Monday, February 9, 2009

Best and Worst Love Songs

My parents are the cutest little couple you ever did see. They're in lurve.

As Declared By Mardee:

Best:
These are songs that I have found depict true and unselfish love. Not just a need that is met in someone else.

Take Me Down....Smashing Pumpkins

"...I held you once, I loved that once, my life had just begun. And you're all I see...and trumpets blew and angels flew on the other side dear, and you're all I see, and you're all I'll need...there's a love that God puts in your heart."

Be Mine...REM

"I never thought of this as funny, It speaks another world to me. I wanna be your easter bunny, I wanna be your christmas tree. I’ll strip the world that you must live in Of all it’s godforsaken greed. I’ll ply the tar out of your feathers, I’ll pluck the thorns out of your feet. You and me
..I want to hear the caged bird sing. I want the secrets of the Temple, I want the finger with the ring....You and Me...."

When It Don't Come Easy...Patty Griffin
"But if you break down
I'll drive out and find you
If you forget my love
I'll try to remind you
And stay by you when it don't come easy
, when it don't come easy... "

Anyone Else But You...Moldy Peaches
"Here is the church and here is the steeple, we sure are cute for two ugly people, I don't see what anyone can see in anyone else but you... "

Luckiest....Ben Folds

"Next door, there's an old man who lived to his 90's and one day past away in his sleep. And his wife, she stayed for a couple of days and past away...I'm sorry I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know that I am, I am, I am the luckiest."

Now, I'm going to have to put this bluntly: I AM, I AM, I AM the luckiest. I really really really believe it. Know it.
I'll Follow You Into the Dark...Death Cab for Cutie
"If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied, illuminate the "No"'s on their vacancy signs, if there's no one beside you when your soul embarks--I'll follow you into the dark."

It Is You (I Have Loved)...Dana Glover

"There is something that I see in the way you look at me, there's a smile, there's a truth in your eyes. What an unexpected way on this unexpected day...could it be this is where I belong? It is you I have loved all along. No more mystery, it is finally clear to me, you're the home my heart's searched for so long, it is you..."


Unique Is My Dove...Matisyahu

"One woman for me, Other half of my soul, you are my queen, One woman for me, Other half of my soul, roots of my tree. We could forget about galus (it's a Jewish thing) for a while, our troubles for a while. Sometimes I look at you and just smile, sit in the park just laugh all day. Sometimes I just lose it with the things that you say, waiting by the subway, But we missed the train, we'll take the next one if you can pull me away. Keep me cool down to earth, and no anxiety, Stay modest with the humble heart always..."

Let's Stay Together...Al Green

"..Lovin' you whether, whether times are good or bad or happy or sad...."

All I Want Is You...Barry Louis Polisar

"All i want is you, will you be my bride
Take me by the hand and stand by my side All i want is you, will you stay with me? Hold me in your arms and sway me like the sea. If you were the wood, i'd be the fire. If you were the love, i'd be the desire. If you were a castle, i'd be your moat, And if you were an ocean, i'd learn to float."

And Now...
Absolutely Worst Love Songs (According to my knowledge, judgment, and memory):

Coming in at absolutely number one--worst EVER:


I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)...Meatloaf

The song itself is about 20 times longer than a normal song. And every line is more ridiculous than the last. I wish I could include it all. Look it up and read it, next time you have 20 minutes to spare. It is like a 13-year-old boy, a VERY DESPERATE one, wrote it.

"Maybe I'm crazy, but it's crazy and it's true
I know you can save me, no one else can save me now but you

As long as the planets are turning, as long as the stars are burning
As long as your dreams are coming true, you better believe it

That I would do anything for love, and I'll be there til the final act
I would do anything for love, and I'll take a vow and seal a pact

But I'll never forgive myself if we don't go all the way tonight
And I would do anything for love, oh I would do anything for love
Oh I would do anything for love, but I won't do that, no I won't do that"

As Long As You Love Me...Backstreet Boys
Did they ever stop to think about what they were saying?
"
I don't care who you are, Where you're from, What you did, As long as you love me..."

I'll Make Love To You...Boyz II Men

Such a Man song. Did he ever stop to think about what HER needs were? I don't need to include these lyrics. It's obvious why this one made the cut. He makes it clear that he will do anything she wants him to do...oh, how selfless...


Touched By An Angel With Love...Celine Dion

Too many words that end up saying nothing at all. Oh, and WAY to cheesy to really be about love.


I end here, mostly because my mind turning to pudding. What are your best/worst love songs of all time?

9 comments:

Elisabeth (and Tyler) said...

Oh, Mard.. I am CRYING! Amen. To all of the above. I love playlists by Mardee Rae. They literally do NOT get better than that. I'm going to have to listen to a few of those songs I hadn't heard before. And, while you are VERY lucky, I must say. I am THE luckiest. Love you :)

Elisabeth (and Tyler) said...

I take that back.. The one song I wasn't sure I'd heard WAS there, I just didn't recognize the artist's name. Those are all the songs you put on our Wedding CD. Which we love.. Blue eyes is another favorite :)

Britt said...

Luckiest is near the top of my list...plus The Adventure by Angels & Airwaves (our non-traditional wedding first dance song,) Alive With the Glory of Love (Say Anything--a story about his grandparents in concentration camps), Friday I'm in Love (The Cure), and a TON of other pop-punky cheesiness that reminds me of Joe and our early courtship years...Going Away to College (Blink), Best of Me (Starting Line).

I can get down with the slow songs, too :)

The United Statements of Merica said...

All I can say is.. "If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends, makin' love's forever, friendship never ends.
It doesn't get any deeper than that.. litterally, I have no Idea where the Spice Girls are going with this one.. It's SOOOOOO deep and meaningful. Then they bring it home with a "ziga-zig ahh". This is clearly the greatest love song of all time.

LuAnn said...

LET'S STAY TOGETHER BY AL GREEN. I lurve it, I lurve it, oh, how I lurve that song. lol to previous comment from the US of Merica. I can't tell you how many times I have sang that song and thought I was the stupid one.

I'm not really a "favorites" person...other than with Al Green but who in their right mind wouldn't be, but Jeff once told me he kind of liked that song by what's her bucket and says "you were my strength when I was weak, you were my voice when I couldn't speak...blah blah." Oh, he'll never live that down. I made a set of bookmarks for him with pictures of us and lines from that song.

pantypants said...

oooh ooh i wanna play!! juno soundtrack, anyone? hey, i make a good playlist too, and i taught mardee much of what she knows. muahhahahaha. j/k.
ok first off let me just say... i was like, soo happy cause you know those first three songs would've been on my list. take me down and be mine being old classics, and i just heard the luckiest for the first time within this past year, and when i did it was That Very Line that got to me! that song is one of those that made me sick cause of how it made me feel. not in a bad way. hard to explain i guess.

ok go (is it okay if i add comments as well as quotes?):

1. such great heights....iron & wine (although written by the postal service, the I&W version just makes me wanna cry) i think i still think this has the best lyrics of any love song: "they will see us waving from such great heights. 'come down now' they'll say... but we'll stay"

2. in my life....the beatles. or maybe that one rivals the lyrics in this song:
"there are places i remember... in my life. all these places have their moments, with lovers and friends i still can recall... i've loved them all... but of all these friends and lovers... there is no one [that] compares with you. though i know i'll never lose affection, for people and things, that [have] went before. i know i'll often stop and think about them. in my life, i love you more." wow -- that just made me cry just typing that.

3. the purple bottle....animal collective. ok this may be cause i just saw them in concert, but when i was listening to them non-stop days before the concert, i was struck by how this song made me feel. and i became obsessed with it and it made me feel sick like the luckiest did. just listen to the song, listen to the lyrics (read them if you have to), and realize how fucking cute it is and how that line "don't you know that you are the purple in me?" is one of the cutest lines in a love song ever.

4. young folks....peter, bjorn & john. i always liked these lyrics. the song's extra catchy too. "if i told you things i did before, told you how i used to be, would you go along with someone like me? if you knew my story word for word, had all of my history, would you go along with someone like me? [she says yes]. chorus: and we don't care about [a bunch of things]... all we care about is talking, talking only me and you.
usually when things have gone this far, people tend to disappear. no one will surprise me unless you do. i can tell there's something going on. hours seem to disappear. everyone is leaving i'm still with you. repeat chorus." :)

and these are some others i would add to my list. if you haven't heard them, well i feel bad for you then. in fact, i DEMAND you listen to them ALL.

5. your hand in mine.... explosions in the sky (while lyricless, may just be the greatest love song ever)
6. wonderwall.... ryan adams (love the cover)
7. is this love?... bob marley (old classic)
8. birds.... electrelane (love <3)
9. look after you.... the fray (don't tell anyone, but this song kind of gets to me)
10. sometimes.... james (can't get enough)
11. naked as we came.... iron & wine (classic)
12. our way to fall....yo la tengo (beauty)
13. maps.... yeah yeah yeahs (classic - "they don't love you like i love you")
14.warm tape....red hot chili peppers (<3)

the end.

pantypants said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
pantypants said...

um, okay i have to make an addendum. um, mard, you better be reading this cause i spent a ridiculous amount of time here :P
okay.
1. i said your first three songs, but i meant, like your first two, and the luckiest but you probly figured that out
2. omg i totally forgot to quote a VERY important part of such great heights (i can't believe it!). the very beginning: "i think that it's a sign, that the freckles in our eyes are mirror images and when we kiss they're perfectly aligned. and i, have to speculate if god himself did make us into corresponding shapes like puzzle pieces from the clay" ohhhh :'(
3. i forgot one song to add to the end list (i can't believe i remembered the fray and not this:) a dream for us....appleseed cast.

kthxbai.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha ha ha! Mard--You are awesome!

I am loving "Beloved Wife" by Natalie Merchant and "Answer" by Sarah M. (which is our wedding song :) )

Tiffany A:)