Like Love
Leon was goaded into writing this number by his wife, who specifically asked him for a simple love song, dedicated to her. Leon was initially sceptical but dutifully obliged, despite his concerns over the uncharacteristic assignment. In the event, "Like Love" came out as a happy affair, dancing through its verses as unencumbered as springtime, and happy just to be alive. (In the last verse of "Sing a Song to Please Us", Leon was implored to write a love song, but left it hanging, guitar in hand. It is pleasing to think of this song as a belated resolution to the quandry.)
In the stage performance captured on No Gods No Masters it seems Leon muddled up the words, but skillful video editing concealed any breakdown. Nevertheless we see Leon laughing over his mistake, to the audience's amusement.
In the stage performance captured on No Gods No Masters it seems Leon muddled up the words, but skillful video editing concealed any breakdown. Nevertheless we see Leon laughing over his mistake, to the audience's amusement.
“A relationship song in which love, a word that has rarely passed my songwriting pen, is expressed through a flutter of unlikely similes. Sometimes finding the right melody is a struggle but for this song, the music flowed freely, (as it should after fifty years of songwriting) up and down and through chord sequences I wasn’t aware of until I worked out a guitar accompaniment.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p60)
"I should say, I've been married for 52 years and she said to me, 'Why don't you write me a love song?' I said, 'All my songs are love songs.' 'No,' she said, 'A love song - you know, "I love you, I love you," that sort of love song.' I said, 'Oh well, I'll have a go,' and she said 'Not too many words!' I said, 'that might be difficult.'" - LR (introduction to the song on the DVD No Gods No Masters (2014))
"I should say, I've been married for 52 years and she said to me, 'Why don't you write me a love song?' I said, 'All my songs are love songs.' 'No,' she said, 'A love song - you know, "I love you, I love you," that sort of love song.' I said, 'Oh well, I'll have a go,' and she said 'Not too many words!' I said, 'that might be difficult.'" - LR (introduction to the song on the DVD No Gods No Masters (2014))
Recordings
Version 1 (2008)
Version 2 (2011) Live performance, released in 2014
Version 2 (2011) Live performance, released in 2014