Courtney Love knows all about the vicissitudes of dating high-profile partners, from the constant tabloid whispers and innuendo to the line-by-line dissection of lyrics in search of clues about romantic break-ups and make-ups.
So it makes sense that when asked by The Standard if she feels like people are “trying too hard” to decipher her lyrics for clues about past relationships in the same way they do Taylor Swift‘s songs, Love, 60, defended the “Fortnight” singer, while also taking a subtle creative shot at Taylor’s catalog.
“Frankly, I don’t understand why people do this with Swift either — who cares if she dates high-profile people?” Love said of the beloved parlor game of parsing Swift’s most pointed lyrics for clues about which paramour she is complimenting or condemning. “Like any woman writing about relationships — dating and breaking up — it happens all the time!” Love continued.
“All musicians write about broken hearts: Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan (though sideways), Bowie…,” she added before dropping the Love hurts line. “While I may not love Swift musically, her lyrics when she’s angry resonate with me — I find it middlebrow and boring to overanalyze them,” Love said.
The Swift comments came in the same interview in which Love said that she had a crush on “Squabble Up” rapper Kendrick Lamar, who she deemed “the best hip-hop writer ever… his flow is beautiful and his lyrics thoughtful.” She also hoped the Compton MC would read her thoughts and sent some questions his way, asking if he’s ever listened to Leonard Cohen or David Bowie growing up. “Because it sounds like it!” she said. “Plus, political-era Bob Dylan? Dude… seriously, he’s a genius.”
Love also talked to the Standard about her long-gestating second solo album, the follow-up to 2004’s America’s Sweetheart, on which she said she’s worked on co-writes with her old friend former R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, as well as Echo & the Bunnymen guitarist Will Sergeant. Love recently dropped a new song with 070 Shake, a cover of Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren,” whose sound was inspired by the haunting 1983 This Mortal Coil version; that song also features vocals from Love’s former Hole bandmate bassist/singer Melissa Auf der Maur on their first studio collaboration in 24 years.
