Friday, November 06, 2009

Flashback Friday – The unrequited love edition - Eric Clapton "Layla" and Marvin Gaye "I Want You"

A good friend told me she was head over heels for a guy she met. The good news, she could still have those feelings, the bad news, she could still have those feelings.

She went through a tough divorce a few years ago. So while she's glad to have some romantic feeling back in her life, unrequited love, let's be honest, sucks. It doesn't matter if you're 16 or 60.

She's a screenwriter as well. Most of the writers I know are expressive and/or in tune with their emotions, very raw, close to the surface. Doesn't matter if they are screenwriters, novelist or songwriters, male or female.

There's a downside to this. While it can be helpful in writing, it can be rough for "real" life. Of course one doesn't have to be a creative person to get "twirly" about someone. I have another friend who's going through the roller-coaster thing right now. At least she's dating the guy. My friend's crush has no idea.

All I'm going to say is I'm in the middle of the same BS now and it's not cool. I'm working on a script dealing with some similar issues so I try to channel some of my twirly energy into it.

I must be a glutton for punishment because why am I listening to all these love songs? Why? Why? Why?! Damn you Sade and Maxwell.

You'd think watching GOODFELLAS, a gansta flick, I would safe but one of the best montages in film is set to the instrumental section of "Layla." Poor Eric.

Have a great weekend. I will be working and thinking about the object of my affection.



Marvin, as always, brings it in this song. The emotion, everything. Madonna working with Massive Attack did a great cover of this.



Lyrics "I Want You"
I want you the right way
I want you
But I want you to want me too
Want you to want me,baby
Just like I want you

I give you all the love I want in return sweet darlin'
But half a love is all I feel
It's too bad,It's just too sad
You don't want me now
But I'm gonna change your mind
Someway,somehow,oh baby

Repeat

This one way love is just a fantasy, oh sugar
To share is precious, pure and fair
Don't play with something you should cherish for life,oh baby
Don't you wanna care
Aint it lonely out there

Repeat



Lyrics "Layla"

What do you do when you get lonely
and nobody's waiting by your side?
You've been running and hiding much too long.
You know it's just your foolish pride.

Chorus: Layla, you got me on my knees.
Layla, i'm begging darlin' please.
Layla, darling won't you ease my worried mind?

I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down.
Like a fool, I fell in love with you,
You turned my whole world upside down.

Chorus

Let's make the best of the situation,
Before I finally go insane.
Please don't say we'll never find a way,
Or tell me all my love's in vain.

Chorus

11 comments:

Kim B. said...

Fascinating. Sometimes one is energized by the crush in a way one is not normally, but I definitely get the painful feeling idea (that's how it usually was in my case). I love your use of the word "twirly," that's fantastic!!!

Here's to channeling that energy and bringing out fantastic stuff in your work, and the object of your affections realizing what a prize they would have in you!!!!

Diana Strinati Baur said...

Adrenaline rush -- those were the days! Followed by pain. Like Kim, that was how it often worked for me too. I also love the fact that you can use that as raw material for your stock and trade.

The choice of music this week expresses it all really well.

Cynthia said...

I kinda miss having a crush, I like the excitement and anticipation that it brings but I understand the unrequited feeling as well. I love Eric Clapton and Marvin Gaye and those songs are very apropos.

Stacy said...

So funny you mention this today! Just this morning I updated my Facebook status to say that I'm on an R&B kick, wanting to listen to some good, old-fashioned love songs. I think I'm just missing love... right now I have no crush, no romance, no twirlyness :)
Unrequited love can hurt but sometimes you just want to feel SOMETHING. In the meantime, a little Sade helps :)

Scooteroma said...

So pleased 'Twirly' has made it's debut into your blog. Twirlyness is one phenomenon that us fabulous women have to embrace, celebrate & reign in at times. It is what makes us thankfully different from the male species.

glamah16 said...

You have found someone in Roma?

Anonymous said...

Hi there. I found your blog as i was searching for "African Americans and Rome." After reading several of your posts, particularly the piece about the Newsweek story and the issues African Americans have with their hair, I was hooked. I agree with you completely about that entire issue and your statements would be music to my girlfriend's ears, who has always worn her own hair naturally. Anyway, as you probably have guessed, I'm black. My girlfriend and I are planning to make our first trip to Rome in February. We travel a lot, and when we travel outside the country I make it a point to research the historical influences that blacks have had on the places we visit, Rome being no different. Sorry for the long comment. I just wanted to say hi and share that as an aspiring writer myself, you are living out a life I one day envision to lead--to live in another country, focus on the few things in life I know I truly love. All in my pursuit of true happiness and freedom. Congratualtions.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

kimb - I heard that word for the first time from my friend Annie. It's perfect. Very descriptive.

diana - it is weird. First I'm very excited to see him then afterwards I feel like crap because there's nothing going on!

cynthia - I tried to look on the bright side. Without unrequited love, a big chunk of music, movies and art we love would not exist.

stacy - I agree it is good to feel something. I need to remind myself of that fact the next time I start to descend into self-pity mode.

annie - Okay, I'm going to embrace my inner twirlyness. It's weird this is going down during the winter. Usually these things happen (to me anyway) during the spring/summer. ha

glamah16 - yes my crush is in Rome.

jay - grazie and thanks for checking out my blog. I was a little "passionate" about that natural hair post. ha.

Living abroad has definitely impacted my writing. I feel the act of writing is respected more here. Whereas in the States unless you are making a lot of money, it's not seen as a real job. I really have to bit my tongue when people assume I do nothing all day but sip wine in a piazza.

Moving aboard is one of the best decisions I've made in my life.

I hope things work out for you. The good thing about being a writer is you can do it from anywhere.

ieishah said...

you're crushing??? love that!! can be such a fun time, as long you don't let it crush you...

Jen said...

Oh, both these songs bring that feeling so well. Layla was my ultimate crush high school song - I thought it was sooooooooo romantic in his passion and tears.

And I hear you on the writer thing.

Hope your weekend goes well.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

ieishah - it's the not crushing part that troubles me. ha

jen - thanks hope you had a good one as well. Yes Eric was quite passionate. Poverino.