For this song, I was thinking about the phrase, “Love is a verb.”  I’ve often wondered about it. Obviously, the word “love” is technically both a noun and a verb, but this phrase implies that it is something you do for someone (as opposed to something you feel for them). To me, it’s always come off a bit like, “What have you done for me lately?” or “You’re not doing enough to make me feel loved.”

I suppose if you’re in a relationship with someone, and you don’t think they’re doing enough, them simply saying, “I love you,” might be irritating.  Certainly, feeling unloved is crap.  Still, I think I fall into the “noun” camp.  I don’t think it’s anyone’s job to make me feel loved (many have tried and failed).  That perilous (or simple?) task falls upon my own shoulders.  And I guess that came out in the song, which is also about being haunted by the Ghosts of Relationships Past when you’re trying to move on.

What about you?  Do you think someone has to show their love for it to be real?

—–
Do you think I don’t notice
How your face is everywhere?
Sometimes I just want silence
And stillness in the air
You could go away
So why do you stay?
Anyway, I guess you don’t care

Just when I think I’m growing
You come back and say hello
The challenge is to keep moving
When you got nowhere to go
Do you hear me now?
Have you wondered how?
Can it be you maybe don’t know?

Love cannot span
It cuts and slices
I want to be left
To my own devices

Got to forge ahead now
With the cards that I was dealt
You always tried to blame me
For everything you felt
But I did, too
I thought it was true
And my heart began to melt

Love cannot span
It cuts and slices
I want to be left
To my own devices

I will close my door now
And please do not disturb
Baby, you know I love you
But love is not a verb
And there’s no one who
Could rescue you
Or kick you to the curb

Love cannot span
It cuts and slices
I want to be left
To my own devices
—–