You Must Love Me

[StageManager2]

You Must Love Me#0

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:09pm

In this song, is Evita saying you "have to" love me, or you "do" love me? I've always assumed it was the former, but upon hearing it recently, I think it may be the latter. Also, is she singing it about Peron, or to the country in general? [In the movie, it is sung as Eva returns home from the hospital.] For those who aren't familiar with the song, here are the lyrics:

Where do we go from here?
This isn't where we intended to be
We had it all -- you believed in me
I believed in you

Certainties disappear
What do we do for our dream to survive?
How do we keep all our passions alive
As we used to do?

Deep in my heart I'm concealing
Thing's that I'm longing to say
Scared to confess what I'm feeling
Frightened you'll slip away
You must love me
You must love me

Why are you at my side?
How can I be any use to you now?
Give me a chance and I'll let you see how
Nothing has changed

Deep in my heart I'm concealing
Things that I'm longing to say
Scared to confess what I'm feeling
Frightened you'll slip away
You must love me
You must love me
You must love me

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

[Gothampc]

re: You Must Love Me#1

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:20pm

I think it can go either way, although I always took it to be to the country in general. And I always thought it was you "do" love me. Although that could go either way as well.

I always liked to think it was a kind of bookend to "The Actress Hasn't Learned the Lines..."

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

Updated On: 2/15/06 at 06:20 PM

[popcultureboy]

re: You Must Love Me#2

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:22pm

Um, I think you might be breaching copyright.....

Nothing precious, plain to see, don't make a fuss over me. Not loud, not soft, but somewhere inbetween. Say sorry, just let it be the word you mean.

[Jenny1284]

re: You Must Love Me#3

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:31pm

I do see how it could go both ways, but I always thought she was just saying "you do love me" in reference to Peron. It really focuses on the two of them at that point in the movie, showing Peron carrying her up the stairs and flashing back to earlier moments in their relationship. The song isn't in the stage version, so there isn't really anything to compare it to. While their marriage was based upon what they stood to gain politically by being married to each other, I thought of the song as Eva's realization that, to an extent, they did genuinely care for each other. (Or maybe that was the sappy interpretation I developed when I was 12 . . .)

[StageManager2]

re: You Must Love Me#4

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:36pm

I wasn't unware that I couldn't post lyrics. I've seen it done a few times here, so I just assumed it was okay. I apologize.

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

[Gothampc]

re: You Must Love Me#5

Posted: 2/15/06 at 6:40pm

A way around that is just to link to a website that has the lyrics.
You Must Love Me

If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

[jasonf]

re: You Must Love Me#6

Posted: 2/15/06 at 7:07pm

Not to be REALLY picky, but the grammar teacher in me won't let this go -- if you "weren't unaware" that would mean you "were aware." That's the wonder of the double negative...

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

[amcchemist]

re: You Must Love Me#7

Posted: 2/15/06 at 10:05pm

I always assumed that the song was to Peron, but never a demand. Recall that, in the show, Eva is living in a time where the Argentine men had a reputation for having mistresses on the side. You get the impression that she is playing the game to get out of each relationship something for herself, just using her lovers. She discards each one as she moves further up society's ladder. As long as she's getting something and Peron is getting something, the relationship is in tact. When she is ill and can no longer be Peron's main publicity star, no longer providing him what he needs, I think she feels he will discard her aside for another. However, he doesn't, which leads her to realize that he must love her and isn't just using her. I always interpreted the song as surprise on her part that he didn't cast her aside.

[OddExoticCreature]

re: You Must Love Me#8

Posted: 2/15/06 at 10:53pm

I think she's talking to Peron, but in the bigger picture she is also speaking to Argentina. I also think she is making the statement "you MUST love me!" because she's trying to convince herself that she has the power she did before to get her way, get people to feel what she wants them to feel, and yet the influxion of the singer's voice creates their own interpretation and it can have many layers. I think the more emphasis put on must creates the sense that she's trying to regain a sense of control, whereas more emphasis on love and a softer tone on me shows the question, "do you love me? tell me you do..."

--Like an odd exotic creature on display inside a zoo, hearing children asking questions makes me ask some questions too...--

[Urban]

re: You Must Love Me#9

Posted: 2/15/06 at 11:01pm

I think Eva was having a Sally Field moment with that song.

[StageManager2]

re: You Must Love Me#10

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:29pm

Urban, that was hilarious! Jasonf, I meant to write I "wasn't aware." Thanks for the correction, anyway. amcchemist, by the time Eva became ill, she was a political force in her own right. I don't think Peron would have cast her aside because she was more popular then he and therefore still of use to him. I still think they had an affection for each other, though.

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

[bob8rich]

re: You Must Love Me#11

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:38pm

According to press releases, this song has been written into the revival of the stage show that is soon to open in London. Maybe when seen in its context in the stage musical, it will help explain some of the questions raised here.

THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***

[Riff2]

re: You Must Love Me#12

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:44pm

I always thought that Tim Rice was secretly poking fun at Madonna with these lyrics.

[Unknown User]

re: You Must Love Me#13

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:46pm

This is a topic I know well. I adore this movie and have seen it hundreds of times. Yes, I love Madonna too in the show.
Anyway~
I think that it is her realizing that she cannot do all she planned out to do anymore. She has Cancer and it has taken away her spirit and feiry passion for what she wanted to do. She realizes that in the whole scheme of things if she does not have his love then she ultimately has nothing. And she yearns for him to just love her for who she is not for what she was or the fact that this will take her from him.

Just my opinion.

[WickedGeek28]

re: You Must Love Me#14

Posted: 2/16/06 at 3:48pm

Not to be REALLY picky, but the grammar teacher in me won't let this go -- if you "weren't unaware" that would mean you "were aware." That's the wonder of the double negative...


I ahve the same problem, the English teacher comes out to play!

"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird

[Elphaba]

re: You Must Love Me#15

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:14pm

it was an added song for the film...it was NOT in any staged production. (but if it's written into London, I guess that will change).
The song was added so that it could be considered for a possible oscar nod for best song.

I also hated in the movie how Madonna sang 'Another Suitcase in Another Hall", one of my favs, rather than Peron's latest fling who sings it as she leaves in all productions

the movie couldn't even compare to Patti, Mandy, et al......

It is ridiculous to set a detective story in New York City. New York City is itself a detective story... AGATHA CHRISTIE, Life magazine, May 14, 1956

[munkustrap178]

re: You Must Love Me#16

Posted: 2/16/06 at 4:23pm

I think Webber WON the Oscar for this song.

I love it.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

[StageManager2]

re: You Must Love Me#17

Posted: 2/17/06 at 2:17pm

Does anyone think the song could work as a duet between Eva and Peron? For example, Eva could sing the first verse, then Peron would sing the second verse. They could sing the chorus together. After the interlude, Peron could sing the first two lines and Eva could sing the last two. Then they could finish off the chorus together. I think it works out nicely, and when they both sing "Frightened you'll slip away" Eva could mean she's scared of losing Peron's support, while Peron fears losing her to cancer. Just a thought.

Salve, Regina, Mater misericordiae
Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra
Salve, Salve Regina
Ad te clamamus exsules filii Eva
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
O clemens O pia

[Sant]

re: You Must Love Me#18

Posted: 2/17/06 at 5:25pm

I 'got' the lyrics so that the first time she sings "You must love me" it is like "you have to love me!", a kind of a plea.

The second time she sings it it's more like a realization, "You really love me after all" ("Why are you at my side? How can I be any use to you now?" --> "You must love me").

Beautiful song.
Updated On: 2/17/06 at 05:25 PM

[PitPro2004]

re: You Must Love Me#19

Posted: 2/17/06 at 6:11pm

**I always assumed that the song was to Peron, but never a demand.**

That is just what I always got out of it. I think she's totally surprised that he is still at her side. Funny, every time I watched this movie, I asked myself that same question. Now, every time I see him look at her when she's sick, I feel it's more of a love song than a last gasp of power.

So glad this threat got started.

"Sticks and stones, sister. Here, have a Valium!"

[Marguerite Chauvelin]

re: You Must Love Me#20

Posted: 2/17/06 at 6:17pm

I thought it was Peron, Jonathan Pryce was on screen during practically the whole song. :)

If Percy Blakeney were in Les Mis....

Percy: Sink me! If it isn't Javvurt!
Javert: Zsah-vair, it's pronounced Zsah-vair.
Pecry: But it's spelled J-A-V-E-R-T Javvurt.
Javert: Repeat after me Zsah...Zsah....
Percy: Oh! Zsa-Zsa! Like the Gabor sister! Well I personally have always prefered Eva.
Javert: (Looks for gun)

[chernjam]

re: You Must Love Me#21

Posted: 2/18/06 at 1:52am

1 - It is being added to the new revival of Evita in London (along with orchestration changes and some other revisions that were made when they did revisions for the movie)

2 - The lyrics "You Must Love Me" according to an interview I read with Tim Rice are meant to be unclear - as unclear as Eva is - is she in a sense demanding or forcing people to "love" her or is she realizing after everything she has endured that she has found love? That's what's the complexity of who Evita is, one is never fully sure what her motives are. I remember Rice even saying that's why Madonna sings the song perfectly because she doesn't give away any of the lack of clarity by any inflection or emphasis in singing the lyrics.

3 - Webber and Rice did win the Oscar for that song

-- And it's a beautiful addition. Looking forward to hearing what they do for the London revival this summer.
Jim

[chernjam]

re: You Must Love Me#22

Posted: 2/18/06 at 1:52am

1 - It is being added to the new revival of Evita in London (along with orchestration changes and some other revisions that were made when they did revisions for the movie)

2 - The lyrics "You Must Love Me" according to an interview I read with Tim Rice are meant to be unclear - as unclear as Eva is - is she in a sense demanding or forcing people to "love" her or is she realizing after everything she has endured that she has found love? That's what's the complexity of who Evita is, one is never fully sure what her motives are. I remember Rice even saying that's why Madonna sings the song perfectly because she doesn't give away any of the lack of clarity by any inflection or emphasis in singing the lyrics.

3 - Webber and Rice did win the Oscar for that song

-- And it's a beautiful addition. Looking forward to hearing what they do for the London revival this summer.
Jim

[chernjam]

re: You Must Love Me#23

Posted: 2/18/06 at 1:52am

Updated On: 2/18/06 at 01:52 AM