My shallow dive into the origin of the celebration called “Valentine’s Day” produced no concrete and irrefutable origin for the February 14th event that many people in this country celebrate, though there were many theories. Still, we conscript Cupid into our service, asking him to “draw back (his) bow” and we send flowers, cards, and candy to our loved ones as tokens of the love we feel for them. And we develop song playlists for ourselves and others. In keeping with the playlist trend, here are my Valentine’s day suggestions.
Let’s start with Sam Cooke, singing “Cupid,” since I’ve already quoted a line from the song. (The “draw back your bow” thing?) Then there comes “A Love Supreme,” by John Coltrane, because, well… jazz. I like jazz, and I like to hear the guttural repetition of “a love supreme, a love supreme” in Coltrane’s offering. (Pittsburgh native Ahmad Jamal, who used to play in my uncle’s band, has the song “No Greater Love” on his album, “But Not For Me.” Just throwing in a little “I know a guy” stuff, there.) Next up is “Happy Valentine’s Day,” by the hip-hop duo, Outkast. As the song notes, “every day’s the 14th” when you are in love. We mellow down with Barbra Streisand voicing our hope to keep that love “Evergreen.”
In keeping with that mellow mood, we bring in “A Song For You,” by Donny Hathaway. He sings, “… we are alone now, and I am singing this song for you.” Is that not LOVE? It’s “Almost Paradise,” as Mike Reno and Ann Wilson sang in the soundtrack from the movie “Footloose.” And what romantic can resist that “Endless Love,” sung by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie? For a more upbeat declaration, you should give a listen to “Say Hey (I Love You)” by Michael Franti & Spearhead. That bouncing beat will get you out of your seat.
Captain and Tennille’s rendition of “Love Will Keep Us Together” should resonate with many of us, but for those of us who have loved and lost (or, loved and left) we can put Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson into our speakers and earphones, and tap our hands on our thighs as we pipe in “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before.”
Sometimes, things change, and when they do, we have Roberta Flack singing the Leonard Cohen composition, and when “(our) eyes (fill) with sorrow,” we look for ways to explain, but ultimately, “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye.” And in the goodbye vein, there is my man Willie Nelson’s homage to leaving and being left. “If you had not fallen, I would not have found you,” Willie sings. “I knew one day, you’d fly away (for) love’s the greatest healer to be found…” He helps us to contain our sorrow as he sings “Angel Flying Too Close To The Ground.”
I’ll close with a soft, sweet gem from Eva Cassidy. “Anniversary Song” is not technically a Valentine’s Day love song, but it is a song that recounts the things we do for each other because we do love each other. As the singer remembers all the things she has done to preserve a loving relationship — one that has lasted longer than she could have imagined — it ends with this:
“I love you, and goodnight.”
Happy Valentine’s Day.
cjon3acd@att.net