Heartbreaks are nothing new. There are hundreds occurring as we speak, each one significant in its own space. I was driving back to my family for Thanksgiving when I heard this piece on the radio and it made me laugh and made me cry in its cheeky but dead on account of the other-worldly quality that we suddenly see the world through heartbroken eyes. I seem to like things that are both clever and sad at the same time. That's always a winning combination for me. Anyway, this piece entitled Dr. Phil (USA) won the Best Radio Documentary for the Third Coast Festival and it will be available in its full version for a limited time so I hope my sketchy intro here has instigated you enough to hear it while you can.
The writer, Starlee Kine, writes for This American Life about herself, as a girl who on the wake of a break-up decides to write a love song, and not just any kind of love song, a torch song even, the most pathetic ones, the kinds that made careers for Dusty Springfield and the likes. With lyrics that will make your circle of confidante friends' eyes roll wide such as the following: you don't have to say you love me just be close at hand. Pl-ease! Stop!
The funny bits come in as Starlee, dead serious, attempts to do this despite having no musical ability at all and in fact enlists the help of an apt but improbable mentor---Phil Collins. Talk about against all odds. So, grip your hearts and have a listen. It will make you laugh, I promise.
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