Her singing talent has lent itself to a wide range of genres, although earlier works, such as 'Angel With a Lariat' and 'Absolute Torch and Twang' (the last of which won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance) were predominantly country, with hints of jazz and salsa. Later works, including Ingénue and All You Can Eat, were more pop-ish in execution. No matter the genre, all left her talent undeniable. She has since garnered four grammys and many other awards, and was even made an officer of the Order of Canada in 1996, Canada's highest civilian honour.
Love for Sale
k.d. lang Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Appetizing young love for sale
Love that's fresh, still unspoiled
Love that's only slightly soiled, love for sale
Who will buy?
Who would like to sample my supply?
Who's prepared to pay the price
Let the poets pipe of love
In their childish way
I know every type of love
Better far than they
If you want the thrill of love
I've been through the mill of love
Old love, new love
Everything but true
Love for sale
Appetizing young love for sale
If you wanna try my wares
Follow me and climb the stairs, love for sale
Let the poets pipe of love
In their childish way
I know every type of love
Better far than they
If you want the thrill of love
I've been through the mill of love
Old love, new love
Everything but true
Love for sale
Appetizing young love for sale
If you wanna try my wares
Come with me and climb the stairs, love for sale
Love for sale, love for sale
K.d. Lang’s song “Love for Sale” is a poignant exploration of the commodification of love and the desperation behind it. The opening lines, “Appetizing young love for sale / Love that's fresh, still unspoiled / Love that's only slightly soiled,” sets the tone for the song – love is being sold as an item in a market, something that can be purchased, consumed and discarded. The singer is offering their wares, inviting potential buyers to come and “sample my supply,” in exchange for a “trip to paradise.” They are offering all varieties of love, old and new, but importantly, everything but “true” love. There’s a sense of weariness in the lyrics, the singer has “been through the mill of love” and it is unclear if they truly believe in the concept of true love, or if love has just become another product to be sold and traded.
The second verse of the song is particularly poignant as the singer challenges the “poets” to “pipe of love in their childish way.” The singer believes that they know “every type of love / Better far than they.” It’s a bitter, cynical statement that suggests that the singer has experienced more than the poets whose work can be immature and naive. The reiteration of “love for sale” throughout the song underscores the depressing reality that love has become a commodity to be purchased and consumed, rather than something that is innately valuable.
Overall, “Love for Sale” is a powerful commentary on the monetization of love and the ways in which it is exploited for profit. Lang’s haunting vocals and the song’s melancholic melody make for a moving and thought-provoking experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Love for sale
Selling the concept of love as a commodity
Appetizing young love for sale
Offering young and charming love for sale
Love that's fresh, still unspoiled
Selling pure and uncorrupted love that is new and refreshing
Love that's only slightly soiled, love for sale
Selling love that has been slightly used or experienced
Who will buy?
Asking who is interested in purchasing love
Who would like to sample my supply?
Asking if anyone wants to try out the love being sold
Who's prepared to pay the price
Asking who is willing to pay for the experience of love
For a trip to paradise? Love for sale
Offering love as a pathway to paradise, and therefore for sale
Let the poets pipe of love
Acknowledging the romanticization of love in poetry
In their childish way
Believing the portrayal of love in poetry is naive and simplistic
I know every type of love
Claiming to know all varieties of love
Better far than they
Believing to be more knowledgable about love than poets and their work
If you want the thrill of love
Offering an exciting and thrilling experience of love
I've been through the mill of love
Claiming to have experienced a variety of love, and therefore well-equipped to offer it
Old love, new love
Suggesting the sale of love ranges from familiar to unique experiences
Everything but true
Implying that the love being sold may not be genuine or sincere
If you wanna try my wares
If interested in purchasing love, follow me
Follow me and climb the stairs, love for sale
Asking prospective buyers to follow and purchase love at a higher level or plane of existence
Love for sale, love for sale
Repeatedly emphasizing the available product of love for sale
Contributed by Matthew A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.