"You wonder if this heart of mine will lose its desire for you..."

I'm not big on the whole Valentine's Day lovefest that so many people enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I'm big on LOVE it's just that whether I'm coupled or single, the holiday itself always seems a bit too cliched to tell you the truth. It just makes no sense to me. Why spend just one day a year doing what we should all be doing for one another the other 364? Oh well, it is what it is I suppose...another commercial exploitation of our affection. I was greeted this week by a disc in my mailbox from my sweetie who is somewhat far away and the first track was "Never My Love" by The Association. Even after repeatedly declining his marriage proposals over the years, he's convinced that I'll eventually be worn down and that The Assocation will play us into our future. Pffftt. And even as I roll my eyes at the thought now, this morning when he called and played it over the phone for me on my Valentine's Day drive for just a minute I thought maybe he could be right after all.

But those are thoughts I'll keep tucked away for another day.

Last year, I made an enormous post that spanned music for both sides of the V-D coin...the lovers and the loners. I also posted up my thoughts about the holiday from the previous year which got a big email response for some reason. But this year, I'll just say that if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with. Love them much and love them often. And you can enjoy a smattering of some of my favorite love songs while you're doing just that...

Happy V-D!!!

Belle & Sebastian - "If You Find Yourself Caught In Love"

Ben Folds - "The Luckiest"

Ben Harper - "Not Fire, Not Ice"

Ben Taylor - "How Can I Tell You"

Bread - "Everything I Own"

Brian McKnight - "I Belong To You"

Bruce Springsteen - "If I Should Fall Behind"

David Gray - "Be Mine"

David Ryan Harris - "Pretty Girl"

Don McLean - "And I Love You So"

Jack Johnson - "Better Together"

James Taylor - "Something in the Way She Moves"

Joe Purdy - "Mary May & Bobby"

Lauryn Hill - "Nothing Even Matters"

Mirah - "Words Cannot Describe"

Norah Jones - "The Nearness of You"

Otis Redding - "These Arms of Mine"

P.M. Dawn - "I'd Die Without You"

Ray LaMontagne - "Forever My Friend"

Rosie Thomas - "Since You've Been Around"

Sam Cooke - "Cupid"

Teddy Thompson - "Love Her For That"

Teitur - "One & Only"

The Association - "Never My Love"

The Beach Boys - "God Only Knows"

The Cribs - "Things You Should Be Knowing"

The Microphones - "I Felt Your Shape"

The Smiths - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"

The Velvet Underground - "I'll Be Your Mirror"

The Wannadies - "You & Me Song"


And a little update with one to grow on from reader Dan who sent me a lovely email about John Denver's "For You"...

Most love songs fit in one of two categories; either the "I want you" song, or the "I want you back". This is one just says "I love you". So much in so many ways. Don't dismiss this song because the performer is John Denver, thinking that it may be too sappy or silly.

Just listen to this once, straight through. Any single line contains a wonderful idea about what love is. Whether simple and sublime like "Just to sit by your window" or achingly lovely as in "Just to long for your kisses". The sentiments are never trite, never cliché.

The music itself is pretty, and his voice conveys the power of the feelings that he has. Especially when he hits that note around 2:39. Almost every time I hear it, it induces tears. Or goose-bumps. Or both – a combination I call goose-tears. Very rare. And sometimes dangerous.

This is a song that says to me, that this is how you should feel when you are in love and if you don't feel it, then you should work for it, strive for it, search for it.

Thanks for listening. Happy VD! That's Valentine's Day, not "venereal disease". Remember when they called it that? Now its STD. Boy, did this discussion take a wrong turn.

Dan

So for you, Dan and for all the other sappy lovers out there today...a tune from Mr. Denver (who I do love thanks to my mother by the way) that is indeed gorgeous and beautiful and touching just like you said it was. Thanks so much for sharing!!

John Denver - "For You"