By Taylor Long
It’s mid-February. Professors haven’t started to pile on the work too much (we hope) and Spring semester holds plenty of possibilities (we hope). It also means that there’s a certain day approaching that singles and couples equally dread-that’s right, Valentine’s Day. If you’re single, there’s the pressure of… well, being single, and if you’re in a couple, there’s the pressure of impressing your Valentine. Nothing says thoughtfulness and love like a mix-tape (or CD for the less old-fashioned). But who wants a collection of songs that everyone’s attached meaning to? The following are some wonderful, yet often over-looked songs, for whatever your situation may be:
If you’ve just got a crush-Matthew Sweet, “Sick Of Myself”: Every relationship has to start somewhere. If you’re yearning for someone and not afraid to make it known on this day of mass love consumption, this catchy tune by singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet could be right up your alley. The chorus holds up strong, with these endearing lines: “‘Cause I’m sick of myself when I look at you / Something is beautiful and true / In a world that’s ugly and a lie.”
If you’re still trying to convince that special someone-Bobby Darin, “Dream Lover”: It’s hard not to be unsure of whether or not to get involved with someone else. If you think your Valentine could use a little coaxing, Bobby Darin’s swoon-worthy “Dream Lover” is sure to sweep them off their feet. Who in their right mind could resist the sweetness in Darin’s voice as he confesses, “I want a dream lover so I don’t have to dream alone”?If they just don’t get it-Bjork, “All Is Full Of Love”: If you’ve ever tried and tried to get the point across to someone and they just don’t seem to understand, you’re not alone. Help open someone’s eyes with the ballad “All Is Full Of Love.” If they don’t get the point after hearing “all is full of love / you just ain’t receiving / all is full of love / your phone is off the hook / all is full of love / your doors are all shut,” it’s probably time to move on to someone more attentive.
If the only love you want is the physical kind-Rufus Wainwright, “Instant Pleasure”: In college, it comes as no surprise that some people just plain are not after relationships. Whether it’s because sex is all your schedule allows you or because you’re just not willing to commit, Rufus Wainwright knows how you feel: “I don’t want somebody to love me / just give me sex whenever I want it / ’cause all I ask for is instant pleasure.”
If you’re still in the “Honeymoon” phase-Hall And Oates, “You Make My Dreams”: You may not realize it, but this is one of the most perfect pop songs about love. Nothing will make you want to sing at the top of your lungs about how happy you are in a relationship like the lines, “wrap yourself around me / ‘Cause I ain’t the way that you found me / I’ll never be the same / ‘Cause you make my dreams come true.”
If things are starting to get more serious-Yo La Tengo, “Our Way To Fall”: Before this song, it would have been nearly impossible to find a song about not-quite but soon to be love. How would someone describe that, anyhow? Yo La Tengo knows how to: “So we’ll try and try / Even if it lasts an hour / With all our might / We’ll try and make it ours / Cause we’re on our way / We’re on our way to fall in love.”
If your lover is a drama nerd/RENT-head-RENT, “I’ll Cover You”: Jonathan Larson’s hit modernization of La Boheme is jam-packed full of great love songs. But what makes “I’ll Cover You” one of the best for mix-taping is that it doesn’t contain many character-specific drug or sex references, and it’s purely romantic, with lines like “Open your door / I’ll be your tenant / Don’t got much baggage / To lay at your feet / But sweet kisses I’ve got to spare / I’ll be there – I’ll cover you.” And how many love duets can you think of that are sung by two men?
If your lover is younger than you-Guns n’ Roses: “Sweet Child O’ Mine”: Okay, so it’s probably a little too pervy to refer to your Valentine as a “child,” and this song really isn’t under-appreciated. Fact of the matter is that it’s a really great love song (even though it uses the word “child”) that I personally love, and I wanted an excuse to put it on here. But, hey, if you put this song on a mix for a guy, he’d probably be impressed.
If it feels like it’s going to last forever-Led Zeppelin, “Thank You”: How this Led Zeppelin song hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves is beyond me. This epic tune from Led Zeppelin II is staggeringly beautiful, both musically and lyrically; “If the sun refused to shine / I would still be loving you / When mountains crumble to the sea / there will still be you and me.”
If you’ve been through some rough times lately-Bruce Springsteen, “If I Should Fall Behind”: There is quite possibly no other love song that is this horrifyingly under-appreciated. If there’s one song that should be hailed for achieving a realistic yet still romantic look at love, it’s this one. If there’s something more truly romantic than the words, “Now everyone dreams of a love lasting and true / But you and I know what this world can do / So let’s make our steps clear that the other may see / And I’ll wait for you / If I should fall behind / Wait for me,” I haven’t found it.
If you feel badly about how you’ve treated someone in the past-Ben Folds Five, “Mess”: Not all love songs have to be addressed to your current partner. Isn’t it true that sometimes “you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone”? If you’re finding yourself in that position, perhaps you can find comfort in the lyrics of Ben Folds: “I know he’s kind and true / I know that he is good to you / He’ll never care for you more than I do / But I don’t believe in love / And I can’t be changed.” n