What constitutes a good love song? What stories and associations does it conjure? We took Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to ask musicians, composers and songwriters for their recommendations for love songs and why they were chosen. The result is a beautiful compilation of love songs from around the world: Love is All Around.
ÆNGL
“Kitchen” – SZA
After a ton of heartbreak, I found myself really connecting to “Kitchen” by SZA, I guess you could call it a love song still, even though it falls under ‘heartbreak’ but: what is love without heartbreak, learning and moving on? Her lyrics: “so hard to do the right thing”, hit different because I have been through it, trying to make decisions that were best for me and my well-being in situationships and relationships. Sometimes the sex or the vibes are so good, you end up overlooking how toxic things might be. It’s a great song sampling another all-time favorite, “Voyage to Atlantis” by the Isley Brothers. A mix of nostalgia and comfort is what makes a love song amazing. I guess if the song feels like a good cry on your favorite cuddle pillow then it’s a 10/10.
BEX
“Breakup Song” – BEX
My favorite song for Valentine’s Day this year is my own – but more of an anti-Valentine’s Day song. It’s called “Breakup Song” and is fittingly being released on February 14th.
The song is dedicated to all the broken hearts who want to scream their pain out loud. A little about the song itself: “Breakup Song” marks that one moment when you realize that it’s really over – and at the same time realize that life goes on anyway. It’s a song for exactly this phase: when you turn the music up loud, sing along and maybe even scream with tears in your eyes. Because even if it hurts, it’s still something beautiful to
Kenji Herbert
“Boku WaChotto” covered by Mac DeMarco & HaruomiHosono
One of my favorite songwriters meets one of my heroes from Japanese pop history. A song that roughly translates to “Shall we sit in the sun, have a cup of tea and a chat?” and ends with, “Now I’ll be a bit quiet,” is probably a somewhat unusual choice as a love song. But it is precisely this modest lyric that defines this song for me. The gentle vocals, accompanied by a slightly out-of-tune guitar… A very successful cover, although I can also highly recommend the original from the 70s.
Peter Jakober
“Nothing compares 2 u” – Sinead O’ Connor
10004 times (or more) played on the radio and elsewhere, you couldn’t hear it anymore. And yet, it’s actually a love song after love, or at the end of love. And so strong, so weak, so full of despair, so full of strength, so much. Somehow so many things that can probably make up love. And then this woman who defied the idea of the stereotypical sexy woman in pop. Who shaped me in her strong conviction. That too is a love, for music and for herself. And after many years, I heard of the sad death of O’Connor and was so moved by it again. Simply amazing.
Mwita Mataro
“313” – Suluka
“All I feel is love and care” from the song “313” by Suluka. The way I interpret the lyrics, the love relationship with the person is already over and yet Suluka has written a love song about this person. In my opinion, love songs don’t necessarily have to be about being in love, but can – as in this song – deal with the subject of love. I can identify 100% with the lyrics, where Suluka thanks the person for allowing him to experience so many beautiful moments. Musically, Suluka has succeeded so beautifully in setting the positive feelings that you have about a person to music.
Anja Om
“Calico Sky” – Paul McCartney
One of the few love songs that comes to mind ad hoc and actually moved me to tears is “Calico Sky” by Paul McCartney. When I heard the chorus “I will hold you for as long as you like, I’ll hold you for the rest of my life” for the first time (I was actually lying in the most intimate of arms), I knew that for me a deep embrace is a sign of being loved. No matter what kind of relationship I have with a person. A hug allows me to let go and give support to others. “Calico Sky” gives me that feeling of warmth and security in such an honest, raw and fragile way. I am not a very romantic person, nor have I ever celebrated Valentine’s Day. However, I do celebrate all the wonderful people in my life as often as I can. Preferably with a hug, a home-cooked meal or music that I associate with these people.
OSKA
“If Not for You” – George Harrison
One of my favorite love songs is “If Not for You” by George Harrison. The song is almost like a list of things the protagonist wouldn’t have without the love of his life – a clear, almost innocent expression of affection. “If not for you, I couldn’t even find the door”.
What I particularly like about this song is its unpretentious elegance. It’s not an overly complicated piece, but one that shines in its simplicity and honesty. For me, that’s the essence of a good love song: it doesn’t have to be complex, it has to be simple and truthful. “If Not for You” is basically the perfect blend of emotion and lightness that produced so many great songs in the 1970s.
Harrison wrote the song while recording his “All Things Must Pass” album, and it later became a hit for Bob Dylan as well, which only underscores the song’s importance. The melody is catchy but never intrusive, and it gets stuck in your head without you realizing it.
Robert Slivovsky (5/8erl in Ehr’n, RomanticSlivo)
“Sexy” by Willi Land
The title ‘Sexy’ from Willi Landl’s album “Sex Violence” is beautiful. Willi Landl’s songs are magical and the lyrics are so subtle, political and loving.
The line that touches me the most in this song is: “You are simply beautiful to me and from the Danube, you smell of rain and forest and parsley.”
I can listen to it for hours and after several hours you think you know the person being sung about…
Thank you Willi!
Ariel Oehl
“To Love Somebody” – Nina Simone
Whenever I am asked for a love song, the album “To Love Somebody” by Nina Simone from 1969 comes to mind. The title song is a cover by the Beegees, whose “To Love Somebody” (1967) everyone actually knows. What only Nina Simone manages to do in her version is to make the pain that is inherent in every great love sound. “To Love Somebody” by Nina Simone is my most-played song on Spotify, and I feel its gravitas every time I hear it.
Fittingly, I also released a song today, it’s simply called “I Love You” and is a love song to my son.
Alexander Yannilos (Mother Drum, KRY)
“walking in the park” – Colosseum
After thinking about how many of the most famous (and most beautiful) love songs are actually more about longing, separation or regret, I chose “walking in the park” by Colosseum because for me it describes the incomparable feeling of lightness and carefreeness in which life is wrapped when one’s love is reciprocated.
German parts translated from the original by Arianna Alfreds.