I’m generally very unenthused about Valentine’s Day. Let’s be real. The only benefit to Valentine’s Day, if you’re single like me, is the half-off candy the next day at whatever store you happened to have wandered into on the fifteenth. Red and pink? Yeesh. I haven’t seen a worse color combination since I last accidentally put green and purple together.
Look, I’m cynical, but hey! If you’re in a relationship, congratulations! You did it. “Did what?” you might ask. Well, you managed to piss off everyone in a fifty mile radius with your evil handholding and vomit-inducing hearts in your eyes as you stare at your significant other.
Remember that cynical thing? Yeah.
If you’re single, Valentine’s Day requires a good playlist, your best friends and a lot of candy. Forget your diets and forget dressing nice this Saturday. You’re going to treat yourself and you’re going to enjoy every damn second of it. Throw yourself into a chocolate coma, wake up with various melted candies on your stomach. Luckily, I’ve got you covered on the playlist. The best friends and candy? Well, you might have to do that on your own.
“Crush” by Jimmy Eat World, off of their album, Clarity.
This song, I feel, perfectly captured what having a crush is. It has its fast moments and its excruciatingly slow moments and this is represented by the several tempo changes within the song. Jim Adkins’ has a voice that whines, and duly so. There is not a human on this earth who has never whined to their best friend while crushing on someone. This song is not your typical love song, but it carries all the emotion that would be found in, say, Whitney Houston’s song, “I Will Always Love You”. But who likes a straight-forward love song, anyway?
“If I Ever Feel Better” by Phoenix, off of their debut record, United.
There is a grooviness about this song that cannot be denied. Thomas Mars has a voice that is sincere; there is something incredibly warm about it. Paired with the synthesizer that seems to be heard in sporadic bursts, this song is something that might change your ideas about love. If you are feeling cynical about it, well, if you ever feel better (HA), you might come around and see the beauty about Valentine’s Day.
“I Would Do Anything For You” by Foster the People, off of their debut album, Torches.
Mark Foster’s voice just makes me want to cry, all the time. Kind of embarrassing, kind of not because I’m telling you this right now. This song is so genuine it makes you want to fall in love, so you have a reason to apply this to someone. But hey, you’re with your best gal friends (I hesitate to call Valentine’s Day “Galentine’s Day”, just because I hate the word “gal”, ugh!) and that love is just as valid, if not better!
“Can’t Do Without You” by Caribou, off of his album, Our Love.
This song is the textbook definition of dreamy. (Dream-wave? Record labels, do you want to quote me on that?) A sample from Marvin Gaye’s song, “Ain’t That Particular”, the opening repetition of a slowed-down Gaye singing “Can’t do without” hits you right in the chest. It seems silly in the beginning, but it all blends together by the end of the song. Caribou doesn’t say much more than “Can’t do without you”, but as simple as it is, it’s probably the most emotionally charged song on this playlist.
I’m all for being an “independent woman who don’t need no man”, but it must be nice to have this sentiment for another human being (See? Less cynical.)
“Summer Holiday” by Wild Nothing, off of their debut record, Gemini.
Granted, there is a ton of snow on the ground. There is snow falling from the grey sky. When the hell will we see bright blue skies and green leaves? Apparently never. “Summer Holiday” is here to remind you that summer is still much a season. It’s just taking its sweet time to roll around. This song perfectly captures the feeling of being with the one you love on the most beautiful day. It’s such a cute song that can make the most lovesick individual smile. “Driving to your parents’ house just for a visit / And I’m sleeping in your brother’s bed / Won’t you sneak into my room / Climb under the covers / Talk nonsense in your sleep?”, how could you not smile while listening to that?
“There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” by The Smiths, off of their album, The Queen Is Dead.
An iconic song; there is no getting around it. If you’re like my mother, you hate this song because it’s “morbid” (Yeah, whatever, Mom.). Ignore that, listen for the emotion that Morrissey spills all over your speakers. There is something beautiful to the morbidity of this song. Being with those you love is a certain type of escape, is it not? So goes the saying, “I was so happy, I could die”, who is to say that this song doesn’t capture that? Perhaps in a certainly darker manner, but done poetically nonetheless.
“Funny Heartbeat” by Kisses, off of their record, Kids in LA.
I’m so sick of the snow and ice that I loaded up this playlist with lovesick summery songs to remind us all that the winter technically has only about another month to exist. This song is certainly a more modern one. For example, less rock throwing and in-person conversation and more, “Of the nights we slept alone / I lost my cell phone / And now I miss you”. But hey, the times are a-changing and therefore the content of the music we listen to should, too! The guitars sound as if they are submerged in the ocean and the drums sound as if with each subsequent beat, sand is flying off the drum skins.
Certainly a stark contrast to The Smiths. Apparently the lack of sun in England has taken a very deep toll on the music that comes out of there.
“Scandinavian Crush” by Craft Spells, off of their album, Idle Labor.
If you’re like me, you have an inordinately strong penchant for men with blue eyes and blond hair. Look, I can’t help it. This song resonates, a lot, but enough about me. You want to shoegaze the lovesickness away? Guess who has the perfect tune for you? This song contains all the inner panicking and racing thoughts you might have when you meet someone new that you must absolutely make your own. You can’t help it, it’s human, and this song might ameliorate your worries.
“Out Of My League” by Fitz and The Tantrums, off of their record, More Than Just A Dream.
What is super cool about Fitz and The Tantrums is how they have brought soul back and made it something that everyone can enjoy. It is perfect parts pop and nu-soul. This song is so easy to sing to with your best friends. It’s easy to learn the lyrics, I promise. The “oohs” are infectious. Its content, however, is something that everyone has felt, too. Don’t try and lie to me and say that you’ve never felt like you could never catch the eye of your crush. Awful feeling, I know, but at least the sentiment was put to an awesome song.
“Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” by Arcade Fire, off of their debut record, Funeral.
Arcade Fire, no matter what new genre they churn out of their ridiculously large band can do no wrong. However, nothing will ever compare to their debut record. Nothing. This song is perfect for the weather we’re in now; it paints a perfect picture of snow falling in your mind (if you didn’t want to look outside). The repeating notes played on the piano, echoed on the guitar, are haunting. If love had to be described with one song, I’m confident that it would be this.
This song generally leaves me speechless and I hope it has that same effect on you.