It's V-Day, I'm in Love: A Playlist for Lovers

It’s the season of love! Whether you’re in a loving relationship, swooning over a new crush, or just want some heart-felt tracks to listen to this Valentine’s Day, this is the playlist for you. Designed to be listened to in order, this playlist takes you on a journey through the different stages of love. These songs capture the new, exciting feelings of young love, the ethereal emotions of the deepest kinds of love, and the overall sweetness of spending time with that special someone.

1. “Friday I’m in Love” - The Cure

This upbeat hit from The Cure reflects the fun, exciting feeling of a new love that keeps you wanting more. With its catchy melody, this song will inspire you to embrace your loved one and dance the day away together. The lyrics depict the days of the week that are spent yearning for Friday, the day that you can finally spend time with your loved one. When the weekend approaches, the intensity and rhythm of the drums demand that “Saturday wait” and time stops so you can soak in all the magic of Friday. The jangly guitars in the bridge evoke feelings of lightness, as if all of your troubles and cares fly away when you’re in the presence of the one you love.

2. “Elenore” - The Turtles

When you first fall in love with someone, they’re all you can think about and you want to tell the world about how groovy they are. “Elenore” is the perfect feel-good love song to capture those feelings. The soft, hushed vocals create an intimate setting, while the downbeats from the keys mimic a pounding heart that’s trying to contain all of the exhilarating emotions brought on by a lover. But when the chorus kicks in, all of those emotions break free, and love is professed out loud. Being in love can make the heart sing, and the synth that comes in on the second verse sings a delightful melody just like that. Though the track’s lyrics seem a bit cheesy with lines like “Gee, I think you’re swell” and “You’re my pride and joy, et cetera,” they portray the reality that love can make you act mushy, but in the best of ways.

3. “Here, There and Everywhere” - The Beatles

“Here, There and Everywhere” by The Beatles is a song about a love that is so pure that it encompasses every aspect of your life. It’s about a love that’s promising of a beautiful future, one in which nothing else matters as long as you have your lover by your side. The gentle, flowing vocals emit warmth and tenderness, and the harmonies make the song feel whole, just as love should be. The chord progression played during the lines “I know I need never care/ But to love her is to need her everywhere” brings a pleasant diversity to the song which otherwise melts into a long piece of the same sounds. In a way, this diversity represents the tension that may arise in relationships but, ultimately, makes the relationship that much stronger.

4. “Blue Sunday” - The Doors

The soft sounds of love continue with this track from The Doors. The song begins with organ chords as bright as the light that shines from your one, true love. The deep, dark vocals beautifully contrast with these bright sounds from the instruments as well as the sweet lyrics. The instrument that really shines, though, is the guitar during its solo; it takes you on a trip of pure love and ecstasy. Though this song isn’t a long one, it has all the elements it needs to make it a fitting tune to celebrate love.

5. “Splash 1” - 13th Floor Elevators

“Splash 1” is a song about soulmates. This psychedelic rock song transports you into a world where it’s just you and your partner enveloped in the love you share — a world in which you are completely at peace. The simplicity of the instrumentals keep you tranced while still allowing you to focus on the love story being told. Lyrics like “The neon from your eyes/ Is splashing into mine/ They’re so familiar/ In a way I can’t define” imply that, though these two lovers may be seeing each other for the first time, they’ve already come together in a past life, or different realm, and are simply reuniting. There is no connection stronger than that.

6. “Oh My Love” - John Lennon

It is well understood that the best kind of love is the one that makes you a better person and helps you grow. If this is the case, then the love that John Lennon writes about in “Oh My Love” is one that anyone would be lucky to have. He writes about a love that has taught him to view the world in a better light. The line that speaks most powerfully to this experience is “Oh my lover for the first time in my life/ My mind can feel.” Not only has this love allowed him to see all the beauty in the world, but it has given him the courage to see the not-so beautiful things as well. It has given him the strength to be vulnerable and to feel — both the good and the bad. This song solely consists of a guitar and a piano, but together these two instruments are all that is needed to make the music feel complete and lovely. The guitar chords linger, patiently waiting for the piano to come in and liven up the song, just as a single soul waits for its mate to come into their life and transform it.

7. “Perfect Day” - Lou Reed

There is no better song for a Valentine’s Day playlist than “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed. This song is composed of classical instruments such as piano and violins but maintains a rock n’ roll feel by the incorporation of the drums and bass guitar. The strings swell as the chorus approaches, just as your spirits are lifted when you’ve spent a perfect day with your favorite person. The lyrics paint a picture of a day in which time completely stops and you can go on endless picnic and movie dates, just the two of you. On this day, “problems [are] all left alone” and life is simple. Even though the day must end, the perfection is enough to last a lifetime.

8. “First Day of My Life” - Bright Eyes

“First Day of My Life” is another song about life-changing love; it’s an acoustic ode to the great love of your life. This stripped-down tune, with just guitar and vocals, is deeply personal and intimate. It’s about everything in life falling into place and becoming more meaningful now that you have found your person. Endearing lyrics like “Yours is the first face that I saw/ I think I was blind before I met you” are a reminder of how special and wholesome love is, that it can somehow cause the rest of the world to slip away as you focus on the only thing that matters to you — your soulmate.

9. “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” - Talking Heads

Finding your true love feels like coming home, and “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” evokes that same warmth, comfort, and security. Though this kind of love keeps your “Feet on the ground,” it will also make you feel like you’re flying, a feeling also depicted by the airy synthesizer melodies. The track's unique combination of singing synths and subtly funky guitar transcends you to a spiritual, magical place. A place where you spend eternity in complete bliss with your loved one.

10. “Silly Love Songs” - Wings

The playlist ends with some more funky feels by rock band Wings. To the outside world, displaying acts of love and romance with your partner can be seen as sappy, but when you’re in love, you can’t help but express all the warm and fuzzy feelings you have inside. As spoken in the lyrics “I only know that when I’m in it/ It isn’t silly, love isn’t silly, love isn’t silly at all,” all that sappiness that comes with being in a relationship becomes a lot less silly; you realize that love is something incredibly precious to be cherished. With blaring trumpets that shout of joy, and a groovy, dancy bassline, “Silly Love Songs” is the ultimate track to wrap up your celebration of love this Valentine’s Day. This song is a cheers to another day well spent with your special someone.