torch song
Definition
Noun: A popular song, typically slow and sentimental in style, that expresses feelings of sadness, longing, or disappointment in love. The term evokes the image of carrying a "torch" (an enduring, unrequited love) for someone.
Usage
The term "torch song" is used to categorize a specific genre of popular music. It is most commonly associated with vocal jazz, blues, and traditional pop standards performed in an intimate, emotive style.
Examples
- The singer captivated the audience with a heartbreaking torch song about lost love.
- Her repertoire included several classic torch songs from the 1930s.
- He is known for his ability to deliver a torch song with genuine emotion.
Advanced Usage
- Torch singer: A performer, typically a female vocalist, who specializes in singing torch songs.
- Billie Holiday is considered one of the greatest torch singers of all time.
Variants and Related Words
- Torch singing (n): The act or style of performing torch songs.
- Her career was built on torch singing.
Synonyms
- Blues ballad
- Lament
- Heartbreak song
Related Idioms
- To carry a torch for someone: To have enduring, often unrequited, feelings of love for someone. This idiom is the conceptual source for the term "torch song."
- Even years later, he still carries a torch for his first love.
Noun
-
a popular song concerned with disappointment in love
