Don’t make me chase you/
Even doves have pride.

In “When Doves Cry”, Prince is talking to his lover about what is not working in their relationship. And a bit about what is working. We get the feeling that the passion and physical side of the relationship is fine. Prince asks his girl to picture them entwined together, kissing dripping wet with sweat. Everything seems fine. Then he asks her to imagine them screaming at each other in a courtyard. Even the animals feel uncomfortable around them. Why are things this way?

We then get to the classic chorus where he questions if it has something to do with the relationship his parents had.  He is not sure. It just feels like there is something about him that feels beyond his control. She is turned off by his actions and that leaves him feeling alone. But he feels too prideful to chase her, so where does that leave their relationship. He asks her (in a roundabout way) to put aside her hurt and reach out to him and restore their love. Will this be a love that lasts? We’re not sure.

There are so many great individual pieces of music in this song, from the introductory guitar riff, to the great chorus, to the unique “dove crying” sounds Prince makes. The keyboard work is also outstanding. It is very tangential to the song. That is, you couldn’t play the keyboard and sing along and have it sound right. A lot of the keyboard work adds flavor—kind of like a lead guitar rather than a rhythm guitar.  “When Doves Cry” is one of the best produced songs you’ll hear.

More songs by Prince.

When Doves Cry Lyrics

Dig if you will the picture
Of you and I engaged in a kiss.
The sweat of your body covers me,
Can you my darling-
Can you picture this?

Dream if you can a courtyard
An ocean of violets in bloom.
Animals strike curious poses.
They feel the heat
The heat between me and you.

How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world that’s so cold? (So cold)
Maybe I’m just too demanding,
Maybe I’m just like my father too bold.
Maybe you’re just like my mother,
She’s never satisfied (she’s never satisfied).
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry.

Touch if you will my stomach,
Feel how it trembles inside.
You’ve got the butterflies all tied up.
Don’t make me chase you
Even doves have pride.

How can you just leave me standing?
Alone in a world so cold? (World so cold)
Maybe I’m just too demanding,
Maybe I’m just like my father too bold.
Maybe you’re just like my mother,
She’s never satisfied (she’s never satisfied).
Why do we scream at each other?
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry.

How can you just leave me standing
Alone in a world that’s so cold? (A world that’s so cold)
Maybe I’m just too demanding (maybe, maybe I’m like my father),
Maybe I’m just like my father too bold (you know he’s too bold).
Maybe you’re just like my mother (maybe you’re just like my mother)
She’s never satisfied (she’s never, never satisfied).
Why do we scream at each other? (Why do we scream? Why?)
This is what it sounds like
When doves cry.

When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
When doves cry (doves cry, doves cry)
Written by Prince

I could drink a case of you, darling/
Still, I’d be on my feet/
I would still be on my feet.

In the first verse of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” she reveals her relationship is struggling. Her lover reveals that his love “is as constant as the northern star”. She doesn’t see it that way, “Constantly in the darkness…I’ll be in the bar”.

That’s funny stuff! As he speaks platitudes about his undying love for her she rolls her eyes and walks into the other room while making fun of him. Gently. But also not.

She wants him to know two things: 1)No matter what happens between them, she will come out on the other side of this okay. 2) she is intoxicated with him but she still wants a whole case of him and thinks she can handle it. She’s torn. That might not be the most romantic thing to tell a partner, but she is probably singing this to herself just as much.

Mitchell’s poetry is fantastic; maybe second only to Dylan. She writes personal observations and says them using language specific to her. And she then (sometimes) will universalize the message. She includes specific, literal descriptions of events she lived: In the sixth verse she talks about meeting his mother, she talks about the discussion in the bar, laying in bed with a map of Canada while doodling). It is almost like we’re there.

A Case Of You Lyrics

Just before our love got lost, you said,
“I am as constant as a northern star, ” and I said,
“Constantly in the darkness
Where’s that at?
If you want me, I’ll be in the bar.”

On the back of a cartoon coaster
In the blue TV screen light,
I drew a map of Canada.
Oh, Canada!
With your face sketched on it twice.

Oh, you are in my blood like holy wine.
You taste so bitter,
And so sweet, oh.
I could drink a case of you darling, and I would
Still be on my feet,
Oh, I would still be on my feet.

Oh, I am a lonely painter,
I live in a box of paints.
I’m frightened by the devil,
And I’m drawn to those ones that ain’t afraid.
I remember that time you told me, you said,
“Love is touching souls”.
Surely you touched mine, ’cause
Part of you pours out of me,
In these lines from time to time.

Oh, you’re in my blood like holy wine.
You taste so bitter
And so sweet, oh.
I could drink a case of you, darling.
Still, I’d be on my feet,
I would still be on my feet.

I met a woman,
She had a mouth like yours, she knew your life-
She knew your devils and your deeds, and she said,
“Go to him
Stay with him if you can
But be prepared to bleed.”

Oh, but you are in my blood, you’re my holy wine.
You’re so bitter
Bitter and so sweet, oh.
I could drink a case of you, darling.
Still, I’d be on my feet
I would still be on my feet.
Hmm

written by Joni Mitchell

Love is a temple, love is a higher law/
You ask me of me to enter, but then you make me crawl.

U2’s “One” is about a man questioning how great his relationship really is. He is coming to the conclusion that it might be over. The relationship is still passionate—that’s not the problem. They speak of each other as if they were “one”. But they don’t treat each other that way.

They argue late into the night, the relationship is loveless—at times she almost holds her love over him. At the end of the song Bono comes to the realization that we have one life and we should treat each other well and seek out happiness. We’re one but we’re not the same.

“One” is a bit more edgy than a lot of U2’s successful stuff off of their previous album, Joshua Tree. It is more nuanced both musically and lyrically. It helped cement them as perhaps the largest band in the world at the time. Bono’s vocal is superb.

He is restrained and avoids the vocal runs that he sometimes succumbs to. The guitar work sounds great. It is not spectacular, but the sound is perfect and creates a melancholy sound that is unique and fit the lyrics perfectly.

One U2- Lyrics

Is it getting better
Or do you feel the same?
Will it make it easier on you now?
You got someone to blame

You say one love, one life (One life)
It’s one need in the night
One love (one love), get to share it
Leaves you darling, if you don’t care for it

Did I disappoint you?
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth?
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without

Well it’s too late, tonight
To drag the past out into the light
We’re one, but we’re not the same
We get to carry each other
Carry each other

One, one
One, one
One, one
One, one

Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come to raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus?
To the lepers in your head
Well, did I ask too much, more than a lot?
You gave me nothing, now it’s all I got
We’re one, but we’re not the same
See we hurt each other, then we do it again
You say love is a temple, love is a higher law
Love is a temple, love is a higher law
You ask me of me to enter, but then you make me crawl
And I can’t keep holding on to what you got, ’cause all you got is hurt

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters and my brothers
One life
But we’re not the same
We get to carry each other, carry each other

One, one
One, one
One
One love, one life
written by U2