☝️ Key Points
- The song 'If I Were a Carpenter' by Robert Plant is a love ballad that deals with unconditional love and the willingness to do anything for the beloved
- The singer uses hypothetical situations where he changes his role in society to see if his beloved would love him despite different social statuses
- The first verse expresses the singer's concern of whether his beloved would marry him if he were a simple carpenter and she a lady
- The lines 'Save my love through loneliness - save my love through sorrow, I give you my only-ness - give me your tomorrow' show the singer's deep desire to save his love and offer his uniqueness in exchange for their future or commitment
- The main message of the song is the concept of unconditional love that goes beyond social classes and circumstances
Interpretation
The song lyrics 'If I Were a Carpenter' by
Robert Plant is a love song that explores unconditional love and the singer's willingness to do anything for his beloved. The lyrics are presented in the form of hypothetical questions, where the singer changes his role and status in society to see if his beloved would still love him.
The first verse 'If I were a carpenter, and you were a lady, Would you marry me anyway? would you have my baby?' poses the question of whether his beloved would marry him if he were a simple carpenter and she were a lady. It shows the singer's insecurity and fear of social status difference and his beloved's acceptance.
In the following lines 'If a tinker were my trade, would you still find me, Carrying the pots I made - following behind me?' the singer changes his role again, this time to a tinker. He asks if she would still love him and follow him if he were a simple tinker carrying the pots he made.
The lines 'Save my love through loneliness - save my love through sorrow, I give you my only-ness - give me your tomorrow' express the singer's deep desire to save his love through loneliness and sorrow. He offers his uniqueness - his 'only-ness' - and asks for her 'tomorrow' in return, symbolizing their future and commitment.
Throughout the song, the singer presents more hypothetical situations and asks the same question: Would she still love him and put him above everything else if he were a simple man working with his hands in wood or working at a mill?
Overall, the song lyrics 'If I Were a Carpenter' is a profound reflection on unconditional love and the concern for social acceptance and understanding in a relationship.