I think we can all agree that Cheryl Lynn’s song, “Got To Be Real,” is a classic – one of the top ten songs of all time.
Most of the time when it comes on my iPod in the gym, I just want to shake my money maker, but this morning when its catchy, bouncing beat popped through my headphones, I started thinking about the song, and what it meant on a larger scale.
What you find-ah
What you feel now
What you know-ah
To be real!
At first glance, this appears pretty straightforward – Cheryl is talking to us about true love, and how you just “know” when it’s the real thing.
But I think that this is actually Cheryl pleading to us for help.
She has no idea what real love is, and she needs us to help her figure it out while dancing so feverishly that others suspect we are in need of medical attention. Which we might be. The diagnosis is clearly Oh I Am Dancing Until Someone Slightly Attractive Goes Home With Me-itis.
She’s asking us – what have you found to be real? What has felt real? And finally, what do you know to be real?
Then she gets even more depressing.
Ooh, your love’s for real now
You know that your love is my love
My love is your love
Our love is here to stay
Here she’s saying that because she has no idea what real love is – she’s going to live vicariously through the love we experience with others. And she’s making sure we know it too by telling us that we “know” it and it “is here to stay.”
Sad.
In fact – here:
That’s how that makes me feel.
Poor Cheryl just wanted our help, and all we can do is dance, dance. Like that problem Don Henley had.
Next time you listen to this song, I beg you, for just one second – stop moving your booty like only you can and think about poor Cheryl.
She just wants to know true love, and I think we owe it to her to pay some respect.
(Just a quick note: I’m going to be entertaining some friends starting today, so tomorrow I will be away. But have no fear! I have a guest post (the first ever here!) all lined up and it is really fucking funny and you will love it and their blog – so please check tomorrow for the post and show the writer some love. Oh the suspense!!!)
