​Written by Even Stevens
Recorded by Dr. Hook
 
Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. With a band name like that, you know you’re in for some good tunes, and among them is “When You’re In Love With a Beautiful Woman.” They had officially shortened the name of the band to Dr. Hook by the time of this release, but I’m not into the whole brevity thing. Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show had a string of '70s hits written by numerous songwriters, including the multi-talented Shel Silverstein. In this case, “When You’re In Love With a Beautiful Woman” was written by Even Stevens. That’s his real name. He often collaborated with Eddie Rabbitt, also his real name. I say all this to further illustrate this unique and entertaining band and the creative world around them. Ok, let’s get into this song, and one of the most vulnerable and self-aware bridges on this blog!
 
“When You’re In Love With a Beautiful Woman” is a tale of romantic anxiety. Our protagonist is extremely insecure in his relationship. He scored a knockout, but he’s now worried that she’ll run off with one of his buddies:
 
When you're in love with a beautiful woman, it's hard…
Everybody wants her, everybody loves her,
Everybody wants to take your baby home.
When you're in love with a beautiful woman, you watch your friends…
 
Is he paranoid? Maybe not, because he soon notes:
 
You know that it's crazy, you wanna trust her,
Then somebody hangs up when you answer the phone.
 
People hang up for all sorts of reasons, right? Maybe he is overreacting, maybe his jealousy is getting the best of him. And this is where the bridge arrives, an opportunity for self-reflection for our tortured lover. Has his beautiful woman been unfaithful? Is he unfairly making assumptions? Will he ever feel at ease in this relationship?
 
Maybe it's just an ego problem
Problem is, I've been fooled before
By fair-weather friends and faint-hearted lovers
And every time it happens, it just convinces me more
When you're in love with a beautiful woman…
 
Yes, he’s been hurt, but if you’re not healthy enough to start a new relationship without carrying that baggage, maybe you should do more of that self-reflection until you’re in a better mental state. Or, stop being in love with beautiful women. Maybe date someone in a similar league. And get some better friends! No matter the case, this isn’t working out for you, dude. The song never concludes that she is indeed cheating, so we must then assume that this guy will continue to act paranoid and he’ll blow his chance with this beautiful woman, and maybe every woman after that.
 
For increased enjoyment, please find the video for this song. It’s a lip-synced performance and everything about it is lovely. Hey, what can I say? When you're in love with a beautiful bridge, oh, it never ends… 

-MJK

Written by Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Sounwave, Jahaan Sweet and Keanu Beats
Recorded by Taylor Swift
 
“Karma” is many things to our song’s narrator, but mostly, it’s a celebration of not being an asshole. It’s tough always doing the right thing, especially when others aren't holding themselves to the same standard. If you’ve earned good karma, toot your own horn and stick it in the face of others. I support this - let’s jump in!
 
The protagonist wastes no time getting into it:
You're talking shit for the hell of it, addicted to betrayal…
You're terrified to look down
'Cause if you dare, you'll see the glare
Of everyone you burned just to get there
 
While this person is burning others, the protagonist has kept her “side of the street clean.” And she knows that a clean street is a direct path to the benefits of good karma. Good karma is everything: a boyfriend, god, and a breeze through your hair on the weekend. But perhaps no comparison expresses the awesomeness of good karma as much as:
 
Sweet like honey, karma is a cat
Purring in my lap 'cause it loves me
Flexing like a goddamn acrobat
Me and karma vibe like that
 
You know who doesn’t vibe with karma like that? Whoever the dipshit is she’s singing to. He’s described as a “spider-boy” and a “king of thieves.” This guy will get what he deserves and karma will hunt him down like a bounty hunter.
 
So how did our protagonist get to the point of vibing like this, how does she know how to keep her side of the street so clean, and why has she endured while others have failed? The answer is in the bridge!
 
Ask me what I learned from all those years
Ask me what I earned from all those tears
Ask me why so many fade, but I'm still here
 
It’s challenging to separate the author from the narrator. My default is to make no assumptions and take any first-person narrative song as fiction. But at times, for context, it’s worth considering the author. Swift often draws from her own life, career and celebrity. And despite the countless haters, she does seem to keep her side of the street clean, and she has endured. I’m sure she’ll give us many more great bridges in the future – until then, I’ll be vibing with my cats and good karma.

-MJK