Elizabeth

What about you? What's the song that taught teenage you about love?

What about you? What's the song that taught teenage you about love?

I want to talk about the lyrics, though, because there's this one line where they say, we can try to understand the New York Times effect on man.

I want to talk about the lyrics, though, because there's this one line where they say, we can try to understand the New York Times effect on man.

Well, I mean, 16-year-old you might not have, you know, heard of the New York Times, but I mean, now you work here and you've created a really iconic part of it. You are the founder of Modern Love. 18 years ago, you started the column. And I want to thank you, Dan, and I also want to thank you, Mia, for trusting me with a little part of it.

Well, I mean, 16-year-old you might not have, you know, heard of the New York Times, but I mean, now you work here and you've created a really iconic part of it. You are the founder of Modern Love. 18 years ago, you started the column. And I want to thank you, Dan, and I also want to thank you, Mia, for trusting me with a little part of it.

Welcome, welcome. Thanks so much. When we come back I share the song that taught me about love when I was 16. Stay with us. When we first aired this episode, I didn't talk about my own song, so I'm going to do that right now. When I think about the song that changed me as a 16-year-old, I'm thinking about Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel.

Welcome, welcome. Thanks so much. When we come back I share the song that taught me about love when I was 16. Stay with us. When we first aired this episode, I didn't talk about my own song, so I'm going to do that right now. When I think about the song that changed me as a 16-year-old, I'm thinking about Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel.

My dad would always play a Billy Joel greatest hit CD in the car. I started off barely tolerating it, asking him to turn it off, to change it to like the pop radio station or whatever. But after many listens, I got hooked. I became a Billy convert.

My dad would always play a Billy Joel greatest hit CD in the car. I started off barely tolerating it, asking him to turn it off, to change it to like the pop radio station or whatever. But after many listens, I got hooked. I became a Billy convert.

And this particular song, Just the Way You Are, Billy sings that his lover doesn't need to change her hair or her clothes or impress him with clever conversation. And the thing that drew me to the song is like, I tried all of those things at age 16. I'd straightened the hell out of my hair. I'd gotten bangs. I tested out all these different looks to try to appeal to different guys.

And this particular song, Just the Way You Are, Billy sings that his lover doesn't need to change her hair or her clothes or impress him with clever conversation. And the thing that drew me to the song is like, I tried all of those things at age 16. I'd straightened the hell out of my hair. I'd gotten bangs. I tested out all these different looks to try to appeal to different guys.

I was constantly shapeshifting, attempting to impress. And in this song, I felt like Billie was saying to me, you do not need to do all that.

I was constantly shapeshifting, attempting to impress. And in this song, I felt like Billie was saying to me, you do not need to do all that.

I couldn't love you any better. I love you just the way you are. I still need to be reminded of that sometimes, even today. So thank you, Billie. Okay, as I said at the top, this episode is a two-parter. Next week, we'll hear your stories, stories from listeners on the songs that taught them about love. It's a playlist with some real heartfelt bangers. You will not want to miss it.

I couldn't love you any better. I love you just the way you are. I still need to be reminded of that sometimes, even today. So thank you, Billie. Okay, as I said at the top, this episode is a two-parter. Next week, we'll hear your stories, stories from listeners on the songs that taught them about love. It's a playlist with some real heartfelt bangers. You will not want to miss it.

This episode of Modern Love was produced in 2022 by Julia Botero and Hans Butow and edited by Sarah Saracen. Additional production and editing by Sarah Curtis and Lynn Levy. Production management by Christina Josa. This episode was mixed by Sonia Herrero, with studio support from Maddy Macielo. The Modern Love theme music is by Dan Powell.

This episode of Modern Love was produced in 2022 by Julia Botero and Hans Butow and edited by Sarah Saracen. Additional production and editing by Sarah Curtis and Lynn Levy. Production management by Christina Josa. This episode was mixed by Sonia Herrero, with studio support from Maddy Macielo. The Modern Love theme music is by Dan Powell.

Additional music in this episode by Dan Powell and Aman Sahota. Digital production by Mahima Chablani and Desi Bakwa. And special thanks to Ryan Wegner at Autumn. The Modern Love column is edited by Daniel Jones. Mia Lee is the editor of Modern Love Projects. If you'd like to submit an essay or a tiny love story to The New York Times, we have the instructions in our show notes. I'm Anna Martin.

Additional music in this episode by Dan Powell and Aman Sahota. Digital production by Mahima Chablani and Desi Bakwa. And special thanks to Ryan Wegner at Autumn. The Modern Love column is edited by Daniel Jones. Mia Lee is the editor of Modern Love Projects. If you'd like to submit an essay or a tiny love story to The New York Times, we have the instructions in our show notes. I'm Anna Martin.