Good morning dear readers, and welcome to the Most Romantic Day of the Year! Can you feel the love? I sure hope so. Hallmark Industries needs your support, you know. Those cards don’t just write themselves. Every dollar you spend goes directly towards raises for their copywriters. I mean, that’s where the profit goes, right? Right? Of course it does.
Anyway, we marked Valentine’s Day last year by celebrating famous musical couples throughout the ages. This year, we decided to throw together a playlist of our favorite love songs for your enjoyment. Songs about love tend to be rather sappy and maudlin by nature, but we feel that these selections have the cheese factor dialed back (as much as possible, anyway) and the music level set to awesome.
Everyday – Buddy Holly
This is such a sweet, innocent love song that seems to me to hearken back to a simpler time. I always wondered why it had never been used in a movie soundtrack, and then it showed up in Big Fish. Which was pretty perfect.
Let My Love Open the Door (E.Cola Mix) – Pete Townshend
I think this might just be my favorite tune on this list. It is basically ‘Baba O’Riley’ – a.k.a. one of the greatest songs of all time – rewritten as a love song. Amazing.
I Want You to Want Me – Cheap Trick
“I want you to want me / I need you to need me / I’d love you to love me…”
I mean, that’s pretty much what it all comes down to, right?
Fresh Feeling – Eels
A song about being next to someone who makes you feel that life is full of possibilities.
Maybe I’m Amazed – Paul McCartney
I always thought Paul had the best voice, and I love the way he sings this song.
Here — Pavement
Okay, so maybe this isn’t technically a love song, but it’s probably as close as Pavement ever got to writing a romantic(ish) ballad. Plus I love it, so it makes sense to me to include it here.
I Won’t Share You – The Smiths
Johnny Marr’s guitar playing on this track kills me. It is just so pretty.
Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
A beautiful song, full of longing.
Everywhere – Fleetwood Mac
I generally prefer Stevie Nicks’ voice over Christine McVie’s, but this song is AMAZING.
Show Me Heaven – Maria McKee
I had to throw one cheesy song selection in here.* It’s Valentine’s Day, y’all!
*No, ‘Everywhere’ doesn’t count. There is nothing cheesy about Tango In the Night-era Fleetwood Mac. Nothing.
Plus, this song was featured in Days of Thunder, obviously one of the most romantic movies of all time…
Tom + Nicole Forever
We’ve also compiled our picks onto a handy little playlist for you here:
Please enjoy yourselves tonight, kids, and be safe. Let us know your favorite songs about L-O-V-E.
Love and kisses,
Let Them Eat Vinyl
Let Them Eat Vinyl 
February 14th, 2012 at 10:11 am
Can I just say i am in awe of you for introducing me to this grooveshark widget?
Awesome Valentine’s Day post!
Days of Thunder. *snort*
February 14th, 2012 at 11:20 am
You love Days of Thunder. A high-octane thrill ride that pushes love’s speedometer to the limit…
Also, Tom Cruise is totally your boyfriend.
Yah the grooveshark widget is awesome!!
February 14th, 2012 at 10:30 am
Girl Don’t Tell Me – The Beach Boys.
Sunrise – The Who
Young Lust – Pink Floyd
February 14th, 2012 at 11:21 am
Awesome picks! Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
February 14th, 2012 at 10:59 am
My fave love tunes at the moment would be a Lucinda Williams song off the (West album) “Where is my love” or “Lover Without Love” Frou Frou the latter will make you cry at the right times…and for sure Gillian Welch’s “I made a lovers prayer”
I, like a lot of people haven’t been fortunate in love, for any number of reasons, it just isn’t in the cards…
I think I’m lovable and have a lot love to give, but haven’t found the person or place to put it, and work on it…
don’t be sad for me, it’s just how it goes for some of us.
February 14th, 2012 at 11:21 am
Don’t worry, LTEV loves you!
February 14th, 2012 at 11:44 am
[…] :: Published February 14, 2012 Happy Valentine’s Day! Inspired by my friends over at Let Them Eat Vinyl (who have the best music blog on the planet, in my opinion!) I’ve put together a […]
February 14th, 2012 at 11:45 am
OK, you inspired me to create a Valentine’s Day playlist… 🙂
http://www.lairdsapir.com/2012/02/be-mine/
February 14th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
Yay!! So awesome!!!
February 14th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
definitely down with “maybe i’m amazed”!
February 14th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
so good
February 14th, 2012 at 3:46 pm
While I agree that Baba O’Riley is one of the greatest songs ever written and I can see that Pete reuses some of the elements in Let My Love Open the Door, I think it is quite a stretch to say it is Baba O’Riley rewritten as a love song. After all isn’t Baba O’Riley a love song??
But back on the topic of the day… I love the list and love you and the ThinFinn too.
XO Ted
February 14th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Haha yeah I guess it’s a bit of a creative interpretation on our parts, but we do think they share a similar spirit. Either way, both songs rock the house!
Awwww…love you too buddy!
🙂
Spencer
February 14th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
“Everyday” was also used in Stand By Me.
Good selections, for the most part. Except for “I Want You To Want Me,” which gives me hives. 😉
My favorite love song is probably “Get Out the Map” by the Indigo Girls. There isn’t, as far as I know, an official video, so here’s some random person’s homemade video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfT6W6ZynRU
I love it because of the vulnerability in the song. This isn’t a song that confuses love with infatuation. The singer is concerned with growing older, gaining weight, no longer looking the same . . . and making the most of limited time. I also love the romantic wanderlust of grabbing a map and setting out for parts unknown without a specific destination in mind.
February 15th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
You know, that entire Stand By Me soundtrack was great.
Haha fair enough re: Cheap Trick!
I love what you’ve written about the Indigo Girls song 🙂