Moving love songs are inspired by emotion – true or imagined. But there is something very special about a love song that is inspired by a real love story. Some of the greatest love songs have been written about real people and real relationships and we love their poignancy. Songs like these …
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1. Joan Baez – Diamonds and Rust
The story goes that in 1974 Bob Dylan made a phone call to his ex-girlfriend, Joan Baez, to recite to her some lyrics for a new song of his, and in turn it awoke old and unprocessed feelings for him that Joan had not get around to dealing with yet. Her way of dealing with these emotions was to record this iconic track lamenting the state of their old relationship and how it still affects her. Such raw emotion in the lyrics!
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"Diamonds and Rust" stands as a testament to the complex tapestry of human emotions that love entwines. Joan Baez captures the poignant interplay of warmth and sorrow, embedding the song with a haunting nostalgia that resonates with anyone who has ever navigated the tempestuous waters of a past romance. The song's melodies are as bittersweet as its lyrics, enveloping listeners in a melodic reflection that is as timeless as the memories it conjures. It's a powerful homage to the heart's resilience and the indelible marks left by a once-fiery love.
2. Bob Dylan – Sara
And speaking of Bob Dylan, he not only inspired songs about true love stories but he also liked to write them himself. This particular track is about a lady called Sara Lownds, a woman who captured his heart for a time and who he described in the song as being “so easy to look at, so hard to define”. So poetic!
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3. The Beatles – Something
George Harrison didn’t get as many chances to shine as Paul and John, but he certainly did so for this classic Beatles track. He once said that the song was actually about the god Krishna, but his wife Pattie Boyd in her autobiography claims that song was written for her. Either way, it’s about true love in one of two terms!
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George's tender lyricism and heartfelt melody in "Something" soared into hearts worldwide, becoming one of the band's most cherished love songs. Striking a universal chord, fans and critics alike have adored the ballad for its sincere expression of love’s depths and complexities. Whether you believe the song serenades a divine being or celebrates an earthly muse, its emotive pull is undeniable. George's softer side, often overshadowed by the Lennon-McCartney powerhouse, truly holds its own here with grace and soulful vulnerability.
4. Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
And speaking of Pattie Boyd, did you know that after she was married to George Harrison she married another rock legend, Eric Clapton? Not many women can say that two of the world’s biggest songs were written about them, but that is definitely the case with Pattie who is also the subject of Clapton’s amazing love song Wonderful Tonight.
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Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight is a soothing serenade composed in 1977, reflecting the simple, yet profound moments of an ordinary evening that reveal the deep affection Clapton felt for Pattie Boyd. It's said he was inspired to write the song while watching her try on dresses before a party, capturing the enchantment in the way he saw her. This ballad not only showcases Clapton's tender side but also marks a milestone in rock history, where heartfelt emotions are immortalized in melody, cementing the unique bond between Clapton and Boyd in musical folklore.
5. Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way
It’s pretty safe to say that any song written by either Stevie Nicks or Lindsay Buckingham in the 70s and 80s was related to the passionate and ultimately irreparable relationship that they shared. The one that I always go back to Go Your Own Way, Lindsay’s ‘final straw’ moment with regards to the relationship. Seeing them sing it live it really is something else!
6. Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
Amy Winehouse’s doomed relationship with Black Fielder-Civil is one of the saddest in recent music history. The pair were totally in love but totally destructive for one another, and many believe it was Blake who introduced Amy to many of the drugs and lifestyle choices that ultimately resulted in her tragic death. This song is Amy’s testament to the depression that she felt as a result of the couple’s break up a few years before she left us, far too soon.
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Amy Winehouse’s voice reverberates with raw emotion in Back to Black, mirroring the sorrow and pain of heartbreak. The album of the same name became a critical and commercial success, earning five Grammy Awards and cementing Winehouse's legacy as a soulful powerhouse. Sadly, the tumultuous relationship that inspired such a hauntingly beautiful track also foreshadowed the end of an era. Winehouse's music resonates with those who've faced love's darker side, turning personal agony into a universally understood and deeply felt anthem of loss and longing.
7. Taylor Swift – out of the Woods
Taylor Swift has made something of a career for herself out of writing songs about her past romantic adventures. This particular song got everybody’s tongues wagging when it was released because rumor had it that it was about Harry Styles of One Direction.
Do you have a favorite love song based on a real-life story?
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