No, I did not get up early to watch the Royal Wedding. I might have gotten up early to watch a funeral, but not a wedding.
Today reminds me yet again to thank my lucky stars that I somehow managed to dodge both the genetic and environmental Princess Propaganda machines. Rather than seeing a dream come true in the whole commoner-marries-into-royalty fairy tale, I just see–dare I say it–a toxic cocktail of excessive and indulgent spending combined with oppressive patriarchy propped up by state-sponsored religion.
You might read the last half of that sentence and wonder if I had suddenly started talking about our nation’s military budget. Surely I’m not the only one who finds chilling similarities between the Wedding Industrial Complex and the Military Industrial Complex. I guess one stands for many girls’ dreams come true and the other stands for many boys’ dreams come true. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out the “boy aisles” and “girl aisles” in big box toy stores.
All curmudgeoning aside, the royal newlyweds actually do appear to be fond of each other, which is always refreshing in a marriage, regardless of the celebrity status of the couple.
So, in honor and celebration of the freedom to marry the person you love, rather than the person other people want you to be married to (whether you actually love them or not), here’s my latest favorite love song, from Steve Earle’s new album “I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive.” I listened to this song on my way home from the bus stop yesterday. It made me smile and cry at the same time.
Lyrics to “Every Part of Me”:
I love you with all my heart
all my soul, every part of me.
It’s all I can do to mark
where you end and where I start, you see.Living long in my travails
I’ve left a trail of tears behind me.
Been in love so many times,
I didn’t think this kind
would ever find me.I love you with everything,
all my weakness, all my strength.
I can’t promise anything
except that my last breath
will bear your name.And when I’m gone they’ll sing a song
about a lonely fool who wandered
around the world and back again
but in the end he finally found her.I love you with all my heart
all my soul and every part of me.Across the universe I’ll spin
until the end and then I wonder:
if we should get another chance,
could I have that dance forever under
a double moon and sky of stars
shining down on where you are.And I love you with all my heart
all my soul and every part of me.
The Crooked Line 
Thank you for introducing this song to me. I love it!
Also, I literally winced from head pain when I heard how much the royal wedding cost. I always hear numbers and think of those who are skipping meals because of lack of funds to eat in some places. Then I hear how much we spend on things like weddings and I wonder where we went wrong. Even non-royal weddings. Just a simple ceremony and it’s a crazy bill these days! I get a sick feeling in my stomach thinking of it in that light.
Anyway, great post and again – THANK YOU for this song. I’m smiling as well.
When you contrast the extravagance of the royal wedding with the desolation of recent natural disasters (tornadoes, tsunamis, earthquakes), it’s particularly difficult to take, for me anyway. The simplicity of Steve Earle’s song helped me regain my focus. I’m so happy to have introduced you to it! Thanks for reading (and especially listening).