A month ago, the glittering foil heart balloons popped up all over the grocery store to herald in the season of… love, is it? Or a 6-year-old girl’s fantasy world where everything’s pink and candy-flavored. Disclaimer: I don’t really like Valentine’s Day. I don’t see the point. You should tell the people you love them that you love them everyday. And I can’t help but to be a cynic about what a marketing empire it is.
I stopped enjoying Valentine’s Day right around the time it became awkward to exchange valentines. I was never much of a pink hearts and red roses kind of girl anyways. The only really great thing about Valentine’s Day is the chocolate. But that should be permissible and good anytime of the year. (The goodness of chocolate is just plain old science. Even during Lent, the very dark chocolate with no dairy is a worthwhile substitute—just ask the Sisters of the Holy Theophany in Olympia, Washington). It seemed like a cowardly cop-out that someone would declare one’s love on Valentine’s Day—I mean, come on, be original. And then when I learned about the actual St. Valentine, the gig was up.
I first set out to make an awkward-love-songs-playlist, which was highly entertaining, but started to get, frankly, creepy. There are a lot of pretty bad love songs, like songs that should be arrested and tried for real crimes. I have to include a few that are just amusing, then I’ll move on. Here is a mini-playlist (just enough for a good laugh) of the worst-but-not-too-creepy love songs:
- “I Fooled Around and Fell in Love” – Elvin Bishop… The man we all want, who says he’s been with “a million” girls, but is ready to settle down. Ewwwwwww.
- “I Would do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” – Meat Loaf… Has anyone ever found out what “that” is? Not sure I want to know…
- “Just the Way You Are” – Billy Joel… Now, I love Billy Joel. But this song is not really a love song. He’s basically saying he doesn’t want her to surprise him or grow as a person, just wants her to be quiet and pretty, and to leave him alone.
- “I’ll Make Love to You” – Boyz II Men… Ultimately, more poetic subtlety should be employed than “I’ll take my clothes off, too.” Mmm, yeeeahhh, or not.
- “Lovefool” – the Cardigans… I used to love this song because it’s just fun to dance to; it’s on the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack which I had been in the habit of listening to since high school. But it was my daughter who pointed out, with appropriate disgust, “Uh, is she basically saying she wants him to pretend that he loves her?” Ooh, yes, [parent fail] and skip.
and now, to the good stuff:
But I am not a love cynic. I believe in love, baby. I believe in True Love, the Author of Love, the saving Love of Jesus Christ. But that’s another post. Related, however, is the love of Valentine’s Day, the kind of love where we taste Divine Love, the kind of love that keeps this beautiful world populated.
Without further ado, here is a solid hour of I-want-to-roo-you-love songs (please, consider these in your Valentine’s Day cards instead of the usual cheese!):
- “500 Miles” – The Proclaimers… Such a clever way to say “I love you”! Though I’m not sure what heavering is… anybody?
- “Sweetest Devotion” – Adele
- “Crazy Love” – Van Morrison… It was a toss-up with Van Morrison’s “Tupelo Honey”. I could make a Van Morrison love song playlist. He writes the best love-lyrics. Ever. (see “Sweet Thing”, “You’re My Woman”, “Warm Love”)
- “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” – The Police
- “Blood and Tears” – Joseph
- “How Sweet it Is” – James Taylor
- “The Way You Look Tonight” – Frank Sinatra… Classic. Period.
- “When the Stars Go Blue” – Ryan Adams
- “One Fine Thing – Harry Connick Jr.
- “Settle Down” – Kimbra… It’s like the Catholic-dating love song.
- “For Once in My Life” – Stevie Wonder
- “Winter Birds” – Ray LaMontagne
- “I Wanna Roo You” – Van Morrison
- “Tip of My Tongue” – Civil Wars
- “Lover, You Should Have Come Over” – Jeff Buckley
- “Bring it on Home To Me” – Sam Cooke