Top Ten Love Songs (according to me!)
When I thought about what I wanted to write this week, I eventually narrowed it down to music. I love music. I listen to it all the time. If you’ve ever taken one of those tests where you determine your learning style, I’m told mine is musical. I would have thought it was literary given the writing and all…but no.
Now in terms of top ten…this is just ten selected. Who could possible say these are the top ten? It is so subjective. I have over 30 GB of music….and it was hard to just pick ten to even talk about.
I’m guessing you might be able to tell a bit about me from the selected tunes. I did try to pick some things from various genres I like. They are in no particular order. I’m hoping I didn’t date myself too much
1. “Every Time I Think of You” – The Babys
I heard this on the radio earlier in the week and I thought to myself…mmm I’ve always liked that song. When I got home, I downloaded it on iTunes and it’s been in heavy rotation all week at my house (no doubt to the continuing dismay of my neighbors). It’s a great song and also not a ballad. I suppose you could characterize it as a power ballad. While there is anything wrong with ballads, I find this appealing, in part, because of the aggressiveness of it.
2. “Wonderful Tonight” – Eric Clapton
I have loved this song for years and years. Now ignoring the biographical backstory of its author, it just simply is a moving tribute. A man loves a woman. Everything she is, is beautiful to him. Does it get any more lovely and straightforward?
3. “Truly Madly Deeply” – Savage Garden
The lyrics of this song are like a poem. I can play it over and over without getting tired of it. It’s bold, big, and breathtaking. It is about being in wonderful places with someone special and perhaps how everywhere is special if you are with the right person.
4. “Accidentally in Love” – Counting Crows
This song is simply fun. It is a more playful take on the concept of falling in love. It calls to the more quirky, less sappy side of me.
5. “Strawberry Wine” – Deanna Carter
This song is all about young love, first love. It is so very different from my experience as I was somewhat of a late bloomer. I think that is why I find it so appealing.
6. “She Came From Fort Worth” – Kathy Mattea
Kathy Mattea is truly a gifted song writer. Her songs usually tell stories and this one is no exception. I like the sound of it but perhaps also the lyric reminds me of myself. After all, I moved from New York to Hawaii in pursuit of true love.
7. “Head Over Feet” – Alanis Morissette
Jagged Little Pill came out during a time of heavy social activity in my life. This song in particular became a huge favorite of mine because it seemed to encapsulate my feeling of falling into infatuation over and over again that I was experiencing at the time.
8. “I Honestly Love You” – Olivia Newton-John
This song is totally a cliché type song, but still heartfelt. I was a huge ONJ fan as a kid (still am I guess) and I really like her rendition. As a bonus, I can sing along with Olivia a lot more easily than I can with Whitney.
9. “Anymore” – Travis Tritt
Not everything about love is wonderful warm feelings and emotional connection. This is about unrequited love. I imagine someone desperately, secretly in love and afraid to share it. Revealing something so vulnerable is a truly frightening thing to do. Opening yourself to rejection is never easy.
10. “I Don’t Believe You” – P!nk
This is another sad one. It’s a love song, but a love song about heartbreak and disbelief. Since P!nk got back together with her husband, when I listen to this song I can’t help but think she was right when she penned this one.
So take a moment and sample some of my suggestions. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. What are some of your favorite love songs? Feel free to comment and let me know your nominees.
To go with my love song theme, I picked an excerpt this is a bit more romantic. The following is from The ABCs of Erotica – B is for Beach.
Excerpt –
Erica loved the beach. She especially loved it at night when the moonlight reflected off the water and the sound of crashing waves broke on the shore. There was no one else on the beach but the two of them, and the solitude was lovely. During the day, the beach was hot, crowded. But now, with the moon and stars it was a place of dreams. She’d fantasized many times about being on the beach with a lover, alone together in the darkness, the water drowning out their cries of ecstasy. She shook her head ruefully. She was getting ahead of herself.
A gust of wind swept up, and Erica shivered a bit. Ben stopped, running his hands over her chilled arms and then leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers. Liquid pleasure filled her and Erica strained closer, bringing her hands to his shoulders. Finally, the moment was here. She’d waited all evening to feel his lips. Again and again, Ben kissed her urgently. He slid his tongue into her mouth, rubbing against the inside of her lower lip while Erica pressed herself fully against him. They embraced for a moment more and then pulled apart and continued down the sand.
Erica moved closer to the edge of the water and a wave broke over her feet, soaking the hem of her long, gauzy skirt. She laughed as the cold, swirling water retreated. Ben grasped her hand, pulling her back toward the dry sand which clung to her feet. They collapsed onto a small, raised dune, and Ben reached down and brushed away the sand. His fingertips brushed lightly over the tops of her feet, sweeping the grains away. She leaned toward Ben and his lips met hers again, kissing ardently. Closer and closer, Erica wrapped her arms around him and he sank back into the sand, taking her with him. She felt her bonds slip away. This man knew her. She could be exactly who she was.
Erica pressed close against Ben, but the barrier of their clothes was intolerable to her. Button by button, Erica opened his shirt and slid her hands inside. Her palms pressed against the smooth skin of his warm chest, touching, caressing. She fingered his nipples, tracing around the edges and rubbing across the puckered texture. Her hands moved up to his shoulders, and Ben sat up so Erica could push his shirt and jacket down his arms. She nipped his shoulder with her teeth and slid her tongue over the mark, pressing her lips against his skin.
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Malia Mallory ~~~~~~~~~ Author 