I was just exploring Lisa's site and noticed a link to this page: http://www.romanceclass.com/

Coincidentally, on Morning TV, they were discussing romantic music and a new CD, on that theme, that has been issued.

So ... some questions ...

Do you believe in love at first sight?

What do you think 'love' is?

What is your favourite romantic song / piece of music?

What makes a good romantic song? / piece of music?

Do you have a favourite romantic poem?

Do you have a favourite romantic film / play?

Any additional thoughts?

Any additional questions?

I was nearly going to give this thread a miss, along the lines of "secret woman's " business. then i realised that it dealt with the very same topic I wrote for a speech a couple of years ago. Rather then try and answer all those questions individually, I will try anfd cover them all just by expressing my views.
Before getting into thwe thread I guess we have to accept that there are three areas here Love, romance, and relationships each are distint and seperate identies on their own, Each can exist without the other two Or they can all co-exist with each other as a single emotions.
First Love
We all have experienced it but what is the defination of it? the closest I can come up with Is:
Love is the committment to be there, Unconditionally, for another person or persons.

Romance is that gooey, mushy sentiment we use to express Love. It can be genuine or insincere

Relationships is a contract between two or more subjects.
I feel that the primary one of these is relationship. The reason I say this is that Relationship needs to be in place, before the other two can "co exist" with it.
For a true relationship to exist it needs three things
1. Communication. This is just not talking, but includes listening and constructive responding and debate.
2. compatibility. Again this just doesn't ean "getting along" with someone, it means being able to work together with another person to resolve a problem or issue to a mutural compromise
3. concideration. Once two people enter into a relationship that doesn't mean that they automaticly become one. Each party is still an individual with their own needs and wants so for a relationship to work each party needs to take into concideration the other party's individuality.
If you get all these three things into a relationship then All the rest follows, the Trust, the respect, the love and the romance.
Lose one or more of these three out of a relationship then the trust, respect love and romance is shattered and the relationship is on very shaky ground to say the least

Yes, I must agree with those thoughts, Vince, but "secret woman's " business???

Surely, most romances involve both men & women, even if not both at the same time?

Secret women's business
It's usually the women who do the whispering about the mushy romancing stuff, us male are more of the action type.

'Evergreen' by Barbra Streisand
'Iris'... Goo Goo Dolls
"Let's Stay Together"... Al Green
"What a Wonderful World"... Louis Armstrong
"One".... U2
"You're Making My Dreams Come True"...Hall & Oats
"8 Days A Week"...The Beatles
"Aint No Mountain High Enough"....Diana Ross
"Don't You Forget About Me"....Simple Minds

movie - "Princess bride", NO CONTEST.
song - "total eclipse of the heart", "purple rain", "New kid in town", Nearly any dr Hook tune (ROCK ON MAN......!!!)

but hey, I'm with my man Vince on this (thumps chest).... Damn chick stuff "UG" (cracks top off a beer and scratches unmentionables)

Yes, I believe in love at first site. I dont think there is a standard definition for love--because there are too many different kinds of love.

My picks for love songs,

She believes in me--Kenny Rogers
Through the years--also Kenny Rogers
Layla--Eric Clapton
Lean on Me-Bill Withers
Tears in Heaven-Eric Clapton
Lady--Lionel Ritchie

As you can tell from my list--I am not real sure what makes a good love song--it just strikes a cord and either works or doesn't. Love lifted Me could be added to the list with anyone who sings the song.

My favorite romantic poem--thats a toughy--Probably--How do I Love Thee--Elizabeth Barrett Browning--then some of Shakespeare's Sonnets--and some of the Psalms are very romantic.

Romantic movies are hard also--Casablanca, An Affair to Remember, The Quiet Man would probably top my list.

Vince:

I think you summed things up very well--without any of the touchy-feely women mushy stuff.

Posted by Mark:
Whaddaya talkin' 'bout Mark? I do this too! Well, ok, just the crackin the top off a beer part.

I'm not sure this would qualify as love as first site but it was more along the lines of like at first site.

The night I met my husband (thru work) I had the proverbial love at first site 'lightning strike'. It wasn't instantly upon meeting but was after we had talked for about 3 minutes. He smiled at me and out of nowhere I felt an electrical sensation hit me from my head to my toes. I remember standing there thinking "what the heck was that?" And from that point forward I liked him immensely.

Now com'on Mark,
Surely you have given a lady a bunch of flowers and whispered sweet nothings in her ear. I'll even bet you have taken one or more ladies for a walk under the stars, even as you were ripping the top off a beer.
Must tell you I met my wife in a crowded bar, because I was the only " Gentleman" to offer her a chair.
It wasn't til after we were married that I told her I was so drunk that I'd actually fallen off the chair :rolleyes:

kateyes:

You don't have the icon to be able to receive private messages so, ....can you do travel arrangements for someone from anywhere?

Oh goodness Vince, that is so, so funny!

I loved Zeffirelli's 'Romeo & Juliet' but I'm sure I could come up with more lovely romantic films, with a bit of time. Actually, I know it's meant for youngsters, but I really liked 'Drive Me Crazy'.


'I Will Always Love You' from 'The Bodyguard' is a lovely song.
I also like 'I'm Not In Love' by 10CC.
Tchaikovsky's 'Romeo & Juliet' is a beautiful piece of music - and I like the song from Zeffirelli's film.

I agree with kateyes about Elizabeth Barrett-Browning's 'How Do I Love Thee?'

Love at first sight? Yes, I'm sure it exists.

What is love?
There are so many ways to define it.

Ok My romantic song
Lay a little love on me.... Lacy J Dalton
Massachusetts....... Bee gees
Unchained melody.... Righteous brothers
You lost that Lovin feeling... Righteous Brothers
Movie
Ghost
Poems
any of the lyrics from Lacy J Daltons songs
Check out her website/lyrics
http://www.lacyjdalton.com/Lyrics.htm

Vince.... no way I'm going to be goaded into revealing my secrets pal, you're going to have to by the book!

Mark
I wrote the book!!!!!
But true Love isn't it great.
Let me share with you a true story
Way back when we were first married and when I use to enjoy a few Cold ones. My loving wife Offered to go up the street and get us a couple of bottles of beer.
When She returned I noticed she only had one bottle.
now as One does I asked the Obvious question
" I thought you were going to get us a bottle each"
To which she replied
"I did!. But I dropped your's on the way home!!!"

Right, you've forced me into it.

I was having a quiet one (bevvy that is) in the bar next to a bar i worked in. This young blonde comes in, starts giving the eye across the bar (cue a tacky 80s rock ballad)

I didnt really give it much thought, just another keen wee lass, Vince Im sure you know how it is.

So i sneak back into the place I worked at the time, and am slacking off beside the dancefloor, doing what a bloke does when he works at a bar.

"Hello" sez I, heres the fine wee thing from the other bar, about to head to the dancfloor with drink in hand (a nono, people slip on the spilt drinks you see) so in steps me, all suave like, and very smoothly relieves her of her drink.

Later Im hanging at the bar, tucked away in nice little corner, when, 'ear 'ear, who pops up for a drink but my little stalker. So I sez to the lass behind the bar "this ones on me luv" and so we gets to chatting. by the end of the night, I got me a phone number right (figured I was a bit slow really, only a phone number!) so I give er a call the next day, for a bit of a chinny, and lo we end up sorting dinner. This is now the saturday. Dinner goes good, drop her off where shes staying, not a tad of howz yer father, Im losing me touch I reckon. Next day she calls, "hi Im off back home today, oh didnt i tell you, im only here for the weekend" Riggght, sez me, feelin kinda used.

So, me being the smoov customer I is, I get her flight number and rock on to the airport to see her off, and off she goes. That night I get a call, "made it..... etc etc"

So, enough of the scouse diatribe.

For the ensuing 5 weeks, we call, write letters etc. Then she says shes moving back from the far south, I said, "Well move in here then, lets get engaged!" (somewhat spur of the moment comment, not a lot of thought given to it, seemed like a bright idea at the time)

That was 9 years ago, we're now heading toward 7 year wedding anniversary, we've shared one birth, 7 deaths, and a lot of laughs in between. One rabbit, one turtle, one cat, three fish, mortgage and two cars.... who would have thunked it!

Vince,

I thought of Unchained Melody while I was driving home last night--I don't know how I completely forgot about GHOST--it pretty much has to be on anyone's 10 ten list.

I can tell you guys are both romantics at heart--Geez Vince you literally fell at her feet.

what a good discussion you folks are doing here!

lovely to read the posts.
Mark - you bring tears to my eyes - so too you Vince.

and don't you laugh - i am not a crybaby - these are tears of happiness!

Lovely story Mark.