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"I Love You Will You Marry Me?" by Yungblud Is Iconic, But Why?

Many don't know this, but "I Love You, Will You Marry Me?" is based off of a true, tragic story. I have seen some theories about the inspiration, and I did some research to set the record straight.

By Shea SPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Park Hill Bridge before & after neon lights were installed.

YUNGBLUD, although many fans would say otherwise, is a band with three (3) members! The most well known, of course, is Dominic Harrison, the lead singer. The lesser known (but still greatly appreciated) members are drummer, Michael Rennie, and guitarist, Adam Warrington. While the three of them tour together, make all of their music together, and write all of their songs together, this article will focus on one song in particular that has a certain heartbreaking.

“I Love You, Will You Marry Me?” is one of Yungblud’s most popular songs with over 9 million streams on Spotify, and 1.4 million views on YouTube for the music video alone. It seems really cute and adorable, until you really listen and learn the story that inspired it. Yes, Park Hill is a real place, of course, and the everything in the song is based off of a true story.

“A kid lifts up a spray can/ And never thought it would be famous what he did/ Turned the mess into a dreamland/ With a quirky act of romance/ A version of Romeo and Juliet/ This time with Adidas sneakers and cigarettes/ A couple of kids trying to cut down the safety net/ They twisted the story so they could bring glory to it”

This is one of those stories about big companies profiting off of others’ work, which is a common theme in Yungblud’s first album. The story is about a man named Jason who lives in England. When he was younger, he was absolutely in love with this woman, Claire, and decided to show his love with graffiti. The man spray painted “Claire Middleton I love you will you marry me” in all capital letters across the side of Park Hill Bridge. Romantic, right? Of course it was… Until companies started seeing the popularity of the bridge and decided to step in and “bring glory to it.”

“They didn't write her name on the article/ That to me just seems pretty farcical/ … / Fundamental narcissistic/ Tried to make out he didn't exist/ When they wrote on the what/ When they wrote on the/ T-shirts, cool merch, postcards/ And lighting it up like a piece of art/ They kicked him to the side and left him to starve/ On the memory that's re-breaking his broken heart”

Since then, the bridge has become the center of a residential area. The surrounding companies let the woman’s name fade, but they immortalized “I love you will you marry me” by placing neon lights on top of the letters just as the man originally wrote them. One apartment complex that is attached to the bridge even use it for marketing, using the man’s words as a slogan to slap on t-shirts and other merchandise as if they created the art themselves. Even when the press started writing about the graffiti and the apartments that use it, they never once mentioned Claire or Jason. The bridge is a popular spot with the outdated romanticism and beauty.

Little do they know, the spot is actually quite depressing, seeing as the woman had passed away at a young age, and the man is homeless. Jason, the man, was essentially, “kicked to the curb” and “left [him] to starve” even though the big, rich companies use his art to make more sales. What’s even worse is that he is forever reminded of Claire and that love he holds for her by the companies that made the bridge eternal. This, as Yungblud puts it keeps “re-breaking his broken heart."

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About the Creator

Shea S

I have a deep love of music and my marsupials, with wild aspirations to become a music journalist.

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  • Jason Lowe2 years ago

    The Graffiti was placed back today 13th June 2022 with the neon lighting following tomorrow the 14th June 2022 🖤🖤

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