Real love songs
Yesterday was one of those sundays - crappy weather, nothing planned. Pottering round the house while I have to endure my wife listening to Steve Wrights Sunday bloody love songs. Every week he plays the same old shit - Spandau Ballet - True, Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing, Barbara Streisand - I am a woman in love - Mr Wright, where is your imagination? Are you really this dull?
Talk about Groundhog day!!!
Anyway I got to thinking surely us Word bloggers can put together a 2 hour playlist of real love songs that would piss all over his bland rubbish.
Songs like:-
Lucinda Williams - Those three days
Emmylou Harris - Boulder to Birmingham
James Carr - Dar end of the Street
Elvis Costello - Alison
Richard and Linda Thompson - A heart needs a home
Tom Waits - Jersey Girl or Fish and Bird
Lets show him eh!!!!!
- More from Steve Turner.
- Login or register to post comments
Misunderstood
Can I throw in REM's 'The One I Love'? The not-the-love-song-that-many-people-think-it-is love song.
The One I Love
I once was at a wedding where this was the "first dance" song for the happy couple. I still shudder when I visualise them singing the line "a simple prop to occupy my time" into each others eyes. They divorced shortly after.
Conversely...
I was at a wedding where the happy couple returned from the altar to the blissful sounds of Monaco's "What Do You Want From Me?":
What do you want from me?
It's not how it used to be
You've taken my life away
Ruining everything
And they're still together.
Kiwi
Chris Knox - Not Given lightly. Probably the greatest New Zealand love song ever written.
Bit long isn't it?
I haven't heard that before - it was pleasant: nice hook, neat lyrics - but by heck it didn't half go on! It sh/could have slung its hook after the 3rd chorus and left us wanting more. That would have happened if it were a Motown song from the 60s/70s.
Pass the iPod...
Crowded House - All I Ask
Neil Young - Harvest Moon
Any Trouble - Playing Bogart
The Bible - Crystal Palace
Darden Smith - Love Me Like a Soldier
The Paperboys - Living Proof
All guaranteed kitchen-smoochers in our house.
and one for 'Our Tune',
Loudon Wainwright - Unhappy Anniversary / Your Mother and I
Pass the iPod, I've got just the thing...
Crowded House - All I Ask
Neil Young - Harvest Moon
Any Trouble - Playing Bogart
The Bible - Crystal Palace
Darden Smith - Lovin' Arms
The Paperboys - Living Proof
All guaranteed kitchen-smoochers in our house.
and one for 'Our Tune',
Loudon Wainwright - Unhappy Anniversary / Your Mother and I
Everytime I've heard it...
he's played Commodores "Three times a lady" within 5 minutes.
A few I'd like to add:
Guy Clark - Anyhow, I love you
Caitlin Cary - Sleeping in on Sunday
Mary Chapin Carpenter - This is love
Ron Sexsmith - Right about now
Ryan Adams - La Cienega just smiled
The Arlenes - Love her like a demon
John Martyn - Couldn't love you more
Steve Earle - Goodbye
Tift Merritt - Supposed to make you happy
Paul Brady - Deep in your heart
Real love songs
Skirky you beat me to it on 'Your mother and I' - I nearly put it in my list in the first place - the sentiment was not that of a love song as such but more the still sore memory of having to tell my then 4 year old boy that I wasnt gonna be around on a permanent basis anymore.The song still has a pretty strong resonance for me to this day but for my son not the ex missus so didnt know if it still counted.
A Real Love Song
Girl/Boy Song - Aphex Twin (Just a load of nondescript beeps and drum and bass fidgetry paired with classical/orchestral wittering. Such melodically balanced harmony combined with the explicit sound of an analogue synthesizer reflects both the turmoil and beauty involved when merging the genders. Tumultuous relation may ensue, but occasionally it's subdued by the piano sound that runs throughout.)
Or some kind of bollocks.
love songs
Must be 'Love's Enough' by David Ackles from 'American Gothic' and 'If I Should Fall Behind' by Bruce Springsteen (the original version from 'Lucky Town').
Pale Blue Eyes
Pale Blue Eyes by Velvet Underground. A sad/happy song of love outside a marriage*. The Paul Quinn/Edwyn Collins version also extremely good.
* note to spouse - not a personal choice in any way, honest!
First thought
I Didn't Know I Was looking For Love - Everything But The Girl.
I did once make a tape for a chap to try and persuade him that I would be an excellent person to get to know better. It worked!
I think I may still have the tape or a copy of the track list...
He's off about Prince again
Adore
Slow Love
If I was your Girlfriend
Diamonds & Pearls
Take me with you
Purple Rain (yes, it's a love song!)
Soft and Wet ;)
Ah hell, half his songs are love songs.
But one of the bestlove song writers of our time...ladies and gentlemen...I give you...
Nick Cave.
'Into My Arms'. This was myself and my good wife's first dance at our wedding.
And then there's 'No Pussy Blues'. A masterpiece of tenderness...
Got mine down to a top 22
All I Think About Is You - Harry Nilsson
Do I Love You - Ella Fitzgerald
Hey There Lonely Girl - Eddie Holman
I Only Want To Be With You - Dusty Springfield*
I'm Your Puppet - Dan Penn
It's Getting Better - Mama Cass
Jayne's Blue Wish - Tom Waits
Let's Stay In And Make Love - Nick Lowe
Long After Tonight Is All Over - Jimmy Radcliffe
Love Has No Pride - Bonnie Raitt
Maxine - Donald Fagen
Me And Mrs Jones - Billy Paul ( - sexiest song EVER according to the missus)
On A Bus To St Cloud - Gretchen Peters
Only A Fool Breaks His Own Heart - Nick Lowe
That Sunday That Summer - Nat Cole
True Love Travels On A Gravel Road - Percy Sledge
Valentine's Day - Steve Earle
Walkin' On The Moon - Katy Moffatt
Weekend In New England - Barry Manilow
You Are So Beautiful To Me - Billy Preston
You Inspire Me - Nick Lowe
You Send Me - Sam Cooke
*PS Don't forget to check here:
The visual reminds me of the
The visual reminds me of the Lady Underneath The Radiator in ''Eraserhead''.
Real Love Songs
Another from John Martyn: Couldn't Love You More and a lesser known number from the Wicked Pickett: I'm In Love (check it out y'all!).
Wot
no Todd Rundgren?
forshame, the man does it for me:
I Saw the Light
A Dream Goes On Forever
I think You Know
Hello It's Me
Love is the Answer
Couldn't I Just Tell You
Cliche
...
JB - I remember I Saw The Light as Tony Blackburn's record of the week back a few years ago.
Can I add :
We're Not Over Yet by Christine Collister and Clive Gregson and another great GregSong - Home Is Where The Heart Is (covered by Fairport on Jewel In The Crown).
Couldn't agree more...
...about 'Wrighty' & SLS - an abomination phoned in every week to the snuggling masses. I don't think he's ever played any of these, being grown up love songs expressing real emotions :
A Man Is In Love - The Waterboys
Righteously - Lucinda Williams
This Is Us - Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris
Nails In My Feet - Crowded House
Angel - Kirsty MacColl
Rainy Night In Soho - The Pogues
I Feel Like Fred Astaire - James
All About Soul - Billy Joel (I know & I don't care)
Song Of Bernadette - Jennifer Warnes
The Double Agent - Pete Atkin & Clive James
John Martyn and More
May You Never,You Can Discover, Go Down Easy, Head and Heart
are all melty gems
During our wedding ceremony we had
As we walked in
Close To You - Burt Bacharchs arrangement and instrumental version
During the signings
Look of Love - Burt Bacharchs arrangement and instrumental version
You are the Sunshine of My Life Sacha Distel and Bridget Bardot
As we walked out
Love Me Do - Sandie Shaw
Wedding day song
Song played during our Wedding ceremony was Waterboys - Strange Boat - the words are actually very fitting.
'The Luckiest' by Ben Folds
It can reduce trunk-armed lumberjacks to tears at fifty paces. ( Although it stops just short of making them wear high-heels )
69
Surely the elephant in this particular room is Stephen Merritt. 69 Love Songs contains at least 34.5 brilliant smoochers: 'The Book of Love'; 'Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side'; that one about there only being two kinds of people: 'A, my love and I; B, other'.
Neil Hannon's another one, with far too many to choose from. Even his rubbish love songs are light years better than anything the Wrightster plays.
more suggestions
A swift trawl through my Itunes gives me:
Listening man - The Bees
Central Reservation (Ben Watt mix) - Beth Orton
Stay - The Blue Nile
Your charms - Cinerama
First Girl I loved - Incredible Strings Band
Coming back to me - Jefferson Airplane
I'd rather dance with you - Kings of Convenience
Into my arms - Nick Cave
Waiting(oh Mistress Mine) - Nitin Sahwney (with help from Will S.)
Everyday I read your stars - The pearlfishers
I hope that I don't fall in love with you - Tom Waits
Wild Horses - U2
You and Me song - The Wannadies
Sad songs
while I'm at it. Does anyone have any songs that genuinely move them? As I get older, I find that Love and Anger by Kate Bush and Family Life by The Blue Nile just reduce me to a flood of tears every time I hear them. Very embarrassing if it in front of the kids!
Yes
Hot Burrito #1 by The Flying Burrito Brothers has reduced me to tears in the past, but it doesn't work every time.
And it's not the lyrics - it's the way in which they're sung.
Blue Nile
'Family Life' did for me this very morning on the way to work. I'm pretty sure it's not cool to cry at the wheel in Rettendon. Good stuff, music.
Family Life
I had the good fortune to see The Blue Nile this July just gone at the Manchester Festival. I've seen them every time they've toured in the North-West and Paul performed "Family Life" (2nd time I've seen him do this) to the packed hall. The sound quality wasn't great, oddly enough, but my God, did the man break a lot of hearts with the sheer power of this song. I was out of my seat as soon as the last notes had died away, as were a lot of other men, wiping tears from our eyes.
He also had me with "Happiness". Sheer beauty.
even more suggestions.....
Knot Comes Loose - My Morning jacket
First Day Of My Life - Bright Eyes
Wonderful Remark - Van Morrison
My Shirt Looks Good On You - Catie Curtis
I'll Wear It Proudly - Costello
Cramped Flat Love Song
She Goes On-Crowded House
69 eels
Completely agree with Con Coleman's appraisal of the Magnetic Field s and Neil Hannon. We left our ceremony to Merritt's "It's Only Time". It would have been beautiful if it hadn't skipped like buggery.
The bride-to-be came in to Eels' cover of Elvis's mighty "Can't help falling in love". Now that was a nice moment.
Also on an Eels note, "Dirty Girl" is a great love song, "i like a girl with a dirty mouth/ someone that I can believe".
Happy together, unhappy together
I think that Come Rain Or Come Shine is about as perfect as love songs get. I'll have Ray Charles' version, please. Bruce Springsteen's Tougher Than The Rest is another contender: I always visualise myself singing it to my wife at our wedding. Two problems with that: 1. I didn't; 2. In my imagined version, I can't get through it without crying. Boo-hoo, I'm tougher than the - sob- rest...doesn't really work, does it?
Walk like a man
Good memory jog Lucas - I had the hopeless idea of trying to sing "Walk like a man" off "Tunnel of love" at my Dad's funeral - needless to say I quickly realised that I wouldn't get beyond line one so I settled for weeping inconsolably, and still do when the iPod chucks it out or the thought crosses my mind (like now...sniff sniff)
Dream a Little Dream Of Me -
Dream a Little Dream Of Me - Mamas and The Papas
someone with a home recording system and the avaliable songs should bring this together as a concept radio show.
Quite a miscellaneous assortment (aphex, bright eyes, costello, the pogues, crowded house etc.)
Inappropriate
Every song that myself & my fella concider 'our song' (there are a few) are....inappropriate!
Last Goodbye - Jeff Buckley
Hurt - Johnny Cash version
My Happiness - Powderfinger
Monsters in a Parasol - QOTSA
Is there something wrong with us? Does Wild Horses by the Stones redeem us?
Really this dull
"Mr Wright, where is your imagination? Are you really this dull?"
Actually, yes, I think he is.
On the odd occasion when I've been forced by circumstance to listen to his afternoon show, I've found myself idly fantasising about hitting him over the head whilst explaining exactly what the prospect of "non-stop oldies" ought to entail.
Lemon with that?
How 'bout those with melodies that melt but lyrics that sting? Ten for starters...
It Might As Well Be You - Del Amitri
Another Plane Went Down - Shawn Colvin
Enough Love - Mandalay
Steal The Sun - Allison Moorer
My Vampire Heart - Tom McRae
The Aching Kind - Michelle Phillips
Not The Girl You Think You Are - Crowded House
Toast - Tori Amos
Say Anything - Aimee Mann
The Gift - Annie Lennox
''melodies that melt but
''melodies that melt but lyrics that sting''...
very nice.
melt like a buttered heart, sting like an Oral Care Strip on the eye.
Wedding
During the bit when everyone arrives we had Moments In Love by The Art of Noise
I walked in to a homemade intro of bits of all the usual 'romantic' songs (Whitney Houston, Ronan Keating, Bryan Adams and Robbie Williams) overdubbed with me shouting "Noooooooooo" that then melted into by La Ritournelle by Sebastien Tellier which is deeply lovely and swoonsome.
Register was In My Life by The Beatles, and we walked out to Stevie's Signed, Sealed, Delivered.
The Pogues 'Haunted' from the Sid & Nancy soundtrack...
...always strikes me as the perfect example of a lovelorn love song.
And while we're doing the Wedding Bells Strut, it went 'Les Fleur' by Minnie Riperton while the GLW to-be was coming through the door, register was Alton Ellis's take on 'You Make Me So Very Happy' and out to Stevie Wonder's 'As'
Homies?
I have to agree with those proposing "Tougher Than The Rest" - in fact the whole of "Tunnel of Love" fits the bill as far as real love songs are concerned, especially the title track.
Although I am British and therefore find it difficult to be taken seriously when singing along to "...what club you went to with your homies" I also find The Roots/Erykah Badu's "You Got Me" incredibly romantic. And it rhymes "piece of my heart" with "Monmartre". Nice!
As for anti-love songs, I don't think you can beat "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" - "...you just kinda wasted my precious time...".
Sick Stuff
"Simple Twist Of Fate"-Bob Dylan
"Coles Corner" Richard Hawley
Don't you just hate it when Wrighty keeps mentioning "the Big show" about every 5 mins and every caller he receives says "Ilove listening to the big show" etc etc. Yuck, he's no relation of mine. Can't believe his "Sunday Syrup Love Songs Show" is still going.
Roy Orbison "How Do You
Roy Orbison "How Do You Start Over"
Gram Parsons "Love Hurts"
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds "Brign It On"
Love songs when I was a lad.....
Three "love" songs that resonated for me when I was that short, slightly clumsy teen were Billy Bragg's "The Saturday Boy" ("In the end it took me a dictionary to find out the meaning of unrequited. While she was giving herself for free, at a party to which I was never invited")and two from the Wedding Present "My Favourite Dress" and "Give My Love To Kevin". Real love songs of hurt and frustration. 20+ years on, I still love all three.
Best wedding song I heard...
Baby I love you. The Ramones version. It sounded brilliant.
Sorry!!!
"I've heard". A 'C' at GCSE English woefully prepared me for a life of posting messages on the Internet.
Warren Zevon
El Amor De Mi Vida (The Love of My Life) by Warren Zevon (r.i.p, one of the most beautiful songs.
Guaranteed blubbering!
-for me anyway!
ELVIS COSTELLO/ BURT BACHARACH - This House Is Empty Now
ROY ORBISON - In Dreams
SAM DEES - After All
PREFAB SPROUT - When Love Breaks Down
smudging the keys as I type
Some more love songs
Oh Larsen B - British Sea Power
The Inner Flame - Rainer Ptacek
Shanghai - Ed Harcourt
Computer Love - Kraftwerk
Saddest Vacant Lot In All The World - Grandaddy
Fell In Love With A Girl - Brakes
Never Too Late For Love - Warren Zevon
We Dance - Pavement
Most Beautiful Widow In Town - Sparklehorse
Fire In My Heart - Super Furry Animals
Anything written by Hank Williams.
...and Young Girls by Sparks.