English Research
Teacher: Mrs. Collier and mrs Floréal
The Language of Love
Henri Maere
6MEcT
Sint-Paulus Gent, Marathonstraat 2018-2019
,Table of Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................3
1. Leonard Cohen................................................................................................................3
1.1 Short biography.......................................................................................................................3
1.2 Music style...............................................................................................................................4
1.3 Song.........................................................................................................................................4
1.4 Meaning...................................................................................................................................5
2. Bob Marley......................................................................................................................6
2.1 Short biography.......................................................................................................................6
2.2 Music style...............................................................................................................................6
2.3 Song.........................................................................................................................................7
2.4 Meaning...................................................................................................................................8
3. Otis Stacks.......................................................................................................................8
3.1 Short biography.......................................................................................................................8
3.2 Music Style..............................................................................................................................8
3.3 Song.........................................................................................................................................9
3.4 Meaning...................................................................................................................................9
4. Bon Jovi.........................................................................................................................10
4.1 Short Biography.....................................................................................................................10
4.2 Music Style.............................................................................................................................10
4.3 Song.......................................................................................................................................10
4.4 Meaning.................................................................................................................................11
5. My song: You’re my kind...............................................................................................12
5.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................12
5.2 Lyrics......................................................................................................................................12
5.3 Meaning.................................................................................................................................13
6. Comparison of the songs...............................................................................................14
6.1 What do the songs have in common and what are the differences?......................................14
6.2 What are the similarities with my song?................................................................................14
7. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................16
2
, Introduction
As can be seen in the title, this brief research paper will focus on the language of love. More
specifically it will delve into the relationship between music and love. Is music just a way to
express love? Is the love for music also important in love songs? Can a love song change your
life? We will look closely at how artists describe love and the many different ways they do it
in. I want to find out what my favorite artists’ perspective of love is and what the influence is
in their songs. In this paper I will present some of my favorite artistes and I’m going to look a
little bit deeper into their songs.
1. Leonard Cohen
1.1 Short biography
Leonard Cohen was born in a Jewish
family on September 21, 1934. His
family emigrated to Canada in 1927.
Cohen’s father owned a clothing store
there. Unfortunately, he died when
Cohen was 9 years old. He was raised
by his mother as an orthodox Jew and
his whole life he retained that
connection.
He studied music and poetry at
Westmount High School. Cohen was
especially interested in poetry. He
claims that his love for music comes from his mother, who sang songs around the house. His
mother would often join them when he and his friends were going to play at restaurants.
Cohen thought himself to play the guitar and formed a country folk group that was called
“The Buckskin Boys”.
His actual music career as a singer-songwriter started at the age of 30. He made a lot of
popular songs (So long Marianne, Suzanne, ...). Cohen had become a record artist but he felt
like a caged man. He wanted to leave, he wanted to write, and he wanted to know who he
truly was. He took that step in 1980 after the time-consuming and nerve-racking recording of
the song “I’m your man”. Cohen was a perfectionist, and this made making music so stressful.
He decided to stop his music career and to join a Roshi Zen Monastery for five years. After
those 5 years he came back and had 10 new songs which were of a higher poetic level.
“Dance me to the end of love” is one of them.
3
Teacher: Mrs. Collier and mrs Floréal
The Language of Love
Henri Maere
6MEcT
Sint-Paulus Gent, Marathonstraat 2018-2019
,Table of Contents
Introduction........................................................................................................................3
1. Leonard Cohen................................................................................................................3
1.1 Short biography.......................................................................................................................3
1.2 Music style...............................................................................................................................4
1.3 Song.........................................................................................................................................4
1.4 Meaning...................................................................................................................................5
2. Bob Marley......................................................................................................................6
2.1 Short biography.......................................................................................................................6
2.2 Music style...............................................................................................................................6
2.3 Song.........................................................................................................................................7
2.4 Meaning...................................................................................................................................8
3. Otis Stacks.......................................................................................................................8
3.1 Short biography.......................................................................................................................8
3.2 Music Style..............................................................................................................................8
3.3 Song.........................................................................................................................................9
3.4 Meaning...................................................................................................................................9
4. Bon Jovi.........................................................................................................................10
4.1 Short Biography.....................................................................................................................10
4.2 Music Style.............................................................................................................................10
4.3 Song.......................................................................................................................................10
4.4 Meaning.................................................................................................................................11
5. My song: You’re my kind...............................................................................................12
5.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................12
5.2 Lyrics......................................................................................................................................12
5.3 Meaning.................................................................................................................................13
6. Comparison of the songs...............................................................................................14
6.1 What do the songs have in common and what are the differences?......................................14
6.2 What are the similarities with my song?................................................................................14
7. Conclusion.....................................................................................................................16
2
, Introduction
As can be seen in the title, this brief research paper will focus on the language of love. More
specifically it will delve into the relationship between music and love. Is music just a way to
express love? Is the love for music also important in love songs? Can a love song change your
life? We will look closely at how artists describe love and the many different ways they do it
in. I want to find out what my favorite artists’ perspective of love is and what the influence is
in their songs. In this paper I will present some of my favorite artistes and I’m going to look a
little bit deeper into their songs.
1. Leonard Cohen
1.1 Short biography
Leonard Cohen was born in a Jewish
family on September 21, 1934. His
family emigrated to Canada in 1927.
Cohen’s father owned a clothing store
there. Unfortunately, he died when
Cohen was 9 years old. He was raised
by his mother as an orthodox Jew and
his whole life he retained that
connection.
He studied music and poetry at
Westmount High School. Cohen was
especially interested in poetry. He
claims that his love for music comes from his mother, who sang songs around the house. His
mother would often join them when he and his friends were going to play at restaurants.
Cohen thought himself to play the guitar and formed a country folk group that was called
“The Buckskin Boys”.
His actual music career as a singer-songwriter started at the age of 30. He made a lot of
popular songs (So long Marianne, Suzanne, ...). Cohen had become a record artist but he felt
like a caged man. He wanted to leave, he wanted to write, and he wanted to know who he
truly was. He took that step in 1980 after the time-consuming and nerve-racking recording of
the song “I’m your man”. Cohen was a perfectionist, and this made making music so stressful.
He decided to stop his music career and to join a Roshi Zen Monastery for five years. After
those 5 years he came back and had 10 new songs which were of a higher poetic level.
“Dance me to the end of love” is one of them.
3
