Top Romantic Songs for Valentine’s Day

By Jack Stephen

I was asked to join in the musical circle jerk on this blog. I have to say I was flattered, but somewhat wary—I mean it is a circle jerk after all. However, Null and I have talked about the scene in the movie Repo Man where the Circle Jerks performed as a lounge act, so I guess ya’ll are on the level. Here you go fuckers. For Valentine’s Day, my top romantic tracks are:

1. “Sleep Late My Lady Friend” by Harry Nilsson. 

This one was pretty much a no brainer. Harry Nilsson brings an impassioned soulful vibe to this track. Working with the great producer Rick Jarrard, on the album Pandemonium Shadow Show, Nilsson was really able to find some structure and settle into his personal style, performing in a zone known as mind blowing. I don’t know how many times I’ve played this song for my wife, but each time it seems like we always look at each other and sing the line: “We did the town, we tore it upside down.” If there’s a song that solidifies the statement made by both John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the famous press interview of 1968, “we’re listening to Harry Nilsson,” this song is it.  

2. “Nothing Even Matters” by Lauryn Hill. 

When Lauryn Hill arrived on the scene, so to speak, people were just gushing over the Fugees and the “Killing Me Softly” cover. It ended up being a huge hit. While I was happy to hear the song back in the mix, I would say overall it was rather “meh.” A couple of years later, Hill came out with the great The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which is just a fantastic album. Interestingly, “Nothing Even Matters” was a duet with D’Angelo, who began his ride with a cover of the Smoky Robinson track “Crusin.’” I really love their back and forth on this song; the “snapping” adds texture with a subtle Hammond B-3 organ holding everything together. And those lyrics, how “nothing even matters,” with a myriad of examples, and finally “nothing but you” is just beautiful. 

3. “Little Harbor” by Jamie Saft. 

A vignette: I look out a window from a cabana on a hill. There’s a light rain falling. My wife naps lightly under some mosquito netting. We just made love. The air is steamy. I smell the ocean. A macaw cries in the distance. I see a little harbor, a small fishing boat pulls in. I wonder what I did to deserve this lovely moment. The sun peeks behind the clouds. I stare out the window. (Note: this song is on the Loneliness Road album featuring Iggy Pop on vocals on another track or two.)

4. “Foolish Heart” by Steve Perry. 

Steve Perry’s vocal mastery is really exemplified in this song. The songs he wrote/performed with Journey, while great, I thought were always were a little watered down by Neil Schon’s swollen ego. Regardless, Journey had some fantastic tracks. “Foolish Heart” feels like a personal song for Perry, somewhat of a departure from Journey’s big album rock songs. While I could not be more over “Don’t Stop Believin’” (thanks Sopranos, season finale), “Foolish Heart” always feels fresh. The lyrics also really spoke to me. I always felt like I had a bit of a foolish heart, and maybe we all do at times. (I was going to place Ambrosia’s “The Biggest Part of Me” in the number four spot, which is a song Perry covered.)

5. “Sweetness” by Yes. 

While typically thought of as the Prog rock masters, Yes is one of those bands that always seems to be operating in their own category. The layers, the harmonizing, the structure—the real question is: What the fuck are they doing anyway? The song “Leave It” is a great example. What does it matter? They’re a great band with some awesome songs, which includes “Heart of the Sunrise,” “Yours Is No Disgrace,” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” “Sweetness” is one of those romantic songs I appreciate because it is so smart lyrically. Jon Anderson sings about all these things his partner does for him; little things he sees as so important in his life. This leads to the revelation in the song’s climax “and you’re here.” Wow, what an awesome thing to realize. To my wonderful wife—thanks for being here, love you.

As the Circle Jerk’s say, “we do whatever we can, you gotta duck when the shit hits the fan.”   Happy Valentin’s Day everyone.