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Make Love Stay Lyrics

Now that we love
Now that the lonely nights are over
How do we make love stay

Now that we know
The fire can burn bright or merely smolder
How do we keep it from dying away

Elusive as dreams barely remembered in the morning
Love like a phantom flies
But held in the heart it pales like the empty smile adorning
A statue with sightless eyes

Moments fleet taste sweet within the rapture
When precious flesh is greedily consumed
But mystery is a thing not easily captured
And once deceased not easily exhumed

Now that we love
Now that the lonely nights are over
How do we make love stay

Moments fleet taste sweet within the rapture
When precious flesh is greedily consumed
But mystery is a thing not easily captured
And once deceased not easily exhumed

Now that we love
Look at the moonless night and tell me
How do we make love stay
3 Meanings

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Cover art for Make Love Stay lyrics by Dan Fogelberg

Make Love Stay was inspired by Tom Robbin's novel "Still Life With Woodpecker". (If you check out the liner notes, there's a short notation reading 'For Dr. Robbins and Woodpecker'.) While the book is too complex to go into here, suffice it to say its a love story between two redheads.

As far as love songs go, this is one of my favorites. So many love songs ramble on about searching for the perfect lover or that first passionate spark. Very few ask "What now?' After that one night of wild love, or even after ten years of marriage, how does one make love stay?

While the song gives no direct answers, it warns mystery is not easily captured and once deceased not easily exhumed. Anyone can get into a one night stand...it takes work to fall in love and make that love stay.

Cover art for Make Love Stay lyrics by Dan Fogelberg

Make Love Stay was inspired by Tom Robbin's novel "Still Life With Woodpecker". (If you check out the liner notes, there's a short notation reading 'For Dr. Robbins and Woodpecker'.) While the book is too complex to go into here, suffice it to say its a love story between two redheads.

As far as love songs go, this is one of my favorites. So many love songs ramble on about searching for the perfect lover or that first passionate spark. Very few ask "What now?' After that one night of wild love, or even after ten years of marriage, how does one make love stay?

While the song gives no direct answers, it warns mystery is not easily captured and once deceased not easily exhumed. Anyone can get into a one night stand...it takes work to fall in love and make that love stay.

Cover art for Make Love Stay lyrics by Dan Fogelberg

Love his music and I love that this one asks the question but doesn’t give trite answers. I do wonder though about the description of love held in the heart

“But held in the heart It pales like the empty smile adorning A statue with sightless eyes”

I’m a bit lost in the imagery. The empty smile belongs to the one adoring. Who is the statue with sightless eyes? How is love held in the heart like this as opposed to being

“Elusive as dreams Barely remembered in the morning Love like a phantom flies”

I would have thought held in the heart it would be more solid or stable.

 
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