Ain't Love Grand
Christine Lavin Lyrics

I was riding in the subway with a thousand New Yorkers Headed Downtown
The singer was on a subway with a crowd of people, moving towards Downtown.

An old woman shoved over she made room for me To sit down
An old woman moved to make room for the singer to sit down.

A young Hispanic couple cuddled in the corner She hugged him He gave her a kiss The old woman smiled at them She leaned over to me And whispered this
A young couple was cuddling in the corner with the woman hugging the man and receiving a kiss. The old woman smiled at them and whispered something to the singer.

Ain't love grand Ain't love grand Though it's never happened to me personally Look at that Love must be grand Oh ain't love grand Almost makes me wish when I was young I had the patience to put up with a man But when I was young I had no time for them
Love is wonderful, even though the artist has never personally experienced it. Looking at the affection shown by the young couple makes it clear that love must be grand. The experience almost makes the artist wish she had had more patience when she was young to put up with a man, but she didn't have the time for them then.

Now me, I'm always talking to strangers It's not often that they start talking first And I admit I was a little taken aback By the old woman's outburst
The artist often talks to strangers, but it's not common for them to initiate conversation first. The old woman's outburst caught the artist off guard.

We both got up to get out at 42nd street (You know, where you hear the dancing feet) The old woman looked at the lovers in their seat And dammed if she didn't repeat
Both the singer and the old woman got up to leave the subway at 42nd street. The old woman looked at the young couple again and repeated her earlier statement.

Well the train pulled out of the station Two lovers disappeared The old woman shuffled off Probably to Macy's Me I'm standing right here But for a couple of minutes Our lives connected I'm sure those two kids never suspected Their sweet affectionate display Could inspire an old woman to say
The train departed with the young couple on it, and the old woman left too, likely to go shopping. The singer remained standing there, and for a brief moment, their lives were connected. The young couple probably never realized that their display of affection could inspire an old woman to speak up.

Ain't love grand Ain't love grand Though it's never happened to me personally Look at that, Look at that... Take a look at that! Love must be grand Oh ain't love grand Almost makes me wish when I was young I had the patience to put up with a man But when I was young I had no time for them
Again, the artist remarks how wonderful love is and how observing the young couple made her think it must be grand. She almost wishes she had put up with men when she was young, but she didn't have time to do so.

Oh but ain't love grand Will you look at that ain't love grand Take a look at that ain't love grand Oh ain't love ooooooh Oh ain't love grand Oh love is grand Will you look at that ain't love grand Oh ain't love....
The song ends with the artist reiterating how grand love is and how observing the couple made her realize this. She marvels at the wonder of love and how it can connect people.