I’ll never make you cry. I’ll always feel the same. I’ll buy you anything…

Wouldn’t it be nice if it was true?

Pop music is rife with romantic imagery, evoking thoughts of commitment, feelings of love, and emotional fulfillment. But I’m amazed at the number of audacious statements made by the musical word-smiths of our time. Has anyone else heard the song “Grenade” and thought “you won’t do it, Bruno Mars”? I don’t know. Maybe he would.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m ok with poetic hyperbole and passionate expressions of love, but sometimes the literalist streak in me comes blazing through and I wonder if all the claims and promises thrown about in songs might be contributing to the creation of unrealistic, impossibly high expectations within the minds of listeners. Further, what does that do to the average guy who’s just trying to be a good boyfriend or husband but feels he can’t compare to the ones in the movies or singing the songs?

Maybe love is just as strong or made stronger because of our flaws and having to love and be loved in spite of them. Maybe it doesn’t sound as romantic as it should. Maybe we should just keep looking for someone who’s perfect. Or, maybe we could count the hard work of the everyday as a form of love that contributes to, rather than takes away from, our feelings of affection. But that’s just a little too unromantic, isn’t it?