The Book Of Love

Fill in the gaps while listening to the song.

The Book Of Love by Peter Gabriel

The book of love is long and ………………
No one can lift the …………….thing
It’s full of charts and facts some ……………..and instructions for dancing
But I
I love it when you read to me
And you
You can read me anything
The book of love has music in it
In fact that’s where music …………….from
Some of it is just …………………..
Some of it is just really ……………….But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything
The book of love is long and ………………….

And written very ………………

 It’s full of flowers and heart-……………….. boxes
And things we’re all too …………………to know
But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings

Interpretation:

The point of this song is to show that love is not rational. The “book of love is long and boring”. If love were a book, say a textbook, it’s a deep, complicated subject and reading about it would be long and it would be boring. In fact it’s too complicated, it’s too heavy, so much so that “no one can lift the damn thing”. 

And it’s tedious to talk or read about it. The best analogy for tediousness is the book would have to be “full of charts and facts and figures”. And even more ludicrously, it has “instructions for dancing”, as if you could learn how to dance by just reading about it! You kinda have to do it to learn it, just like you do for love — you learn about love by being in love.

But who cares about the “book”? All I know is that when I’m in love, I love everything you do, even you read me a stupidly long and boring book about love! So read what you want to me, even charts and facts and figures, and I will love it. And the book has music in it. Again, some of it is fantastic and some not, but as long as you’re singing it to me, I will love it. Love is irrational, as long as you’re with me and no matter what we’re doing together, I’ll love it and I’ll love you.

And the book has things in it that are nearly incomprehensible, that even the oldest and wisest of us, are “all too young to know.” Love is too complicated for even the smartest of us, no matter how many years of learning about it and thinking about it that we do, we’ll always be “too young.” Love is unknowable, how can there be a damn book about it?!

And finally, since I love you as much as I do, hmmm. well, — ahem. Just a thought here! I’m just too shy to say… Well here goes anyway: You should give me a wedding ring. Or better yet shower me with wedding rings! And you know I’ll love it when you buy me a ring because “I love it when you give me things”. Marry me. Even though I have a cynical edge and that I think that the book of love is long and boring, marry me anyway. It’s a crazy thought that we are in love, because it is all irrational but marry me anyway.

Interpretation:

My own interpretation is as follows: “The Book Of Love is LONG and BORING”, basically straight-off-the-bat saying that the idea of love, throughout history, is irrelevant. What is expected from love and everything that develops from love whether true or untrue is irrelevant. The only thing that matters is spending time with one another. Not expecting anything more, or over-analyzing every aspect, rather just spending time with that one you love and keeping it as simple as that. Nothing has to transcribe, nothing has to fit conventional ideas of love and relationships, rather that you should just enjoy spending time with your significant other.

All the kitschy, cliche elements to love “Heart-shaped boxes” etc. doesn’t convey the strength or love between two people in love, rather that spending time and enjoying the others company should be the main indicator of the strength of a relationship.

Then at the end the message of “the wedding ring” is repeated, as it is seen as an important icon of love.

Interpretation:

I believe the “Book of Love” could be referring to ancient “writings” of poetry or even possibly the ultimate book of love – the Bible.  And when he says it’s “heavy” – it could be talking about the fact that no one can live up to the standards that are set out for us – and that it DOES seem even boring at times.

 It is talking about “love” in general and not literally.  The feelings and emotions of love – and that can be heavy and even boring when talking about the many facets of love.

Love is overwhelming and even “dumb” – UNTIL!!!!!!  It happens to you.  Then love isn’t so dumb after all.  No.  It’s sweet and sad and happy all at the same time.

Love makes you helpless.  You surrender to it.  It makes you a better person.  You feel like you’re losing yourself to it.  And in a way – you do.  There’s nothing else to do – when love has totally embraced you.  You are never the same.  The ultimate culmination of that love is a “wedding” between two people – thus “you ought to give me wedding rings” at the end of the song.

Powerless-Helpless-Strong emotions-Joy-Happiness-Pain-Loss-Surrender-Realization

All of this is – love

Some THINGS to THINK about

1 Having read all the above interpretations which one do you identify with?

2 What is the hidden meaning to these lyrics for you?  Can you find it?  I’d love to hear your thoughts…

3 What would be the ingredients for a true solid relationship of love , to your mind?

4 “ Love in the hi-tech era” ,what is the influence of technology on love?

5 In your opinion what are those things that may destroy a genuine relationship? (the Blackberry phenomenon, cohabitating, expecting perfection,not compromising, being argumentative, being a control-freak, not taking time for yourself,taking your partner for granted, killing the fun , not listening enough, nitpicking,too much intimacy, over-analyzing everything, worrying about the future….)

Love Quotes

“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” 
― Dr. Seuss

“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” 
― William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

“Love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it.” 
― Nicholas Sparks, A Walk to Remember

“You don’t love someone because they’re perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they’re not.” 
― Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper

“We love the things we love for what they are.” 
― Robert Frost

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.” 
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

“Once upon a time there was a boy who loved a girl, and her laughter was a question he wanted to spend his whole life answering.” 
― Nicole Krauss, The History of Love

Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it’s everything in between that makes it all worth living.

Falling in love is like jumping off a really tall building. Your brain tells you it is not a good idea, but your heart tells you, you can fly.

If I could chose between loving you and breathing I would use my last breathe to say I love you.

It takes a minute to have a crush on someone an hour to like someone and a day to love someone but it takes a lifetime to forget someone.