You Can't Buy Love...

"Money is one of the biggest causes of relationship breakdowns, but don't bank on it working in reverse. If cash could save a troubled marriage, we wouldn't see so many spectacular bust-ups among the world's mega-rich celebrities" - Anthony Keane, The Advertiser

It's an age old saying "you can't buy love" and when reading Anthony Keane's article in my local newspaper recently, his perspective on the issue got me thinking.

These days, it seems as though celebrities are divorcing each other just as frequently as they're tying the knot. We don't need to go back very far to find examples like Katy Perry and Russell Brand, Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, Seal and Heidi Klum, and let’s not forget the infamous 72 day marriage between Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries.

Although I'm a follower of the Kardashian clan, I was almost glad to see the media and society's backlash at the reality TV star following her half-hearted attempt at marriage. "Irreconcilable Differences" is the reason we usually hear for celebrity relationships not working out, but is the term purely legal jargon? Do these couples jump into marriage so quickly that they don't realise the ins and outs of the person they're committing a lifetime of happiness and love to? Are some of these marriages purely extreme stints of PR genius or has society simply reached a point where the act of marriage is not as sacred as it used to be?

I also find it interesting how few celebrities date or marry ‘ordinary’ people (and no, a music executive, film producer or script writer doesn't count). As I try and brainstorm examples, all I'm able to come up with is Matt Damon and Luciana Bozan Barroso (a Miami bartender), Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham (a motivational speaker) and Julia Roberts and Danny Moder (a cameraman whom she met on the set of her film The Mexican). Is it a coincidence that all 3 of these couples have sustained relationships longer than the Hollywood average? 

Essentially, I believe failed celebrity relationships come down to 3 factors: ego, priorities and schedules. I ask, how would you cope if your partner was on a music tour 8 out of the 12 months in a year, or on a 6 month stint in a foreign country filming a movie or on the road every couple of weeks playing in sports stadiums and fields across the country? For the partner left behind, it's a huge sacrifice and if children are thrown into the mix, it's virtually impossible to juggle the lot.

Sure, there are nannies, tutors and hired help who can ease the pressures of 'day to day' tasks (think Angelina and Brad who have a separate nanny for each of their 6 children) but how does the separation affect a couple, their lovelife and connection with one another?

I must admit, I kind of felt sorry for Katy Perry when the news broke of her divorce with Russell Brand. I remember being in Katy's dressing room on her 2011 Australian tour and overhearing her on the phone to (an assumed) Russell in a giddy, loved up voice repeating a string of "I love you's" while she sat beside the photo of him she'd stuck to her mirror.

When I recently heard Katy's latest single Part of Me off her album Teenage Dream Deluxe Edition, I only wished I had the talent and exposure to write and sing songs about my woes and relationship heartache the way she does. The lyrics are as emotional as an Adele ballad, but combined with Katy's signature pop flavour. Strip away the melody and cords of the song through and you're left with a good bye letter from one lover to another.

Part of Me
Days like this I want to drive away
Pack my bags and watch your shadow fade
You chewed me up and spit me out
Like I was poison in your mouth
You took my light, you drain me down
That was then and this is now
Now look at me


Chorus:
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
Throw your sticks and stones
Throw your bombs and blows
But you're not gonna break my soul
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no


I just wanna throw my phone away
Find out who is really there for me
You ripped me off, your love was cheap
Was always tearing at the seams
I fell deep and you let me drown
But that was then and this is now
Now look at me

Chorus:
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
Throw your sticks and stones
Throw your bombs and blows
But you're not gonna break my soul
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no


Bridge:
Now look at me I'm sparkling
A firework, a dancing flame
You'll won't never put me out again
I'm glowing oh whoa
You can keep the diamond ring
It don't mean nothing anyway
In fact you can keep everything
Yeah yeah, except for me


Chorus:
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no (away from me)
Throw your sticks and stones
Throw your bombs and blows
But you're not gonna break my soul
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no

This is the part of me (no)
(away from me) This is the part of me
Throw your sticks and stones
Throw your bombs and blows
But you're not gonna break my soul
This is the part of me
That you're never gonna ever take away from me, no.