T O P I C R E V I E W
Brennan
Member # 72864
posted 08-10-2011 02:55 AM
I am compiling a list of the greatest love songs of all time. The emotions behind this endeavor definitely fit the 'YAY!' theme of the forum. Here are some of my favorites... Please tell me your personal best songs for getting you feeling all warm, satisfied and optimistic. ((Songs that show the meaning and importance of love in the human experience through loss also count.. They're just a little less fun to talk about. D:)) The Book of Love - Stephin Merritt Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce First Day of My Life - Conor Oberst Brand New Colony - Benjamin Gibbard Imagine - John Lennon I Can't Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt Training Wheels - Craig Minowa (Though in more of a paternal love sense, rather than romantic love.) Bright Eyes - Dax Johnson Inside a Boy - Shara Worden The Ghost Inside Our House - Craig Minowa Murder in the City - The Avett Brothers, Scott and Seth Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard And finally, my personal favorite... Trapeze Swinger - Samuel Beam -------------------------------------------------- You can look up any of these songs on Youtube, and you'll probably find them. They're all amazing songs, from people with drastically different backgrounds, and are very emotionally enriching to listen to. So, what songs set your hearts aflutter, Scarleteenies? (Scarleteeans? Scarleteensters?) [ 08-10-2011, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: Brennan ]
Heather
Member # 3
posted 08-10-2011 12:30 PM
Nice one! I can add a few to the mix: The First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes (Honestly don't have words for how very, very much I love this song. The video also makes me happycry , it's so freaking awesome.) Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney and Wings Strange Magic - ELO If Not For You - Bob Dylan It Must Be Love- Rickie Lee Jones Throw Your Arms Around Me - Crowded House Clementine - The Decemberists Say Yes - Elliot Smith Fisherman's Blues - The Waterboys Until You Came Along - Golden Smog Love is Everything - Jane Siberry I Love You More Than Words Can Say - Otis Redding Nothin' is for Sure - Grant Lee Phillips If Love Was a Train - Michelle Shocked Born - Over the Rhine Ultra Unbelievable Love - Robyn Hitchcock I Will - The Beatles
September
Member # 25425
posted 08-10-2011 12:40 PM
(I'll probably add onto this list over the next few days, because I have a notoriously bad memory.) I Do - Placebo Falling is Like This - Ani DiFranco Lucky - Bif Naked Anniversary - Voltaire What's Simple is True - Jewel Stellar - Incubus Origin of Love - Hedwig and the Angry Inch (soundtrack)
Brennan
Member # 72864
posted 08-10-2011 01:54 PM
@Heather I absolutely adore Bright Eyes. I love how almost NONE of his songs make distinction as to the sex of his 'muse'. In Poison Oak, he's either singing to a gay man, or a gender-queer woman. In the music video for The First Day of my Life, it shows couples of men and women, women and women, men and men, etc. [ 08-10-2011, 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Brennan ]
Moire O'Searcaigh
Member # 75063
posted 08-10-2011 05:08 PM
'Love'-- John Lennon 'Really Really'-- The Undertones 'Teenage Kicks'-- The Undertones 'Contact'-- The Radiators From Space 'Keen'-- That Petrol Emotion 'Someone To Somebody'-- Feargal Sharkey (Gotta have pride in some of my family members, eh? ) '#18'-- Perfecting Ginger 'Pagan LoveSong'-- The Virgin Prunes (if that one counts, it's a bit scary...) 'Somewhere In The Night'-- Scott Bakula 'Fotographia'-- Juanes 'La Camisa Negra'-- Juanes 'Diolch'-- Ben Lloyd and the Obscure Particles 'My Lagan Love'-- Sinead O'Connor 'Nothing Compares 2 U'--Sinead O'Connor 'Ana Ng'-- They Might Be Giants 'You Probably Get That A Lot'-- They Might Be Giants 'Bangs'-- They Might Be Giants 'O Del Mio Dolce Ardor'-- Monteverdi 'The Spirit Song'-- Haydn 'Where'er You Walk'-- Handel 'Papagena'-- Mozart (is the most adorable operatic duet I've ever heard in my life) And I'd have to agree with Heather on 'I Will'-- I sang that to my first girlfriend, right before she became my first girlfriend.
Brennan
Member # 72864
posted 08-10-2011 09:45 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDCTsLe53pA&feature=feedrec_grec_index 'Hometown Fantasy' written by Benjamin Gibbard, performed on the album 'HOME' by Andrew Kenny. I had a really important person in my life, for a good period of my life. This song was the song I'd sing to him to help him sleep, in gratitude for all the nights he'd helped me sleep by talking me down from chronic panic attacks that would have otherwise kept me awake for days. He loved my voice, and he loved me. It's a shame what happened, but I still hold the love we shared dear to my heart as evidence that there is someone out there, waiting to make me feel even better than he made me feel. Even if I don't know them yet, and even if they don't know me, this song helps me feel closer to my dream of finding someone who fulfills my dream of finding a soul mate to settle down with. Someone worth putting away my traveling shoes, my lofty aspirations of what a loveless life could be, my adolescent dreams of strings of one-night-stands with beautiful people... Someone worth settling down with. The beautiful words of Benjamin Gibbard, through the angelic voice of Andrew Kenny will stay with me for years to come, inspiring me to move forward and never give up hope. Whether my soul mate be male or female, straight or gay, gender-queer or happy with society's gender roles, I know I'll find them someday.. It's just a matter of time and patience. "Maybe I'll be your hometown fantasy boy. Though I'm not battery operated, or as sharp as you are serrated. And maybe, I'll be a steam train all metal and black... If you'll lay down my tracks 'till it's time for you to get back." [ 08-10-2011, 09:49 PM: Message edited by: Brennan ]
Jill2000Plus
Member # 41657
posted 08-11-2011 11:03 AM
"Playground Love" - Air "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" - The Beatles "New Mexico" - The Cinematics "Accidentally in Love" - Counting Crows "I Felt Stupid" - The Drums "Catch You Catch Me" - Gumi "Take It In" - Hot Chip "With You Forever" - Pnau "The Heavens" - The Raveonettes "The Origin of Love" - Rufus Wainwright "Set the Fire to the Third Bar" - Snow Patrol & Martha Wainwright "The Book of Love" - Stephin Merritt (I also really like Robin Pecknold's (from Fleet Foxes) live cover) "The Garden of Everything" - Steve Conte feat. Maaya Sakamoto "Glass Vase Cello Case" - Tattle Tale I'm probably forgetting some, but those are a few favourites of mine. If we're going to do songs about other kinds of love, then: "He Has Two Fathers" - ? "You are My Sister" - Antony and the Johnsons "Baby Mine" - Dumbo (Soundtrack)
Brennan
Member # 72864
posted 08-11-2011 04:09 PM
quote: Originally posted by Heather: Clementine - The Decemberists Can't believe I didn't notice this one when I first read your reply. The Decemberists are -fantastic-. I don't think I've given Clementine enough listening time, to be honest... It's a shame, really. It's such a beautiful song. In an unrelated note, I can tell you're from the Seattle area based on your musical preferences... They're a lot like mine! quote: Originally posted by Moire O'Searcaigh: 'Love'-- John Lennon More Beatles... Can't argue with that, especially in John Lennon's case. A lot of the music they produced was very true to life with human emotions, at least on the superficial level... Which, I think, is necessary. We have all these songs comparing love to butterflies, talking about love being a supernatural entity, etc... It's kind of nice to hear Lennon's more down to earth, soulful approach to the subject of human affection.
Heather
Member # 3
posted 08-11-2011 04:31 PM
(Actually, I'm not from here: I grew up in Chicago! I've only been here now for around six years. OT, I love this thread, but I have to tell y'all that it's making this ex-musician super-distracted. I keep going off to play some of these on an instrument when I really should be working!)
Brennan
Member # 72864
posted 08-11-2011 04:38 PM
(Chigago's the same business, really. Chicago, Seattle, and Portland are very similar when it comes to musical tastes, from what I've gathered.) I play a bit of music myself, but I'm constantly hindered by my self-consciousness. I keep trying to get myself to figure out the piano, to add to my admittedly small repertoire of guitar, trumpet, and what I consider to be a passable singing voice. (Though still in need of training for my vocals.. There are certain points in many songs, especially in songs I've personally written, where my voice fails to produce the effects I want it to.) I was going to learn piano from a friend, but her dad had a heart attack, and she, channeling her anger and sorrow, lashed out at me pretty painfully. I'm not sure if we're really on speaking terms, lol. BACCCCK on topic, I've decided to finally buckle down and figure out arpeggio on guitar so I can play more Bright Eyes. Also, have some Dax Johnson, everyone. No vocals, so you can make of it what you wish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYg0tZ3X2ns [ 08-11-2011, 04:40 PM: Message edited by: Brennan ]
patrickvienna
Member # 29269
posted 08-12-2011 08:40 AM
Portland is similar to Chicago and Seattle music-wise, just better, natch. I have been listening to that Bright Eyes song pretty much on repeat for the last day or so, thanks very much! Mine would have to be: Genevieve - Girlyman Each Coming Night - Iron and Wine Love Always Remains - MGMT Star Me Kitten - R.E.M. Another Town - Regina Spektor Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel Real Love - John Lennon This Year's Love - David Gray (Generic, yes, but it gets bonus points for focusing on the person in love rather than objectifying someone else).
September
Member # 25425
posted 08-12-2011 09:34 AM
quote: Originally posted by patrickvienna: Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel Yes, this one, definitely! I have to go listen to it now, it's been a while. ETC: Also - That Kind of Love, Alison Krauss. Told ya I'd be adding on! [ 08-12-2011, 09:38 AM: Message edited by: September ]
AllIsFullOfLove
Member # 75452
posted 08-12-2011 11:59 AM
Some songs that get me every time are: All Is Full Of Love - Björk (Where my username comes from!) Love Reign O'er Me - The Who Black - Pearl Jam They're just so full of emotion, sometimes I tear up when I listen to them!
veryhasadragon
Member # 51381
posted 08-12-2011 02:46 PM
Something-The Beatles If you have read Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, Norah describes it perfectly.
KatWA
Member # 42505
posted 08-12-2011 02:59 PM
I love this thread! I'm gonna add lots of these to my "Love" playlist.
bump on a log
Member # 60751
posted 08-31-2011 06:36 PM
I'm going to go all Elizabethan and say: 'O Mistress Mine', 'It Was a Lover and His Lass', 'Fancie', 'The Willow Song' and 'Take, O Take those Lips Away'.
bump on a log
Member # 60751
posted 10-05-2011 02:09 PM
'Ae Fond Kiss', words by Robert Burns, tune traditional, I think. It's sung staggeringly beautifully by Isobel Buchanan on the soundtrack of Terence Davies's staggeringly beautiful film 'The Long Day Closes'. Buchanan described it to Davies as one of the great love songs. It is.
mizchastain
Member # 32224
posted 10-06-2011 12:49 PM
I go gooey over anything by the Decemberists, most of whose songs are not love songs, and none of whose love songs are very traditionally romantic. I think "Oceanside" is their most optimistic love song. My favourite of their love songs would have to be "On the Bus Mall", though, because it reminds me of two favourite characters from a book I had when I was a kid (they weren't supposed to be a couple, but they ran away together and lived pretty rough and unlucky lives, and while they argued a lot I think they bonded in adversity a little). I also like the Pogues' version of "Star of the County Down". It's more cheerful than my usual musical fare, and it always makes me smile. I must say I'm glad the lyrics changed a bit from the original version I saw in a book of Irish folk songs, though. The original had a line about "And I'll try sheeps' eyes and deludering lies/ On the heart of the nutbrown Rose". It got changed in the new version to "With my shoes shone bright and my hat cocked right/ For a smile from the nutbrown Rose", which is a little more, um, relationship-friendly. [ 10-06-2011, 12:50 PM: Message edited by: mizchastain ]
skiesofgreen
Member # 46170
posted 10-07-2011 12:51 AM
http://soundcloud.com/tjreeves/honey-in-my-tea Honey in My Tea - The Reeves is one of my favourite love songs, it always reminds me of a warm hug on a cold day. The Calculation - Regina Spektor (as well as The Call, Fidelity and Samson, but The Calculation is the happiest of the lot) Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Jill2000Plus
Member # 41657
posted 10-08-2011 11:37 AM
Friday I'm In Love - The Cure Just Like Heaven - The Cure Dream a Little Dream of Me - Mama(s and the Papas) Cass
redupright
Member # 73255
posted 10-11-2011 01:57 PM
Love You Till the End - The Pogues 1953 - Dropkick Murphys Every Day - Buddy Holly
bump on a log
Member # 60751
posted 10-12-2011 01:53 PM
quote: Originally posted by Jill2000Plus: Just Like Heaven - The Cure Was introduced to this song, as well as some other similar ones, by the Norwegian film Mannen som elsket Yngve , The Man who Loved Yngve . Based on a novel, which I haven't read but which is apparently also very good, it's the story of a seventeen-year-old boy, part of a band whose big number is called 'P*ssy Satan Anarchy Commando', who falls unexpectedly in love with another boy, the eponymous Yngve. It was a big hit in Norway, and this classical music lover enjoyed the soundtrack. So yeah, good choice.
Jill2000Plus
Member # 41657
posted 10-15-2011 05:58 PM
The Cure are becoming one of my favourite bands, which reminds me to buy some of their actual albums instead of just listening to their greatest hits compilation. I wish I had seen lots of queer films in different languages, but I'm spending most of my time reading manga these days (when I'm not trying to CLEAN ALL THE THINGS! and getting distracted by my own thoughts, then feeling disappointed that... the things. They are not clean. Or tidy. Though at least they are cleaner and tidier than they were before.) I have a couple more: Laura - Girls (this one's about making up with a friend after falling out) Headache - Girls