Married people are screwed.
That didn’t sound right.
Married people don’t get any.
Closer. But no cigar (which is good; cigars are disgusting).
There are no good songs about married people who have been together longer than dirt.
Yeah! That’s it!!
This morning I was happily singing away in the shower, belting out one song after another when I came to a realization. Songs, at least the ones that are in my vocal range (2 notes) are all either about the beginning of love or the end of love. If it’s a country song there is a dead dog in there as a bonus.
I’ve been married to John since 1986, living with him since 1985. Thirty years. Where are the songs to describe that kind of love?
Well, there aren’t any that I could think of. (That’ll probably happen as soon as I hit “publish.”)
So, I decided that I have to write one.
It’s a challenge in that I can’t read or write music. And I hate poetry. And, well, I long ago stopped singing publicly — I don’t drink that much any more. But still, I’m gonna draft the lyrics of a song for all of us old married folks.
♫
The Second Half
Because I love you,
♮
Let me snuggle up with you on the couch
♪
while I write a bit on my blog
🎼
***
Because I love you
♫
We’ll spend some time tonight
♪
Just hanging out together
♫
For you, I’ll only watch the second half.
🎼
On second thought, I guess there’s a reason there aren’t any songs about old, fat, bald, married folks. My bad.
But I wouldn’t change a thing. Well, maybe a few things. I have a list, in fact …
FiftyFourandAHalf 
I’ve been with hubby 18 years! I can’t believe how time has flown! And yes, we’re too boring to write about too!
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Sometimes that’s a good thing!
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Thirty years with one man is an accomplishment in my books. It’s not necessary to trump it by being able to write a song about it. Besides, it seems all your commenters came up with plenty for you to sing.
Congratulations on 30 years together!
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I was watching a movie today (and not really watching at all but rather just filling up the room with noise) when a particular line in the movie caught my attention … it went something like this … “Marriage isn’t about falling in love at all; but rather, it’s about staying in love no matter what”.
I’m sure I misquoted it, and can’t even begin to guess the name of the movie or tell you who was in it, because for the most part, I wasn’t paying attention at all. Background noise.
Anyway, that one line in the movie was about the only thing that rang true. It had me thinking about marriage, and especially about lasting marriages. So, when you say you’ve been married 30 years, I can’t just say congratulations. In those 30 years, you’ve experienced all the ups and downs that life can throw at you, and you’ve managed to keep your partnership intact. That’s a huge deal, and I tip my hat to you.
I don’t have a song for you, but I do have a poem. This is an excerpt from Why Marriage by Donald Teale:
“Marriage is my declaration of commitment,
and my hope to grow old with the one I love.
The one, I can no longer imagine life without.
The one, with whom I want to share a smile,
and in that smile, say a hundred years
of shared memories.”
Thirty years. Quite an accomplishment. Congrats. 🙂
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You’re still the one that makes me laugh
Still the one that’s my better half
We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one
You’re still the one that makes me strong
Still the one I want to take along
We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one, yes you are
Changing, our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new
You’re still the one that I love to touch
Still the one and I can’t get enough
We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one
You’re still the one who can scratch my itch
Still the one and I wouldn’t switch
We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one
You are still the one that makes me shout
Still the one that I dream about
We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one
Still the one, yeah still the one
We’re still having fun, and you’re still the one!
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Yes, that was the first one I thought of after I hit publish. Oh well.
Everybody gave me good songs and proved that I was wrong, which is OK. I guess I need to change the radio station!
Welcome to the blog, Dana!
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Thank you for the welcome! 🙂
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You’re welcome for the welcome … We could go on and on …
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So true!
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I couldn’t decide, there are so many great love songs. But I like this one and so I am gifting it to you. Congrats to both of you.
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You’re right. This is the best song!!!! I am realizing that there were a lot of songs I had forgotten.
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I thought about Into the Mystic, which I thought was fitting but I so love this one and thought it was just one tiny step better.
I stand so in awe of ya’ll
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Our parent — his and mine — were good role models.
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I think it’s because songwriters who have been married for 30 years or more have probably already retired.
That being said, congrats on 30 years!!! That’s amazing!
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Or they’re dead … No, it’s really because we don’t do much!
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That must be it.
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Good post. It is just so easy to write about new love or old love, but steady love is a challenge.
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Yeah. Something kind of needs to actually happen — like a beginning or an ending — to make an exciting song. Although several of the ones suggested in the comments are really good.
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I saw that. I might have to try this challenge. Haven’t written a song in a while.
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Let me know when you do it — I’ll post it!
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It will take quite a while.
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Well, post about it when you do, and I’ll reblog. Because I’d love to hear it!
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I will if and when I do
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So true about those songs, its all beginnings and endings. But what about those insane, boring, loving, hating, yelling, cooing, happy, sad, bittersweet days in between? About to hit 35 years with my husband and the song that comes to mind is “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley. Happy anniversary.
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Crazy s perfect! And congrats
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Awh, you melted my heart. This post is ‘cheek-pinching’ cute.
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Thanks! BTW, it’s not our anniversary — I didn’t mean to give that impression. I was just grousing about the music!
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Elyse this is adorable. Congrats on 30 years – almost 20 for me. Thought of a song for you and your husband that you might like or know – called “Love Remains the Same” by Gavin Rossdale. Would send a link but I need to figure out how to do that in a comment section…anyways, it kind of encapsulates a long relationship or marriage – one of my favs. Cheers to you both.
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Thanks, I’m playing it now! To paste a link in a comment you do it just like you do anywhere else. Copy the URL and paste it in the comment. When you hit “Post” it automatically provides the hyperlink. By magic, I’m thinkin’!
Congrats on 20!
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Thanks Elyse!
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Cheers to 30+ years! This is one of my new favourites, think it speaks of love of all ages!
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What a great song!
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Well, good for you, Elyse. Really.
As for songs, I like the “This is Us” entry above. It’s a great song for the happily married set. “Silver and Gold,” by Neil Young is another. Sadly, his marriage of many years ended recently. Who am I to say, but that just didn’t feel good. Unsettling, actually.
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I was really sad about Neil Young too. But you never know what’s happening in someone else’s life, do you.
I love that song, though.
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You never know. I wanted to imagine perfect, since it lasted so long.
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I’ll toast to your 30 … but it will have to wait until later today because wine won’t go well with my cereal. Then again, it’s noon somewhere! As for the songs, here’s a list. http://ask.metafilter.com/264972/Love-songs-for-married-couples … now the challenge is finding a song that you both enjoy! 😉 … assuming today is the day, Happy Anniversary!
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Oh, I’m going to have to look at that — time to head out for work now. There is always a chance that there will be a song that John like, and I am pretty easy to please (unless you ask Jacob!).
But it’s not the day, actually. We started dating at the end of January (I was going to write a post but forgot), started living together in April and married the September the following year. This was more of a Valentine’s day post … or something!
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Fitting for the day … well, tomorrow. Well done!
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Love is one long sweet dream. Marriage is the alarm clock.
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Ouch!
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I think you should do a rap. There are so many words that rhyme with fat…you could have a hit on your hands.
Cheers to 30 more!!
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Thanks, Tops. I am fat, I married a brat, he agrees with the announcers when they call it an “at bat”
Maybe not.
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Happy anniversary! Here are my picks for long-running marriage theme songs:
+ Stand By Me
+ You’ve Got a Friend
+ You Make Me Unlonely
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I’l have to look up You Make me Unlonely — I’ve never heard that one.
You’ve got a friend was played constantly by the English language radio station when I lived in Geneva. and NEVER by either James Taylor or Carole King. I learned that there are 389 recorded versions of that song. It kind of makes me nuts now!
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This Is Us by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris catches it.
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Emmylou is one of my favorites. I will have to check this out! Thanks Ross.
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It was early; here’s a link to a live performance.
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Nice entry. This is a wonderful song for the happily married set.
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I agree!
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I just played it (who wants to go to work, anyway?). What a great song! I can’t believe I’ve never heard it before. I LOVE Emmylou!
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Ha! Beat me to it.
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That’s OK. We can still be friends 😉
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Happy Anniversary from one old couple to another (wed 24 years, together 26). Liked your song. 🙂
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Thanks Pen. Glad you liked it. There really didn’t seem to be much I could add to that song so I imagine the two verses would get a bit tiresome ….
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It’s so true, Elyse. Nor are married couples considered sexy. It’s only the introduction of a third party makes it that way, right? And then we wonder why so many people throw in the towel! I like your song, 🙂
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Does that mean that to get the excitement back in my marriage I have to have a threesome with someone other than the TV?
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Have him take part in Movember–when my husband did a few years ago, every day he would come home with this strange mustache. It was like having an affair 😉
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Happy anniversary! Maybe what makes a marriage last is learning how to make your own music to keep the rhythm going.
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Thanks Glazed. I think the secret to mine is selective listening!
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As they use to say to Dick Clark on the Bandstand, Elyse, as long as it has a beat and I can dance to to it! Your mature love song has promise, my friend. Sign me and my dear wife Karen up …
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American Bandstand. Wow, Mark, I haven’t thought of that in, well, 40 years! And I’ll be glad to dance with you and your wife — my husband hasn’t danced since our wedding!
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If we put David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” on and it felt like 1981, he might get motivated, Elyse. 🙂 Put on your red shoes and dance the blues …
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Happy Anniversary!
How about an Anniversary rap?! 😉
You don’t like cigars?!
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Thanks Gibber. Here is the rap I wrote for Tops, above:
I am fat, I married a brat, he agrees with the announcers when they call it an “at bat”
And I think cigars are among the vilest things on the planet. Truly gross. They stink, the folks who smoke them know that. They do it intentionally. As a kid we dubbed them “Shit Logs” only we weren’t allowed to swear so we called them “Lit Shogs.”
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Word up!
I used to smoke cigars and I loved them. 😉
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I truly hate them.
And I love this Steve Martin bit:
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That was funny! I love Steve Martin. Now excuse me while I go smo..uh far..ugh..
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Happy Anniversary to you and John. Your song seems like the best kind of love. Hope you have 30 more and then some years together. Carrie picked out a couple of good ones, too. PS. Your categories and tags are awesome.
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Thanks, Jaded! Good to see you back on the sphere more!
I am pretty content with my husband, actually. He’s a good guy, good to me. He has his faults that I put up with, I have mine which he does. We don’t kill each other. Life is good.
I love doing the categories and tags … thanks for noticing!
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Happy Anniversary! It’s been over 30 years for us, and I agree with everything you said in this post. I’ll bet one of your readers could, and should, write that song (but not me, I’m pretty much tone deaf).
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Congrats to you too!
I was hoping one of my readers would be Paul McCartney (or more likely for the tenor of the song, Randy Newman) and he’d pick it up and I’d be able to retire ..
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Happy Anniversary! Love the song…. sort of.
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Thanks Mae (sort of)! But yeah. It’s not all that exciting, is it?
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I think you should do an audio version of this post…
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Take. Me. Out. To. The. BaaaaaallllllllGame ….
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Wow, happy 30th Anniversary! I can think of a couple songs about enduring love, though I don’t know if the people are married in them: You’re Still the One by Shania Twain and Still the One by Orleans (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbH_sDyWZqo). I’ve always liked that last one. As for your song lyrics, they’re awesome!
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Yes, I am quite the poet … And as soon as I hit bullish, I thought of Orleans. Isn’t that always the way?
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It is for me, that’s for sure. 🙂
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I just reread my answer to your comment. As soon as i hit “BULLISH” is what I wrote! Was that a Freudian slip?
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Perhaps. But I knew what you meant. 😉
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And I thought of that same song while I was reading the post! Which means that either great minds do really think alike, or that you’re right and there aren’t any more songs about long relationships.
P.S. Congratulations!
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Thanks, X. There really aren’t that many. I often find myself wanting to post a song on my blog but it’s a broken heart thing and I don’t want folks to worry … disclaimers ruin the mood!
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You always write something when you post, so I don’t think it would be too hard for you to convey that this isn’t a mood thing, and this isn’t a disclaimer.
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Love this! So accurate, I was married in 1978 and still technically am but left in year 32. I wish I could say we made it but we didn’t. Still, the memories, good, bad and sometimes not so ugly are there. So happy for your happy and you can sing to me anytime you please! Happy Anniversaries to you (and your hubby)! 🙂
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Thanks, Janni.
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