How Long Will I Love You

Ellie Goulding's 'How Long Will I Love You' is a tender ballad that explores the depth and endurance of love. The lyrics pose a series of rhetorical questions about the longevity of the singer's love, each answered with a metaphor that signifies timelessness and infinity. The repetition of 'How long will I love you?' followed by comparisons to the everlasting nature of stars, the cyclical seasons, the persistent sea, and the enduring desire for companionship, all serve to emphasize the unending commitment the singer has towards their loved one.

The song's simplicity is its strength, as it uses natural and cosmic imagery to convey the boundless and enduring quality of love. The reference to the father's advice and the promise to love 'as long as you can' adds a personal and familial dimension, suggesting that the love professed is not only romantic but also deeply rooted in a sense of tradition and longevity. The final lines, 'How long will I love you? As long as stars are above you, And longer if I may,' encapsulate the song's message: love that strives to outlast even the cosmos.

Ellie Goulding's ethereal voice and the minimalist arrangement of the song allow the lyrics to resonate with listeners, offering a sense of comfort and certainty in the power of love. The song's universal appeal lies in its ability to articulate a feeling that many strive to express: a love that is both profound and eternal, transcending the limitations of time and space.