If one listens closely to the lyrics of this song one notices the song addresses a long-standing romance between the main character in the song and his one-and-only lover which apparently started in their early childhood.
And I don't mean their young teen years. More like, maybe, grade school. Or even before.
That's what makes this song so unique.
Most songs about either "young love" or about romances that start early address "teenage romance". It's a common belief one doesn't start dwelling on romantic fare or have desires for the opposite sex until "the hormones start kicking in" during periods of particular physical changes and developments. But most of human desires are as much emotional and psychological as they are about hormones.
This is what gives FIRST OF MAY a degree of credibility and believability. I can remember, myself, having feelings and urges for attractive girls as far back as first grade.
But popular social prejudices (coupled with a kind of collective amnesia) always dictate that "suddenly, overnight, one's mind suddenly turns to matters of romance and sexuality upon entering adolescence".
And that prior to adolescence one's mind is focused on just the "basics" of the-existential-in-general.
It's good that a song exists that addresses a prepubescent romance, especially one that winds up lasting into and through adulthood.
(Side note: Some of those early hits of the Bee Gees were a bit quirky and eccentric)
And I don't mean their young teen years. More like, maybe, grade school. Or even before.
That's what makes this song so unique.
Most songs about either "young love" or about romances that start early address "teenage romance". It's a common belief one doesn't start dwelling on romantic fare or have desires for the opposite sex until "the hormones start kicking in" during periods of particular physical changes and developments. But most of human desires are as much emotional and psychological as they are about hormones.
This is what gives FIRST OF MAY a degree of credibility and believability. I can remember, myself, having feelings and urges for attractive girls as far back as first grade.
But popular social prejudices (coupled with a kind of collective amnesia) always dictate that "suddenly, overnight, one's mind suddenly turns to matters of romance and sexuality upon entering adolescence".
And that prior to adolescence one's mind is focused on just the "basics" of the-existential-in-general.
It's good that a song exists that addresses a prepubescent romance, especially one that winds up lasting into and through adulthood.
(Side note: Some of those early hits of the Bee Gees were a bit quirky and eccentric)
I think you're right, it is nice to have a song that gives some credibility to a childhood relationship, especially in the way that this song does it.
ReplyDeleteThe Bee Gees had a very creative early period at the start of their recording career, with a number of songs with unusual atypical themes. I'VE GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU was about the last hour of a death row inmate, I STARTED A JOKE seems to imply some kind of social persecution/ostracizing theme, hinting at somehow "being blamed for all the world's ills"---or something along that line.
DeleteOf course the Bee Gees "reinvented themselves" around the mid-70s, kind of "sold themselves out" to the more mainstream popular music trends to gain and maintain a greater global popularity standing.