By: Chris Comer
Web produced by: Jessica Noll
You won't find any big hair ballads or cheesy hit singles on this list, and it will bear no recognition to all the other "Best Love Songs Of All Time" lists, because, lets face it, there are so many songs written about love that I don't need to include “Babe” by Styx or “Three Times A Lady” by Lionel Ritchie. You can find those lists on VH1's Web site.
There are just too many other, better love songs out there. So download these songs, make an iPod playlist, and remember to intersperse some up-tempo stuff in between, and hopefully you'll 'gitchasum' this cold Valentine's Day!
1.) Curtis Mayfield – “The Makings of You”If you've never heard this song, you're missing out. It just might be the best love song ever. I mean ever. The melody is absolutely gorgeous, Curtis' high falsetto singing is absolutely beautiful and when you hear it you will well-up inside; the song is in 3/4 time. Some of the best love songs are in three.
Check out the string arrangement - not cheesy. And the lyrics are obviously about someone Curtis admires very much:
Add A little sugar, honey suckle lamb
A Great Big expression of happiness
Boy, you could not miss with a dozen roses
Such would astound you
The joy of children laughing around you
These are the makings of you
Read the lyrics while you listen. You'll cry those happy, joyous tears. This guy was in LOVE. A perfect song from beginning to end. The makings of her were the joy of children laughing? Only Shakespere or King Solomon could do better than that. This song will astound you. It floors me every time.
2.) Any Prince ballad.
Sure, Prince is the funkiest cat this side of James Brown. But his ballads are his best work. Instead of just picking one song from Prince for No. 2 on my list I'll just briefly mention the loveliest of Prince's love songs...lets start with “The Beautiful Ones” from Purple Rain (who can resist "Baby, baby, baaaby...."); “Insatiable” from Diamonds and Pearls; “She Gave Her Angels and Crucial” from Crystal Ball; “Do Me Baby” from Controversy; “Adore” from Sign O The Times; “Most Beautiful Girl In The World” from The Gold Experience; “International Lover” from 1999 ...I know I'm missing some. Feel free to add to this list. I can't just pick one...or two...or three...
2.) Stevie Wonder – “I Love Every Little Thing About You”
Stevie is probably the greatest songwriter in popular music, just based on those five LPs he put out in the 70s. I pick this one, even over “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” because it is really one of the most passionate songs ever written, and it makes you happy when you hear it. Another one, like “The Makings Of You,” that you can't help but "feel" when you listen to it. It's pure joy and ecstasy. They sing songs like this in heaven.
4.) Bee Gees – “How Deep Is Your Love and Emotion”
When The Bee Gees had their late-70s renaissance, they could not be beaten on either a commercial nor an artistic level. It didn't last long, only about three albums worth, but these two love songs rank as the best ever. Emotion was actually recorded by little-known disco singer Samantha Sang, who sounds so much like Barry nobody ever really knew the difference.
Also Destiny's Child did a very good cover of this song too. Ever hear it? This is the song that had the words:
And where are you now
Now that I need you
Tears on my pillow
Wherever you go
Cry me a river that leads to your oceans
Youll never see me fall apart
In the words of a broken heart its just emotions...
The Bee Gees didn't include Emotion on any album other than greatest hits packages. It might be one of their best songs. So is “How Deep Is Your Love,” and I include both on this list. Cry me a river that leads to your ocean? Genius.
5.) Marvin Gaye – “I Want You” (The whole album)
Co-written by R&B songwriter Leon Ware, this is the pinnacle of Marvin's work and some of the most emotional singing he's ever done. A musician's album as well as a lover's album, Marvin's vocal arrangements are as close to 'jazz' as anything any R&B singer has ever done. This is an emotionally heartfelt record, you can dance and sing along to it, and it conveys the pure joy of being in love and going to the dance with your No. 1 lady. This is my recommendation for a first date record. Play it twice.
6.) “Help Me Make It Through The Night” - Kris Kristofferson
Kris is one of the greatest songwriters of all time, in any genre. Even though he's most identified with country music, cover versions of this song abound in all genres because it is such an honest song. Everyone can identify with how sad it is to be alone.
I like the Willie Nelson version - when he does it live in concert, people go nuts when he sings the first line "Take Those Ribbons From Your Hair..." Gladys Knight did a Diana Ross-esqe spoken introduction on her recorded version where she explains what the song is really about.
Even Elvis covered this. Check it out if you haven't!
I don't care what's right or wrong, I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
Lord tonight I need a friend.
7.) “Me And Mrs. Jones” - Billy Paul
Well, here's one I probably shouldn't include - it's about an affair, and relationships born of affairs never work out. But it's such a great, soulful song. When he sings, in the accapella breaks, "Me And, Me And, Me and Mrs, Mrs Jones!" you can hear the passion in his voice.
There's a bootleg version of Stevie Wonder doing this song in the early 70s, and he brings that same kind of emotion to it.You'd think to hear it that he really was having an affair with Mrs. Jones!
Me And Mrs. Jones
We Got A Thing Goin' On....
We Both Know It's Wrong
But It's Much Too Strong
To Let It Go Now
8.) Earth, Wind & Fire
I'm not picking a song here, I'm picking a whole band! Because nothing beats Earth, Wind & Fire. If you're going to pick a Greatest Hits album to set the mood, I think you'll find Barry White is just too campy.
Nothing against Barry, but Earth, Wind & Fire brings it on and keeps it up. The love song Reasons might be a pick here, if I have to pick a song, but there's also After The Love Has Gone, Devotion and Can't Hide Love. Some of the best R&B ever, and regardless of race, gender or preference everyone digs EWF.
9.) “This Guy's In Love With You” - Herb Alpert / Burt Bacharach & Hal David
I'm dying to include a Burt Bacharach song on this list, and Herb Alpert's only recorded vocal brings tears to my eyes every time.
10.) “Betcha By Golly Wow” - The Sylistics
Described by Prince as "The Greatest Love Song Ever" he recorded it on his breakthrough three-CD Emancipation and used to perform it live.
Honourable Mention:
- “At Your Best (You Are Love)” - The Isley Brothers (also covered by Aaliyah on her first CD “Age Ain't Nothing But A Number”)
- “The Passion Continues” - Zillatron (another pseudonym of Bootsy Collins. Go look it up. This one blows minds!)
- “La La Means I Love You” - The Delfonics (Did you see the movie Jackie Brown?)
- “Fire And Desire “- Rick James and Teena Marie (The song that launched Teena Marie's career)
- Any song by Al Green.
- “Superstar” - The Carpenters (also covered by Luther Vandross and Sonic Youth!)
- “Love Theme” from “Spartacus” - Alex North (there's a great jazz version by Bill Evans)
- Maurice Ravel – “Piano Concerto in G, second movement: Adagio Assai” (When the orchestra comes in, with the flute and strings, its a heart stopping moment! And the piano melody juxtaposed over the oboe melody near the end is heavenly.)
