The Book of Love was written by Stephin Merritt, the lead singer and primary songwriter of The Magnetic Fields. The song is part of the 69 Love Songs album, released in 1999, which, as the title suggests, is a collection of 69 songs about love in its various forms and nuances. The project initially emerged as a reflection on pop culture and the many ways that love is represented in music.
The book of love is long and boring No one can lift the damn thing It's full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing But I........ I love it when you read to me And you.......... You can read me anything The book of love has music in it In fact that's where music comes from Some of it is just transcendental Some of it is just really dumb But I........ I love it when you sing to me And you.......... You can sing me anything The book of love is long and boring And written very long ago It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes And things we're all too young to know But I........ I love it when you give me things And you.......... You ought to give me wedding rings And I....... I love it when you give me things And you.......... You ought to give me wedding rings And I....... I love it when you give me things And you.......... You ought to give me wedding rings You ought to give me wedding rings