Is there a deeper story in Real Love
 

This has been bugging me. The bulk of the song he's using words like "she" and "her" but when it gets to the bridge it switches to:

"I put on the same shirt, and I ran out the door
Stole a fistful of roses from the sidewalk store
Just my heart in my hand I had nothing to throw
Standing up on your front step calling to your window…"

Calling to YOUR window. Does anyone else think he's telling the story to the person he really loves and it took that encounter with the other woman to chase down the one he really wants? It could absolutely be lazy song writing but I wonder....

Interesting observation Matt and I'd say yes, could be.

I know, right? If it was the same person the narrative would have stayed at her. Calling up to her window, standing on her step. The answer will make me love the song more or like it less!

Doesn't often happen with ballads but this one gets me teary every time I play it. It feels really honest.

Maybe it's the story of how he won Dorothea back in 85/86 after his encounter with Diane Lane?

^ a good theory indeed.

It's ridiculous how much I love this song. I don't usually give much attention to songs like this one but Real Love just has something that grabbed me. I get lost in it.....

Hey that's how I feel!! Normally a song like this one would have been a skipper for me but not this one.

One of the few songs that still grows for me from THINFS. What a fantastic song. It has that lyrical feel from These Arms Are Open All Night, Seat Next To You etc. That kind of sad undertone but still very beautiful and maybe most of all very real. You can almost picture the entire event from the first line in the bar to the last one when he's standing outside her door with the stolen roses.

On the "Sitting across that table, a gypsy couldn't read her mind" line when the strings join into the song, that is where the song really gets me. Also have to give David huge credit, his pano is very tasteful and dynamic throughout the song. It really follows the lyrics on the more dramatic parts. All in all the best ballad since Make a Memory.

On the London Palladium live version JB actually sings about HER on that bridge section. This finding contradicts the theory presented in the beginning of this thread.


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Maybe. On the other hand, he also sings the bridge in Living With A Ghost differently (2x "he was (just) tryin' to get some relief"), along with a couple of other small things and some errors. So may have been intentional, may have been not, when the whole song is "she/her" and only one or two lines are "i/you(r)"...

Jon mixes pronouns a lot. He also does it in the bridge on SNGMSM. Not sure there's any rhyme or reason to it.

Yep. And in the Booklet of the album it says THE window!! Not her, and not your!

And another thing I noticed: On the beginning it says in the booklet: "button up your coat it's cold, I ain't too drunk to hail us a cab...."
On CD he sings: "button up it's cold,...."
And in London palladium he sang indeed: "button up your coat it ain't too drunk to hail us a cab" !!! :D :rofl:

Well, I think that guy doesnt know his own lyrics!! Its funny but also kinda sad. It seems a little like he wouldnt have much passion for his music.

Not much passion or 15 brand new songs to sing one night. I don't blame the guy for flubbing a few words here and there. I feel like you're using it as ammo about him not caring.

Well, back in 1995 he sometimes sang "I ain't got nothing but this roll of the dice" and on other occasions, at THE SAME SPOT in the song "I'm picking up the pieces and what's left of my pride"! He never knew his own music and has been in the business for the big money only!!! :rolleyes:

Isn't that one correct? I mean isn't it always "pickung up the pieces..." for the last time in the song? Or did you mean that he mixed up the several occurrences in the song?