Song Meaning
Stephen Bishop's "What Love Can Do" isn't a straightforward love song; it’s a wry, almost absurdist pep talk delivered to someone mired in romantic disillusionment. The opening lines, with a howling cat and a starlit night, immediately juxtapose urban loneliness against a backdrop of cosmic beauty, urging a shift in perspective. It's a call to shake off the blues, to "smash the clock" and "crank up the rockets," suggesting a rejection of mundane routine in favor of something more vibrant and unpredictable. The reference to "holes in your shoes" and millionaires mentioning a love still in Paris hints at a disparity between material circumstances and matters of the heart. The protagonist is seemingly down on his luck, yet others perceive a romantic possibility still alive in him, a past love that lingers.
The chorus, "Ooh, she knew, That you don't know, What love can do..." serves as the central thesis. The 'she' represents a lost or unacknowledged connection, and the singer implies the subject is blind to the transformative potential of love itself. The second verse introduces a "princess in the shadows with a grapefruit for a face," a deliberately unglamorous image that challenges conventional notions of romance. It’s a reminder that love can be found in unexpected places and that overlooking someone based on superficial judgments would be a tragedy.
Ultimately, the song is a quirky encouragement to remain open to love's possibilities, even when circumstances seem bleak. The mention of "a world of no tomorrows" amplifies the urgency, emphasizing the need to seize the present moment and recognize the magic that connection can bring. Bishop's lyrical approach, blending whimsy with underlying seriousness, suggests that sometimes, a little absurdity is exactly what's needed to break through cynicism and rediscover the power of human connection. The repeated line "You should know what love can do..." is not just a statement, but an active exhortation.
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