So out of curiosity, this morning I typed "love" into iTunes as a jumping off point for my super sweet Valentine's mixtape (like, yeah!). Much to my surprise, I think the hodge-podge that popped up is a perfect clusterfuck of pretty decent tracks, just what I needed for my big night in with Jack and Jose.
Here's a few suggestions from my love song vault to yours. Cheers!
01. TV on the Radio - Lover's Day
You're probably thinking that this track was picked just because of the title (Lover's Day=Valentine's yeah, yeah, yeah) but its really one hot little number about a whole day of getting it on. It even goes so far as too get a little criminal and cannibalistic on our asses (yeowza!)
02. Cat Power - Sea of Love
Loved by seamen and pregnant teenagers alike (it was on the Juno soundtrack), this song is wonderfully disarming and simply sweet just the way a good ol' love song should be. (Too bad it doesn't come with a video of children holding hands and eating cupcakes in the park to match.)
03. Bon Iver - Skinny Love
This song has been a favorite for a lot of folks in the past couple of years because it is just so damn good. However, use caution if you're planning on playing this for a lady friend unfamiliar with the song, she might get offended (Read: Who are you calling skinny/fat?!).
04. The Cardigans - Love Fool
An undeniable classic since Leo Dicapprio and Claire Danes did that whole Romeo + Juliet thing back in the day. It also functions as a tactful backup plan in case you strike out with "Skinny Love."
05. The Beatles
"Love Me Do," "Can't Buy Me Love," "She Loves You," "All You Need is Love" -- take your pick. The Beatles just had an overabundance of love to share (it was the '60s). These are classics and always sure to please. Oh, and in case you forgot a gift for your honey, go with the last song.
06. Kanye West - Love Lockdown
Hmmm, love lockdown ... this could mean a variety of things but for the sake of this playlist, we're going to go with the mental image of Kanye in pink fuzzy handcuffs (rawr).
07. Broken Social Scene - "Lover's Spit"
This has to be the sexiest, wettest, slow-motioniest makeout scene out there (we're talking lip-locking from beginning to end here). Plus, there's a nice balance between mildly gross and touchingly sentimental lyrics too.
08. Band of Horses - No One's Gonna Love You
Despite the deceptive title, "No One's Gonna Love You" is a homegrown ballad about loving through the ups and downs. Awkwardly enough though, the video is more about bro-man-dude-bud love (with a generous helping of smashing bottles on the heads of unsuspecting buddies), but, hey, it could work the romantic angle, too.
09. The Felice Brothers - Love Me Tenderly
The Felice Brothers sure now how charm with this ode to a royal lady who needs nothing more from her man than "a bottle of scotch, a dime sack and a diamond watch" (sounds like the perfect combination of Valentine's Day gifts to me). Now if we could only get a decent video of them performing this little gem we'd be just swell.
10. Pat Benatar - Love is a Battlefield
That's right, its a kickass classic that will help even the burliest of men through a rough break up or lonesome Valentine's, just in case the other songs on this playlist didn't quite do the trick. Hey, there's always next year right?
NOTE: If you play "Love Shack" by The B-52's on Valentine's Day, you should seriously consider online dating (and we mean Second Life, not Match.com).
