So falling in love, even when you girl you love is a pain in the neck, can turn you into a gooey mess. And so it happens with me. We argue over somethings but it’s worth it for the good times. Plus, she puts up with my eccentric taste in music and doesn’t whinge too much at a steady died of LCD Soundsystem and Holy Ghost.
Back in the day I would have burnt a Mix tape to show my deep regard (I know, I know, you know what it’s like) but now I just email mp3s.
Remembering that I run a music website and my brain is half jukebox, here are some I’ve emailed
1. Dedicated To the One I Love – the Shirelles – OK, I know you want the Mamas and the Papas version but trust me pop pickers: this original is so deeply felt it almost sinks in love.
2. Sweet Thing – Van Morrison – From his mystical masterpiece, a secret of love is that it stops your emotional aging completely: that’s what Morrison meant when he said “I shall never grow so old again”. You are forever that person in love.
3. Long Live Love – Tracey Ullman – People of good faith can disagree on Tracey’s 80s based throwback to English early sixties pop singers: “True love must be the greatest thing, I know I sing and sing…”
4. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life – Stevie Wonder – So how annoying is a man in love? I will randomly call her in the middle of the day and sing this song to her. Now, you might say “But this is a great song, Iman”. It is. Unless I’m singing it.
5.Devoted To You – The Everly Brothers – A really lovely song, these guys harmonised so well you can tell where Lennon/Macca got the concept of the invisible duet.
6. (My Baby Does) Good Sculpture – The Rezillos – I love this song ANYWAY butwhat I love most about it is the, somewhat original, concept, that you can love somebody for their artistic abilities. Plus it’s fun and you can dance to it.
7. Something So Right – Paul Simon – Simon doesn’t write that many love songs and when he does it can be a wonder: like this one about a woman who breaks down his defenses.
8. Sh-ting Sh-tang – Nick Lowe -What I love most about this song? It is the pure happiness the sound makes him feel.
9. Some Hearts – Marshall Crenshaw – Here is a song I never thought would apply to me: a deep production (everything is echoey and lovely) that seems to lift you up before you know why.
10. Hold Me Close – David Essex – A song from my youth!!! A simple, really sweet love and it is all in David’s cockney accent. It really is a beaut. The song is melodic from verse thru chorus to bridge, and back is purely lovely, Dave’s weird accent perhaps the accent on the wrong words (I kinda do the same thing) on “with your love light shining every clouds got a silver…” there is a pause and a bang on the drums before “lining” and it works as another hook. A huge hit in the UK. I was sixteen at the time.