Grammar Makes Love Songs!

After we talked so much about when to use which grammar when talking about the future, I thought of some songs that use different grammars to talk about the future. In today's Grammar 1/2 Review class, we looked at the lyrics of and listened to a Death Cab for Cutie song called "I Will Follow You Into the Dark." Here are some of the beginning lyrics:

    I Will Follow You Into the Dark

     by Death Cab For Cutie

     Love of mine
     Someday you will die
     But I'll be close behind
     I'll follow you into the dark
     No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
     Just our hands clasped so tight
     Waiting for the hint of the spark

     If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied
     Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
     If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
     Then I'll follow you into the dark

Now, we first discussed that "the dark" is death or the unknown. Already romantic, huh? But if we look at the use of "will" we can decide that the meaning of this future talk is that of prediction. The singer is saying his love will die someday. Prediction. He will follow her in death (or die also soon after to find her soul again). Prediction. She won't have to go alone. Some of us might say now, "Oh, my... how romantic!" I suppose I would agree.

But think about the same idea with different grammar to talk about the future. How does the meaning change: "Love of mine, someday you're going to die, but I'm going to be close behind; I'm going to follow you into the dark." What did we learn it means to use "be going to" for the future?

Plans!

Is it still romantic if the singer has PLANS for his love to die and PLANS to be close behind and PLANS to follow her? Eek!!! I certainly hope not!!! In fact, this sounds extremely creepy and threatening now! The love song just became a completely different song!

If someone sings you the song using will, kiss him. If someone sings you this song using be going to, call the police. ;)

See? Grammar makes love songs.