Lovers Across the Atlantic

I've always had a special place in my heart for Lovers-Across-The-Atlantic themed songs. While there aren't too many of them, they're particuarly touching: just take a look at a map. It's one thing if you live two hours away from your lover, but separated by an ocean: that's quite a daunting separation.

First, there's "Honey Pie" by the Beatles. They take a humorous approach to the theme. A small-town English girl runs away to find fame and fortune in Hollywood and her lover croons after her, "Honey Pie, you are making me crazy/ I'm in love but I'm lazy/So won't you please come home."

Sunset Rubdown offers a more melancholy, sea-shantylike vision in their "Shut Up I Am Dreaming of Places Where Lovers Have Wings," where Spencer Krug calls to the "distant shore." Perhaps on tour, he thinks of his girlfriend and yearns to prove his fidelity through "Drawings of men with faithful hands." Anyone who's been in this situation can identify with Krug's toast: "And if I fall into a drink/ I will say your name before I sink." The ending of the song sound triumphant, dreamlike as the title suggests, and pierces the hearts of those who can empathize.

Now, Ladyhawke has something to add to the tradition. Naturally, the Kiwi's melodic backgrounds are vastly different than the first two songs--and also more clearly autobiographical--sounding kind of like a cross between Ladytron and Stevie Nicks. She sings about a man who comes to her show, she spots him in the crowd and falls in love with him. Well, shit, it turns out he lives across the Atlantic. Turns out Ladyhawke too, like Paul McCartney, is lazy: she promises, "one journey for you, but it's worth it/ one life here with me, and it's magic."

Ladyhawke - Magic

That said, by the time you read this I'll be in Thailand--"Oceans never listened to us anyway."