Song Meaning
The provided text for "What Is This Thing Called Love?" explicitly states "[Instrumental]". This immediately signals a piece where the emotional landscape is painted entirely through sound, not words. It sets up an expectation that the music itself will carry the weight of the profound question posed by the title.
Without a lyrical narrative, the central tension isn't found in a speaker's struggle or a story's unfolding. Instead, the tension arises from the stark contrast between the title's deeply human, philosophical query and the complete absence of verbal answers. The listener is left to grapple with "What Is This Thing Called Love?" purely through the sonic experience, which inherently makes the question more expansive and less confined.
The most interesting craft element here is the deliberate omission. By declaring the piece "[Instrumental]", the creators make a powerful statement about the ineffable nature of love. They choose to let melodies, harmonies, and rhythms speak where words might fall short or oversimplify. This choice elevates the music's role, making it the sole interpreter of a universal human experience.
Ultimately, these "lyrics" — or lack thereof — are effective precisely because they refuse to define. The absence of a verbal explanation forces a deeper, more personal engagement. It suggests that love isn't something to be neatly articulated but rather felt, experienced, and understood on a level beyond language. The piece invites listeners to find their own answers within the music, making the experience uniquely subjective and resonant.