limited to vocal music.
+Within [[classical music]], [[Romanticism]] is most commonly associated with love music, especially romantic love music, and the love song is called a [[Romance (music)|romance]], although the term is not limited to vocal music.
-The ''Oxford Dictionary of Music''<ref>''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', [[Michael Kennedy (music critic)|Michael Kennedy]], editor, 1985 ([[New York City]]: [[Oxford University Press]]), ''sub'' "Romance".</ref> states that "generally it implies a specially personal or tender quality". A romance can be narrative and usually amorous, but also a simple aria in an opera, as examples, [[Plaisir d'amour]] by [[Padre Martini]] and [[Georges Bizet]]'s aria "Je crois entendre encore" (romance de Nadir) from the opera [[Les pêcheurs de perles]].
+The ''Oxford Dictionary of Music'' states that "generally it implies a specially personal or tender quality".<ref>''The Oxford Dictionary of Music'', [[Michael Kennedy (music critic)|Michael Kennedy]], editor, 1985 ([[New York City]]: [[Oxford University Press]]), ''sub'' "Romance".</ref> A romance can be narrative and usually amorous, but also a simple aria in an opera, as examples, [[Plaisir d'amour]] by [[Padre Martini]] and [[Georges Bizet]]'s aria "Je crois entendre encore" (romance de Nadir) from the opera [[Les pêcheurs de perles]].
-Franz Schubert wrote several romances, and Giuseppe Verdi wrote "Celeste Aida" about the impossible love for an Ethiopian slave girl.<ref>Romanza is italian for romance.</ref>
+Franz Schubert wrote several romances, and Giuseppe Verdi wrote "Celeste Aida" about the impossible love for an Ethiopian slave girl. Poets such as [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] and [[Federico Garcia Lorca]] wrote romances, which were later set to music, such as Take this waltz by [[Leonard Cohen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lieder.net/lieder/find_titles.html?pat=roman|title=Lieder.net : Text, Setting, and Song Cycle Titles beginning with roman|date=2021-05-27}}</ref>
-Poets such as [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]] and [[Federico Garcia Lorca]] wrote romances, which were later set to music, such as Take this waltz by [[Leonard Cohen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lieder.net/lieder/find_titles.html?pat=roman|title=Lieder.net : Text, Setting, and Song Cycle Titles beginning with roman|date=2021-05-27}}</ref>
-The close relationship between poems and song lyrics was underscored when [[Bob Dylan]] was awarded the [[Nobel Prize in Literature]] in 2016 for creating new poetic expressions in the great American song tradition.
 ==Popular music==
-The love song is not a musical genre or musical style; it occurs in all styles. Yet on the English Wikipedia there are about 40 albums with the title "Love Songs" (ao by [[The Beatles]], [[Elton John]], [[Frank Sinatra]]), some with "The Love Songs" and a small 20 with the title "Love Songs by" ([[Aretha Franklin]], [[Dionne Warwick]] and [[Diana Ross]], among others).
+The largest group are the love songs about a broken heart, they are sometimes less melodic, and sung more raw like [[Lucinda Williams]]' "Jackson" in contrast to, for example, [[Celine Dion]]'s "[[My Heart Will Go On]]", the title song of the film [[Titanic (1997 film)|''Titanic'']]. The best-selling song about a broken heart is "[[I Will Always Love You#Whitney Houston version|I Will Always Love You]]" by [[Whitney Houston]], written by [[Dolly Parton]]. [[Taylor Swift]] had a fondness for songs on the subject.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/ex-factor-taylor-swifts-best-songs-about-former-boyfriends-19644/picture-to-burn-40486/|title=Taylor Swift's Best Songs About Former Boyfriends|date=2021-05-11|first=Brittany |last=Spanos |publisher=Rolling Stone}}</ref>
-A music style is considered to be "Lovers rock", a subgenre of Reggae and the "ballad", including the "blues ballad", the "soul ballad" and the "sentimental ballad". A ballad is a melodic pop song,<ref>The division between popular and pop music was established by the "New Grove Dictionary Of Music and Musicians" with Rock 'n' roll.</ref> often with an intimate atmosphere. The lyrics are mostly about love. A ballad should not be confused with a 'ballad', a French verse from the 14th and 15th centuries, also used as a song in narrative form, such as the [[Ballad Of Davy Crockett]]. In the later 19th century the term was often used for any love song, especially the "sentimental ballad" in pop or rock music.
-Another division within the love song is that according to theme.
-The largest group are the love songs about a broken heart, they are sometimes less melodic, and sung more raw like [[Lucinda Williams]]' "Jackson" in contrast to, for example, [[Celine Dion]]'s "My Heart Will Go On", the title song of the movie [[Titanic (1997 film)|''Titanic'']]. The best-selling song about a broken heart is "I Will Always Love You" by [[Whitney Houston]], written by [[Dolly Parton]]. [[Taylor Swift]] had a fondness for songs on the subject.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/ex-factor-taylor-swifts-best-songs-about-former-boyfriends-19644/picture-to-burn-40486/|title=Taylor Swift's Best Songs About Former Boyfriends|date=2021-05-11|author=BRITTANY SPANOS|publisher=Rolling Stone}}</ref>
-Songs can also be about one special loved one, as in [[Gloria (Them song)|Gloria]], [[Michelle (song)|Michelle]] and [[Angie (song)|Angie]], although it has never been clarified who they were, or [[Layla]], which was written for [[Pattie Boyd]].
-Romantic love is often associated with 'candlelight dinners' and 'moonlit walks' so that many love songs are about 'Candlelight' and 'Moon', such as in [[Van Morrison]]'s "[[Moondance (Van Morrison song)|Moondance]]", or "[[Moon River]]" from the movie ''[[Breakfast at Tiffany's (film)|Breakfast at Tiffany's]]''.
-On [[Google Search]] can be found hundreds of lists with top 10, top 30 and top 100 love songs, some love songs from [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'s top 50 (based on number of weeks and position) are:
-* "[[Endless Love (song)|Endless Love]]" - [[Diana Ross]] and [[Lionel Richie]]
-* "[[How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees song)|How Deep is Your Love]]" - [[Bee Gees]]
-* "[[She Loves You]]" - [[The Beatles]]
-Specifically about sex:
-* [[Olivia Newton-John]]'s [[Physical (Olivia Newton-John song)|"Physical"]], banned on many radio stations
-* [[Rod Stewart]]'s "Tonight Is the night" and "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy"
-* [[Madonna]]'s "Like a Virgin"
-Nobel laureate Bob Dylan wrote "Make You Feel My Love", made a world hit by [[Adele]].
 ==See also==
@@ Line 79: / Line 45: @@
 *[[Sentimental ballad]]
-== Notes ==
+==References==
-The article is based on the Dutch article "Liefdeslied"
 {{reflist}}
@@ Line 89: / Line 53: @@
 [[Category:Song forms]]
 [[Category:Love]]
-[[Category:Ballads]]
+[[Category:Ballads| ]]
 [[Category:Romance]]
 [[Category:Love poems]]
-[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]

v t e Musical composition and song
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Song types	Answer song Art song Ballad Execution ballad Murder ballad Sentimental ballad Car song Children's song Campfire song Cumulative song Repetitive song Christmas carol Advent song Drinking song Hit song Sleeper hit Summer hit List song Love song Torch song Breakup song Novelty song Nonsense song Patter song Plainsong Hymn tune Political or revolutionary song Campaign song Freedom song Protest song War song Show tune "I Want" song Signature song Sporting song Fight song Football chant Theme song Tragedy song Work song Sea shanty

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