As we approach Valentine’s Day, the Arts Desk is unconcerned with your relationship status. Whether you’re single, taken or somewhere in between, the desire to celebrate love of all sorts through music can be evergreen. Classic, quintessential love songs are a staple of our playlists all year round — these tunes are about love, which we love to love.
“Phoenix” by Slaughter Beach, Dog
There’s something so alluring and warm to me about this band’s stripped-back acoustics and conversational, poetic style. “Phoenix” recounts one couple’s night at a party and the events that led them there, as well as the anecdotal moments of happiness in between: getting ready in one’s childhood bedroom, drunkenly receiving overzealous compliments from friends who “have such pleasant things to say” and a quiet, reflective walk home. The band’s acute, observant descriptions evoke nostalgia and attentiveness in equal shares — all we ever really want out of love in any sense of the word is to “see each other / In the way that we had dreamed to be seen.”
— Eleanor Jacobs, Music Editor
“Anyone Else but You” by The Moldy Peaches
This song, which Elliot Page and Michael Cera sing together at the end of the film “Juno,” will give you cuteness overload. While melodically and instrumentally simple, the real core of this song lies in its witty lyrics. Each verse gives listeners a glimpse into the daily lives of this couple, whether it be playing video games or performing in a band together. This song serves as a charming reminder that sometimes the sweetest love is hidden within the mundane.
— Skylar Boilard, Staff Writer
“Just Like a Movie” by Wallows
I’m still shocked that “Just Like a Movie” didn’t make the cut for Wallows’ debut album, because the song weaves seamlessly into its themes surrounding the tumultuousness of adolescence -– and in this case, the naivety of young love. From its opening guitar riff, the song feels nostalgic and fuzzy, reminiscent of a first kiss or the butterflies you got locking eyes with your crush at a party. The chorus is simple, but it’s sung with infectious exuberance: “I don’t wanna wait, not anymore / Well, you see right through me.” If you’re lucky enough to see Wallows live, start learning the bridge. You’re going to want to scream it at the top of your lungs and unleash the starry-eyed, hopeless romantic you thought you left in high school.
— Dani Biondi, Film & TV Editor
“Thoroughfare” by Ethel Cain
Romance is officially declared not dead in Ethel Cain’s nine-and-a-half minute western ballad “Thoroughfare,” where she recounts the journey between her and a man as they travel across America and fall in love. The song unfolds cinematically through its clever storytelling, all the way until Cain climactically belts “Hey, do you wanna see the west with me? / ‘Cause love’s out there and I can’t leave it be” five minutes in. Of course, if you know the extensive lore of Ethel Cain’s character in “Preacher’s Daughter,” you know her story ends anything but romantically. However, what is Valentine’s Day for if not for pretending every love story has a happy ending?
— Amelia Knust, Staff Writer
“All I Need” by Radiohead
Sometimes, the most romantic lyrics are the most basic. While Radiohead’s “All I Need” is grounded in a melancholic tone –– like most of the band’s repertoire –– the unlikely emotional sound that crescendos at its climax perfectly captures the unshakeable emotion found in unrequited love. There’s beauty in dependency sometimes, as Thom Yorke sings of how “I am a moth who just wants to share your light / I’m just an insect trying to get out of the night / I only stick with you because there are no others.” Sometimes, “you’re all I need.”
— Maggie Turner, Deputy Under the Arch Editor
“You Are In Love (Taylor’s Version)” by Taylor Swift
Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday, and I know I’ll be walking down the streets romanticizing my life and listening to love songs, specifically “You Are In Love (Taylor’s Version).” I don’t care — Taylor Swift writes about love so effortlessly, whether using the most beautiful thought-out metaphors or just spelling it out explicitly, like in this “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” classic. Every time I listen to it, I can’t help but remember blasting this song and dancing with my best friend after her first date: true love from the start. Some lyrics are so simple, but they make me feel so jovial, like “Pauses, then says, ‘You’re my best friend’ / And you knew what it was, he is in love.” Shoutout love, it really sounds great.
— Isabella D’Erasmo, Deputy Managing Editor
“Baby I’m Yours” by Arctic Monkeys
If I’m ever in a good mood, you can be sure that this song will be playing on repeat. Barbara Lewis’ original tune is arguably one of the best love songs, but this cover is my favorite. Something about the opening and ending – the mystical harmonizations fading in and out – is just so whimsical. It reminds me of the types of memories that, when looking back on, never fail to make you smile. It’s a classic, perfectly romantic song that to me truly sounds like the epitome of pure, happy love.
— Eva Mundo, Contributing Writer
“Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers
Initially conceived for the 1955 film “Unchained,” this stunner has since been recorded more than 1,500 times — most famously by The Righteous Brothers in 1965. The divine recording received renewed attention when it was featured in “Ghost” in 1990. “Woah, my love, my darling / I’ve hungered for your touch / A long, lonely time,” croon its performers, who range from tipsy karaoke boyfriends to Elvis Presley, who performed an iconic rendition in what became his final television special. Lana Del Rey characteristically delivered chills with her enchanting performance at Graceland in 2023: “I need your love / Godspeed your love to me.”
— Luke Vrba, Contributing Writer
“Silver Springs” by Fleetwood Mac
As a woman who has never gotten over anything in her entire life, this song — especially when played on the day of love — is a lethal but necessary pick. It’s a beautiful reminder that even in situations where I am left heartbroken or abandoned, the person who hurt me will always be the real loser, forever haunted by the evil acts they committed against me. In a way, this is a perfect love song to yourself, serving as an eternal reminder that you are unforgettable. So to those without a partner, this is the ideal song to scream at the top of your lungs as you reminisce on previous valentines that have done you wrong. Just remember, they’re most likely spending the day thinking about how badly they fumbled you.
— Annie Emans, Staff Writer
“Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding
While this song blew up in 2015 for its feature in the provocative movie series “Fifty Shades of Grey,” this song will always be one of my favorite love songs. It’s airy, sensual and contains lyrics that definitely match the vibe of the movie it is featured in, such as, “I’ll let you set the pace / ‘Cause I’m not thinking straight / My head’s spinnin’ around, I can’t see clear no more / What are you waiting for?” My favorite thing about this song is that while everyone knows it for being from such a controversial –– and quite frankly cringy –– movie, it’s still such a great pop song. Starting off slow and soft, it’s a song about loving someone for all they are, the good and the bad. Ellie Goulding will always reign as one of the queens of pop. Who else can make “You’re the light / You’re the night / You’re the colour of my blood,” sound so hot?
— Pritheva Zakaria, Contributing Writer
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