Bop with Brescia - Valentine’s Day Edition
Welcome back to Bop with Brescia, Valentine’s Day edition! While it is a Hallmark holiday, and a cheesy one at that, the purpose of this edition is to explore love songs throughout the decades.
These songs are not solely about romantic love; there are themes of self-love, unrequited love, and short but fun love. Love comes in all forms, and this edition strives to celebrate that! Even those that are sad or longing in nature, these themes are something we all experience in love and are just as important to recognize and pay tribute to.
Starting with the 1950s, here is a list of two love songs from each decade and some history behind them:
1950s
Born in 1941, Canadian-American Anka was only 15 when this song was released about unrequited love with an older woman. Unrequited love stings; we have all been there before, and Anka puts the feeling into words perfectly. It was one of his most popular songs, hitting number one on both the R&B Best Sellers and UK Singles charts.
“Let It Be Me” by The Everly Brothers
This song is not an original from The Everly Brothers but rather was adapted from the French song “Je t’appartiens” by Gilbert Bécaud. The Everly Brothers released their rendition of the song in 1959, and it was the first Everly Brothers song to include strings. It is a beautiful song where the singer simply asks a lover to love them back, with sweet lines about how grateful he is for their presence in their life.
1960s
“Nights in White Satin” by The Moody Blues
Justin Hayward, the English lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of The Moody Blues, was 19 when he wrote this song. The album from which this song is from follows “the course of a day”, with this song documenting “the heightened emotions and intimacy of dusk/early night-time”. This song has a slightly haunting feel to it, with the sadness or longing of unfulfilled love in lines such as “Letters I’ve written, never meaning to send / Beauty I’d always missed, with these eyes before”.
“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Released in 1967, this collaboration is a song that many know; it has been listed as one of the Top 150 Singles of All Time, and in 1999 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. This song is clearly about loving someone so much you will always be there for them. What many may not know is the meaning of this song matches the deep friendship between Gaye and Terrell; when Terrell passed at age 24, her mother banned everyone at Motown (a record label) from attending except Gaye, who gave her elegy. The reasoning behind this decision was that she felt Gaye was Terrell’s only real friend there. So, “perhaps there really was no mountain, valley or river that could ever come between them”.
1970s
“Right Down the Line” by Gerry Rafferty
Rafferty was not always a solo artist, as he was first in the band Stealers Wheel. Then, when the band fell through, he began his solo career with hits like this. Released in 1978, this song is thought to have been inspired by the following song listed for the 70s, “Maybe I’m Amazed”. Like McCartney & Wings’s song, Rafferty is singing a song of appreciation to his then-wife, thanking her for always being there for him.
“Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul McCartney & Wings
This song is truly a love song. From the lyrics to the actions and meaning behind it, it is a song of devotion, appreciation, and tribute. McCartney wrote this song for and about his wife Linda during the break up of The Beatles, and he credits her with helping him during such a difficult time. McCartney made Linda a Wings band member so they could be together while on tour, and if that is not an act of love and devotion, I’m not sure what is.
1980s
This is another song that I doubt anyone has not heard before; there are countless movies and shows, such as Schitt’s Creek, that have it or a rendition of it on their soundtrack. Like McCartney’s song, it is a true love song, with lines such as “In your eyes, I get lost, I get washed away / Just as long as I’m here in your arms / I could be in no better place”. Interestingly, while it is one of Turner’s most popular songs, it was actually first recorded by Bonnie Tyler in 1988. However, it did not do well for Tyler as it only reached #95 in the UK charts, and was not released in America.
“Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper
Like Turner’s hit, this song is another that you can find on various movie and show soundtracks, from This Is Where I Leave You (2014), Glee (2015), and Stranger Things (2017). Lauper is well known for another famous love song, “True Colors”, but this song is just as sweet in its lyrics. A song about loyalty and dedication, Lauper and co-writer Rob Hyman penned this song about their respective relationships, sharing their feelings together.
1990s
This is another song dedicated to a longtime partner. It is gorgeous with its soothing background vocals, calming melody, and sweet lyrics, such as “Just like children sleeping, we could dream this night away / But there’s a full moon rising, let’s go dancing in the light”. Interestingly, Young is a large advocate for farmers and the environment and mentions the moon in 28 of his songs.
“My Love is Your Love” by Whitney Houston
“‘Cause your love is my love / And my love is your love / It would take an eternity to break us”...does it get much more loving than that? This is a truly gorgeous song to dedicate to a loved one. Released in 1999, Houston’s daughter is featured on the track when she says, “Sing mommy” in the first verse. Wyclef Jean, a producer of the song and ex-band member of the Fugees, said, “But when it came to her daughter, the rest of the world didn’t exist…It [recording a comeback record] was about making sure that her daughter was there with her, experiencing what she was experiencing.”
2000s
“Precious Love” by James Morrison
Like many songs in this edition, Morrison is singing to his long-term girlfriend. While surrounded by many flashy and tempting people in LA during his career, he realized that nothing compared to her. When away from her, he just “couldn’t wait to get home”. This song is about understanding what your partner means to you and how they positively impact your world.
I am sure many of us have been in a situation where we watch someone we love or want to be with be treated poorly in their current relationship. This song, written by Ne-Yo, was a massive hit, topping the Billboard charts for nine consecutive weeks when Mario was only 18. Chris Lane covered this song in 2016, throwing a country twist on it.
2010s
Verse two on this track speaks for itself…I’m just going to leave it here: “He said baby, that’s what he called me, I love you / Every single word you say makes me feel some type of way / It’s the thought of you that slightly scares me / But it takes my breath away, forget what I was gonna say / The day that I met you I started dreaming”. Webster is an up-and-coming artist; make sure to check her out!
“Dear to Me” by Electric Guest
Like Morrison’s “Precious Love”, this song from the band Electric Guest is about acknowledging how important someone is to you. One band member, Asa Taccone, said in an interview with The Fader that this song “came from the heart”. While it may be a simpler song, it is pure and sweet in its lyrics.
2020s
“I Like You (A Happier Song)” by Post Malone feat. Doja Cat
For everyone who has ever talked to me before, you will know that Post Malone (Posty!) is one of my favourite artists. This song is not for the traditional romantics; instead, this song is about the fun attraction you can share with someone. It doesn’t mean it's love, but you want to have each other around. It's fun, has two powerhouse artists on it, and overall has great vibes.
“Look At Her Now” by Selena Gomez
Much like Posty’s song, “Look At Her Now” is not a traditional love song. It tells the story of a breakup, but the end result is Gomez loving herself and knowing she will find a partner and love when she wants it. Self-love is just as important as any other form; remember, no one can love you the way you can love yourself!
You can find this edition’s playlist on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2TJPE7GURUBXyJFGeskV4F?si=9b2d9034d21140ca
Lots of love!
Lauryn