Valentine’s Day. Romance is in the air. Choir bells are ringing. Love birds are singing… and so are we.
Whether you’re serenading your lover or soloing in the mirror on 14th Feb, we’ve got you covered with our top 10 love songs for 2020’s most lovely day of the year:
James Arthur – Falling Like The Stars
Kicking off with James Arthur – a man inspired by the love of life and people . This song is rinsed with passion and heart felt lyrics, capturing the strains and pains of a long-distance relationship. The music video for this song follows a young woman separated from her partner who is in the military. Valentine’s Day can be hard for people who are far away from their loved ones, but this story reminds us that that true love has happy endings when the couple reunite and hold each other close… “I swear to God, when I come home, I’m gonna hold you so close. I swear to God, when I come home, I’ll never let go.”
5 Seconds of Summer – Valentine
Valentine’s Day shopping list: balloons, teddy bears, chocolate eclairs. Well, that’s what we imagine the 5SOS crew are buying. “Throw balloons, teddy bears, and the chocolate eclairs await got nothing but love for you, fall more in love every day, valentine, valentine” It would be un-valentinesy of us not to mention the music video to this track: glitter, colours, balloons, kaleidoscopic flowers… cherry pie! The band have really treated us to a beaming feast for both the ears and eyes.
‘Valentine’ is said to be the “ultimate Valentine song ” by the band’s guitarist, Michael Clifford. It’s true. The song encapsulates everything we want to think about on Valentine’s Day. In fact, it makes us wish Valentine’s Day was every day.
Arctic Monkeys – I Wanna Be Yours
A poetic ballad written by John Cooper Clarke, ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ by Arctic Monkeys is an assembly of metaphoric phrases of… well… love. Perhaps the perfect song to steal a lyric or two from when you write a card to your Valentine this year:
I wanna be your vacuum cleaner, breathing in your dust or If you like your coffee hot, let me be your coffee pot
signed… ? x
It would certainly spark an interesting conversation. Joking aside, this song is truly beautiful. There is no Arctic Monkeys song like it. The band use drum machines for the first time in this song to give it an eerie and melancholy sound – almost as if a church choir should be singing backing vocals. Alex Turner’s alluring voice and sincere delivery of these beautiful lyrics undoubtedly puts ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ on our list.
My Chemical Romance – Demolition Lovers
Now, ‘Demolition Lovers’, however interpreted, is a feisty and spooky love ballad. Although empty of soppy one-liners and valentine’s teddy bears, its filled with intimacy and romance. Lead singer Gerard Way tries to show his partner how much she means to him: “I would drive on, to the end with you, a liquor store or two keeps the gas tank full and I feel like there’s nothing left to do but prove myself to you” He said that he wrote this song to make up for all the other songs about killing her. I mean…everyone shows their affection differently.
We follow the lovers through a journey. Starting and ending with eyes fixed into each other’s. We hear a story of two lovers in their last minutes of life, they would die for each other, they are demolition lovers. A classic wave of passion and emotion from MCR. Would it be a love song list without the romance that one of our favourite bands gives to us?
Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy
“You’re the book that I have opened, and now I’ve got to know much more” ‘Unfinished Sympathy’, although a sad take on a love song, was a huge dance hit of the 90s. Vocalist Shara Nelson sings over the familiar and timeless melody about her longing to be with an impossible lover. Not to mention the strings of the violins adding depth, romance and passion to an otherwise up beat and dramatic song. It isn’t a song with happy ending, nor a typical Valentines story. It is leaves us thinking. It finishes…unfinished. “Like a soul without a mind, in a body without a heart, I’m missing every part” Not your traditional love song, but more than worthy of a place on our list.
Alicia Keys – No One
What can only be described as a full-hearted song. The lyrics for ‘No One’ couldn’t be more suitable for a Valentines sing along. Keys herself quotes “It was undeniable, you just knew it. I love it with all my heart, and every single time I sing it, it sets me free all over again” The song sheds positive light on being in love. How no one and nothing can get in the way. “People keep talking, they can say what they like. But all I know is everything’s gonna be alright.”
A love story: Alicia Keys is married to American DJ, record producer, songwriter and business man Swizz Beatz. The couple met when they were just in high school, at which point Alicia was said to dislike Swizz saying he was ‘too ostentatious.’ Many tried to get the two to do some professional work together, which she reluctantly agreed to eventually. Soon after getting to know each other, Alicia fell for Swizz’s love of life and depth of knowledge. True love must be what has allowed Alicia to deliver this song with such passion and life.
The 1975 – Me and You Together Song
A new hit from The 1975 who, suitably for Valentine’s Day, seem to be all loved up. This song is filled with romanticised thoughts and hopeful dreams of a perfect relationship “I had a dream where we had kids. You would cook, I’d do the nappies. We went to winter wonderland and it was s**t but we were happy.” ‘Me & You Together Song’ certainly made us feel positive for lead singer Matty Healy’s love quest, there’s nothing sneaky about this song – it’s truly romantic. He’s fallen in love for his whole life. He’s been in love for ages… ‘and ages…and ages’ and we are all for it.
Blossoms – Your Girlfriend
Hopefully you can’t relate to this song. But if you can, it seems you’re not alone. Blossoms’ ‘Your Girlfriend’ is centred on someone who is in love with… their friend’s girlfriend. Not ideal.
Although a difficult topic, the track is threaded with humour and accompanied by some extremely funky and dynamic beats. Blossoms are fantastic story tellers and in this love story we really feel for the protagonist – “And now your girlfriend is ringing in my ears again. It’s no sure shot but she likes all my favourite things. I know I shouldn’t, but I’d like to spend more time with her. I wish she’d come over today.” Valentines Day may not typically be for love triangles, but it wouldn’t feel right to disregard ‘Your Girlfriend’ as one of our top love songs for 14th Feb.
Michael Bolton – When A Man Loves a Woman
This classic comes in many form, but our firm favourite is Michael Bolton’s soft rock rendition. Released in 1991 on his album Time, Love & Tenderness, it reached number one on two Billboard charts: Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary Singles.
The powerful ballad was originally recorded by American blues singer Percy Sledge in 1966, and the infamous Bette Midler made the first popular cover of it in 1980, which reached the Top 40 charts. Always a lover of covering traditional hits, Bolton knew this song belonged on his seventh album. It won him his second every Grammy Award, and touched the hearts of many…
Buy TicketsWhitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
How could we not? The epitome of love.
Originally written and performed by Dolly Parton, ‘I Will Always Love You’ is a song of heartbreak and loss. “If I should stay, I would only be in your way, so I’ll go, but I know I’ll think of you every step of the way.” Whitney released her version in 1992. Arguably, her chilling vocal chords could pull on the heartstrings of listeners even if she was singing about what she ate for breakfast.
A fact that many don’t know is that Dolly wrote this song about her profession. The foundations of the song are built on a challenging, transitional period of her life where she decided to go solo in her career. Maybe the song means an entirely different thing to you? This is that is special thing about music. It strikes different chords in different listeners. Maybe you think of your beloved guilty pleasure which you gave up for a new year’s resolution? Regardless, ‘I Will Always Love You’ has made it to our top 10 love songs for this Valentine’s day.
What are you’re favourite songs to blast out on Valentine’s Day? Tweet us @gigsandtours!