All Cried Out: 100 Great Love Songs, Part 1 Feb 10 '04    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet The Bottom Line This one goes out to the one I love. This one goes out to the one I left behind. The reason we get up in the morning and take a breath can be summed up in one word...LOVE. Four simple letters provide probably the most important word in the English language (well, for others, it would be money...but, anyway...). With Valentine's Day quickly approaching, I figured it's be high time to drop a love songs countdown on your unsuspecting fannies. What is love? Philosphers have pondered this question for centuries on end. I think I mentioned in a write-off entry some time ago that love is "the ability to see God in another person", which may quite possibly be the most profound thing I've said in 27 years of existence. For some, it's as grandiose as a bottle of the house's most expensive champagne and a one-night getaway to some fancy restaurant. It could be as simple as someone writing you a letter each day. I know for a fact that I've felt an emotion that I thought was love but may have only been infatuation or being in love with the idea of being in love. Either way, love (or the idea of being in it) makes one do many stupid things. The ending of a love relationship makes one do even dumber things. Fortunately for people like myself, love songs exist so that our unexplainable feelings-good or bad- can be expressed in words. Anyway, enough of me attempting to be profound. As we approach the holiday designated for lovers everywhere (also designed for losers like me to sit at home all day and brood), I felt it appropriate to get off of my idle behind and finish creating this list which has been loooong in the making. It is by no means meant to be a comprehensive list. Although getting the idea across to some of you hardheads sure is tough, the cool thing about music is the difference in tastes between people. While I'm sure there will be people rejoicing over the fact that there's no Air Supply or Celine Dion on this list, it doesn't mean that they don't make good love songs, just means I don't think any of 'em are as good as the ones I've listed here...although “All Out Of Love” and “My Heart Will Go On” both came relatively close to making the list. Some of you will say “Hey, Mike. This has been done before”. And it has :). But, hey, isn't it cool to have 2 different lists you can compare and contrast? No? Well, hey, humor me and read this anyway. I had a couple of criteria. First of all, no out-and-out “sex” songs. This may explain why songs like “Sexual Healing” are not listed here. Boning and love are not always related, so I tried to keep the songs that were more erotic than romantic off the list. Secondly, I tried to keep the liust within my frame of reference. I almost totally kept songs that predate me (born in 1976) off the list, although a couple of songs made it. Finally, I tried to keep the titles confined to romantic love. Familial love or the love between friends is well and good (I love my best friends more than anyone I've ever dated), but that's not what Valentine's Day is all about, now is it? Anyway, for those of us that prefer roses, as well as those of us who prefer restraining orders, without further ado, here is Speeddemon531's 100 Favorite Love Songs 100. “The One I Love” R.E.M. ”Fiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre!!!” The way Michael Stipe passionately screams out this line belies the bitterness with which he spits out the lyrics that proclaim the one he loved as “a sinmple prop to occupy my time”. This song was my first exposure to R.E.M. back in junior high, and although they'd written nothing as lyrically concise before, they certainly have added a couple of love songs to their repertoire since (“You Are The Everything”, “Country Feedback”). Containing the jangly rock sound that was and still is the band's trademark, “The One I Love” is a simple statement of anger and bitterness to some unsuspecting pawn. Michael Stipe. What a bastard!! 99. “I Will Always Love You” Whitney Houston “So I wish you joy...and happiness...but above all this, I wish you...luuuuuuuuuuvvv...” And that, folks, is the point where the drum kicks in, the key changes, and Whitney jumps in to the vocal performance of her life on this melodramatic Dolly Parton cover. To some, placing this at #99 may be blasphemy, considering it's 14-week run at #1 in 1992-93. And the older I get and the more I understand what “love” really is, the more I understand the seentiment behind this song-cheesy sax solo and all. To me, this marked the first time Whitney jumped from oversinging glitzy diva to a singer with real soul. Of course, since then she's jumped from soul singer to crack ho, but that's another story for another countdown. 98. “If You Don't Know Me By Now” Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes or Simply Red “Just put yourself together or we might as well say goodbye...What good is a love affair, if we can't see eye to eye?” Whereas on the original Philly-soul soaked version of this hit, Teddy Pendergrass just sounds teed off, on Simply Red's Grammy winning 1989 version, lead singer Mick Hucknall sounds almost as unglued as the lady that he's asking to shape up. Too many times, people fall in lvoe only to realize that they don't really know each other. This song lays the details out in excellently sung fashion. 97. “Sweet Child O' Mine” Guns 'n Roses ”I'd hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain” Here's badass Axl Rose in a rare unguarded moment of humanity. When he wasn't asking “nigg**s and f**s get out of my way”, he found the time to make rockin' yet tender love songs like this one. Featuring Slash's best-ever guitar playing (and the most recognizable rock intro of the 80's) this song was the best of the 80's hair-metal ballads-even though it was a little too beat-wise to REALLY be considered a ballad... 96. “The Lady In My Life” Michael Jackson ”Even when we're old and gray...Girl I'll love you more each day...'Cause you will always be the lady in my life One of the TWO tracks on “Thriller” not released as a single, this is the ONLY song by a Jackson to appear anywhere on here (adult Mike isn't much of a balladeer, and Janet's slow jams are devoted almost entirely to the art of sex). Here, the Gloved One gets his Teddy Pendergrass on, crooning through 2/3 of the song only to get all sweaty and do some serious beggin' at the track's conclusion. (The following tasteless child molestation joke has been censored for your protection). 95. “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)” Quincy Jones ”Let's make music...harmonize in ecstacy” Only a producer like Q (who also was behind the boards for #96), could bring together four of R&B's leading men in one place. You've got the sensitive young man (Al B. Sure!), the swarthy lothario (El DeBarge), the chesty baritone (James Ingram) and the smooth love doctor (Barry White) taking turns at the ultimate seduction. The four voices blend until you have reached slow-jam heaven. Mission accomplished. 94. “Everytime You Go Away” Paul Young ”If we can't solve any problems, then why do we lose so many tears?” Poor little Paul Young. His girl keeps leaving and then coming back, messing with his head, only to leave for the next available guy. Everyone that passes is Mr. Right, and poor sensitive Paul is the patsy that lets her come back even though he's slowly falling apart. The soulful Englishman took this Daryl Hall composition and turned into a #1 hit in 1985, marking him as one of music's most soulful interpreters. 93. “All Cried Out” Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam w/Full Force ”You were the one who left me neglected...(I'm so sorry)...Apology not accepted, add me to the broken hearts you've collected” Lisa Lisa was Boricua flavor a decade before J. Lo, and she made better records too. Joined by her Brooklyn compadres (represent!), Full Force the Jheri-curl assassins, Lisa took high drama to the 'hood with “All Cried Out”. Once the hurt goes away, yu say to yourself “you know what? He was a no good S.O.B anyway”. So despite the pleas from an apologetic Full Force (they'll never get activator in your eye again! They promise!), Lisa Lisa has had had enough enough. She's packin' up her tears and moving out, leaving that forlorn little high-end piano plink at the end of the song to fend for itself. 92. “Crash Into Me” Dave Matthews Band ”I'm the king of the castle...you're the dirty rascal...crash into me” Proof that sometimes all you need is to set a mood, Dave took his-shall we say, steadily improving lyrical skills, mashed it into a lilting, jazzy rhytm played by the fine musicians in his band, and came up with the make-out anthem for hacky-sackers. This song spawned John Mayer's “Your Body Is A Wonderland”, which came a lot closer to making this list than you think. 91. “Never Say Goodbye” Bon Jovi ”Remember when you lost the keys and...you lost more than that in my backseat, baby” This energetic sing-along hair-rock ballad was the best thing Bon Jovi ever put out, and was the closing song for every junior high school dance (including mine) in 1987. Whenever I need to find an excuse for the existence of Bon Jovi, this song is damn near their only salvation. 90. “Unchained Melody” The Righteous Brothers “Ahhhhhhhh NEEEEEEEEEED your looooooove...oh, I need your love...Godspeed your love toooooo meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...” Perhaps the most passionately sung song on this list, Bobby hatfield & bill Medley took a gentle melody and a swaying beat and turned this song into one of the most recognizable ballads of all time. Despite the fact that this song is now permanemtly associated with Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore & pottery, this song is definitely an entry in the Love Song Hall Of Fame. 89. “Drive” The Cars “you can't go on thinkin' nothing's wrong...” Another song that may bring up memories that have nothing to do with the song itself (like Paulina Porizkova and Live Aid), this moody ballad is also memorable for the late Ben Orr's slightly offbeat vocal, it's ethereal synth textures and it's extreme slow-dance-ability. A beautiful left turn for a band best known for their peppy power-pop songs. 88. “Get Here” Oleta Adams ” I don't care how you get here, just get here if you can” This simple piano ballad, penned by Brenda Russell of “Piano In The Dark” fame, has a very simple sentiment. “I just want to see you now-whatever it takes for you to get here”. I can relate to that :). The earthy tones of Oleta Adams give this song extra gravity, which comes into play whether you're getting here by railway, trailway, or crossing the desert like an Arab man. 87. “The Heart Of The Matter” Don Henley ”I think it's about...forgiveness...forgiveness...even if, even if you don't love me anymore” Nope, it's not so hard to let go. And Don has to do so, after hearing that an old love of his has found her soulmateHe's learning to live without her now, but he misses her sometimes. Yet, he knows that it's all about letting go of their romantic past so they can continue their friendship. A mature, elegant love song from the usually fairly crotchety Henley. 86. “Can't Turn Back The Years” Phil Collins ”You're the water I drink, you're the air that I breathe...but I can't turn back the years” From “Both Sides”, a painfully personal album inspired by his second divorce (not to be confused with “Face Value”, inspired by Phil's first divorce) comes this spare ballad, goosed only by a tinny keyboard arrangement. You can hear the pain in Phil's voice as he realizes the love he and his wife has been lost somewhere in the past, but he's “never gonna give it up”. This song was redone by the R&B singer Joe some years later, and is the only reason anyone needs to buy “Urban renewal”, a set of covers of Phil's songs by R&B artists. 85. “True Colors” Cyndi Lauper ”Show me a smile...don't be unhappy...can't remember when I last saw you laughing” Underneath the tic-tac-toe design cut into her hair, Cyndi Lauper has always had one of pop music's expressive voices. Kooky enough to do the theme to “The Goonies” but resonant enough to successfully tackle Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On”, the little chick from Queens has some serious pipes on her. Witness the subtle way she begins this airy ballad before she begins to testify towards the end of the song. One of the most singularly beautiful love songs ever, hard to believe it was written by the same guys who wrote “Like A Virgin”. 84. “Let's Chill” Guy ”Is it a dream or reality? If it's a fantasy...please don't wake me” One of the few love songs from the hip-hop generation to make it here, it comes from the brainchild of Teddy Riley, who, as the producer for everyone from the King of Pop to Heavy D to MC Lyte to the New Kids, put hip-hop soul on the map. With a co-writing credit from Keith Sweat, the King of Beggin', this quietly bumpin' ballad features Aaron hall's gritty, gospelly vocals. One of the quintessential new-jack era ballads, and definitely a huge score if you can locate the beautiful acoustic remix. 83. “My, My My” Johnny Gill ”Put on that red dress, slip on those high heels, and some of that sweet perfume...it sure smells good on you With those simple words, you have just hit every right note on what to say to your girl to celebrate that anniversary or birthday or whatever. One of the great unsung soul balladeers of the past two decades is thoroughly in his element on this smash hit, written and produced by Babyface, featuring background vocals from After 7, and featuring on soprano sax...Kenny G????? Don't let the G-man scare you off, though. “My, My, My” is as seductive and smooth as they come. 82. “I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)” The Proclaimers “When I'm workin'...know that for the work I do I'll pass almost every penny on to you” It may take a large steak knife to cut through the Scottish brogue of these twin brothers, but you've gotta hand it to guys who are so devoted they would walk 1,000 miles (roughly 20,000 New York City blocks) to fall down at the door of their loved one. This peppy guitar-pop tune was a left-field hit in the summer of '93 and still brings a smile to my face, although there are still lyrics I can't figure out! 81. “On My Own” Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald ”Now we're up to talking divorce...and we weren't even married” Soul Sister Patti and Doobie Brother Michael were an unlikely couple, but there was palpable chemistry on this heart-rending duet. Two people fall in love only to suddenly realize that they aren't right for each other and they find themselves...yes, on their own. You've gotta sing your behind off to keep up with Miss Patti, and Mc D hangs tight, even after they trade off fiery adlibs at the end of the song. OK, folks, 20 down, 80 to go. Stay tuned because if you don't read the rest of the list, you can't cuss me out for not including your favorite love song. Thanks for reading. Flamepillar's Love Songs 101: 101-81

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