3 Classic Rock Songs About Spouses That Shed Light on Marriage

Sometimes, the best classic rock songs are written about fantasies. They’re written about stairways to heaven, or the great gig in the sky. But other times, real life creeps in. Sometimes an artist can pen a tune that is as down-to-earth and down-home as possible. Indeed, sometimes a great classic rock track can be about a loved one, like a husband or a wife.

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Here below, we wanted to examine three such examples. A trio of tracks that were composed about the songwriter’s better half. Yes, these are three classic rock songs about spouses that shed some light on what it means to be married.

“Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney from ‘McCartney’ (1970)

After The Beatles broke up in 1970, the band’s co-lead songwriter and vocalist Paul McCartney released his debut self-titled solo that same year. The former Fab Four member wrote the song in 1969 just prior to the group splitting, and he penned it for his wife Linda, who helped him deal with the dissolution of the band. In fact, Linda sings background vocals on the tune (the two would later form the band Wings together). Lyrically, the track opens with effusive praise of Linda with McCartney singing: “Baby, I’m amazed at the way you love me all the time / And maybe I’m afraid of the way I love you.”

“Everywhere” by Fleetwood Mac from ‘Tango In The Night’ (1987)

While some may be sick of this song after hearing it sung by comedian Will Ferrell in countless PayPal commercials, this song was originally written by Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie for her then-husband and the band’s bassist John McVie. It’s an effusive love song in which Christine talks glowingly about her beau, whom she says she wants to live life with anywhere and everywhere. She sings: “Oh, I / I want to be with you everywhere.”

“Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton from ‘Slowhand’ (1978)

Eric Clapton was famously part of a love-triangle with model Patti Boyd and former Beatle George Harrison. Boyd was married to Harrison, but Clapton was desperately in love with her. Later, when Harrison and Boyd split, Clapton and she began to date and later married. While this song was written by Clapton about Boyd when they were still dating and not yet wed. It sheds light on his love and passion for her. A ballad, Clapton wrote it about his future wife and how elegant she looked, and the feeling that beauty gave him, as a man, partner, and artist. He sings: “And then I tell her, as I turn out the light / I say, ‘My darling, you are wonderful tonight.’“

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