While I do have about 80% of these songs they’ve selected in my iPod, I can say some I agree with (which are in bold) and some I kind of don’t. So here is the complete list, with some of my minor commentary:
50. ''Be Without You'' Mary J. Blige (2005)
49. ''Fade Into You'' Mazzy Star (1993)
I have always loved this song, and the CD that it is featured on.
48. ''Perfect Day'' Lou Reed (1972)
Good song, but I guess I’ve never really thought of the “love song” side of it, but more jus the heroin side.
47. ''This Will Be Our Year'' The Zombies (1968)46. ''This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)'' Talking Heads (1983)
45. ''I Want You Around'' The Ramones (1979)
44. ''You Got Me'' The Roots feat. Erykah Badu (1999)
43. ''La La Means I Love You'' The Delfonics (1968)
42. ''Upside Down'' Diana Ross (1980)
Upbeat disco Diana, but again, not really thinking “love.”
41. ''Love Will Keep Us Together'' Captain and Tennille (1975)
I think we all know what I’m thinking of here…
40. ''A Case of You'' Joni Mitchell (1971)
39. ''There Is a Light That Never Goes Out'' The Smiths (1986)
38. ''Chasing Cars'' Snow Patrol (2006)
No, no, no. And it’s all Grey’s Anatomy’s fault.
37. ''Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)'' Bruce Springsteen (1973)
36. ''If I Ain't Got You'' Alicia Keys (2003)
35. ''Midnight Train to Georgia'' Gladys Knight & the Pips (1973)
34. ''You're All I Need to Get By'' Method Man feat. Mary J. Blige (1995)
33. ''I Melt With You'' Modern English (1983)
32. ''Yellow'' Coldplay (2000)
31. ''Maps'' Yeah Yeah Yeahs (2003)
30. ''You're Still the One'' Shania Twain (1997)
I wonder just how many weddings this was played at. It makes me want to crash my car into a building.
29. ''Cherish'' The Association (1966)
Love, love, love this song. I don’t care if it’s simplistic or cheesy, I’ve always had a soft spot for it since I was little.
28. ''The Look of Love'' Dusty Springfield (1967)
27. ''More Than This'' Roxy Music (1982)
26. ''No Ordinary Love'' Sade (1992)
25. ''Just Like Heaven'' The Cure (1987)
24. ''As'' Stevie Wonder (1976)
23. ''Purple Rain'' Prince (1984)
22. ''Your Song'' Elton John (1970)
21. ''Time After Time'' Cyndi Lauper (1984)
I always have this music video stuck in my head. My sister and I still sometimes instinctively hold up our hand to the nearest window when we hear this song.
20. ''If Not for You'' Bob Dylan (1970)
19. ''Ain't No Mountain High Enough'' Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell (1967)
18. ''Crazy in Love'' Beyoncé (2003)
17. ''Unchained Melody'' The Righteous Brothers (1965)
16. ''These Arms of Mine'' Otis Redding (1962)
15. ''You Send Me'' Sam Cooke (1957)
14. ''At Last'' Etta James (1961)
I had to group these last three with a yes, yes, yes. Amazing vocals and emotion.
13. ''When a Man Loves a Woman'' Percy Sledge (1966)
Eat your heart out, Michael Bolton.
12. ''Ring of Fire'' Johnny Cash (1963)
Great song, what else is there to say?
11. ''Maybe I'm Amazed'' Paul McCartney (1970)
I know, I know, even though it is Paul McCartney I’m still going to have to agree. I do like this song for its humility.
10. ''In Your Eyes'' Peter Gabriel (1986)
We all know it’s only because of Say Anything…
9. ''All I Want Is You'' U2 (1988)
This makes my own top 10 love song list. But as with many of these, instantly a movie comes to mind…
8. ''Sweet Child O' Mine'' Guns N' Roses (1988)
7. ''Wild Horses'' The Rolling Stones (1971)
Again on my own top list. And none of the cover versions either. Guess I have a soft spot for love songs about loving someone you shouldn’t.
6. ''I Will Always Love You'' Whitney Houston (1992)
5. ''Let's Stay Together'' Al Green (1971)
Probably number one or two on my list. Amazing vocal. How can you not want to dance to this song?
4. ''(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman'' Aretha Franklin (1967)
3. ''Something'' The Beatles (1969)
2. ''Can't Help Falling in Love'' Elvis Presley (1961)
1. ''God Only Knows'' The Beach Boys (1966)
I’ve always liked this song because it’s honest: “If you should ever leave me, Well life would still go on believe me.” Yes, that’s realistic. Except in romance movies where the old married couple dies one day apart from each other, the world does not explode when your heartbreaks. So even with the line “I may not always love you,” I still think this is a good pick of love song.
So what do you think of EW’s list? Thoughts, questions, comments, concerns?
5 comments:
It might take me 3 years to comment on this list, so for now, I'll keep it brief.
Overall, I'm not impressed by the list. While I admire the stretches of the imagination ("Fade Into You" and "There is a Light That Never Goes Out", for example) so the list isn't ALL cliche, there are so many good songs that are not included. (I may make a list later.) I also have to disagree with Purple Rain. I know a lot of people love that song and Prince, but I personally think it's one of the most over-hyped songs in musical history.
I also feel that there could be more upbeat songs on the list. Just because a song is fast doesn't mean it's any less romantic.
Next, I would like to see Jill's list of things that make her want to crash her car into a building. It might have to be a top 1,000 list though...
Personally, I'll take the Pop Ten over E-dub any day. Lists are awesome!
I have the time to comment! At least the last time I'll have enough time for awhile...
I was more impressed by the upper part of the countdown, but a lot of them while perhaps good songs I find hard to peg as best love songs "ever."
I could do that list, Eileen, but it would have to be "things in pop culture that make me want to crash my car into a building." So that might lower it to roughly a top 546.
And Will, I appreciate your lists and of course your tastes, which is why I'm sure the Pop Ten will get much more agreement and less critique than EW's.
And by "upper" part of the list I indeed meant the "lower" of the numbers, like 1-16.
So much to comment on about this list, but I'll start small at first. Big kudos to the list for having Mazzy Star and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I'm a huge fan of both.
But I am disappointed with how low "You Got Me" by the Roots w/ Erykah Badu is. In my opinion that is top 20 easy. I can't think of many songs in the past 25 years that are better love songs than that one.
As cliche as much of this list is, I'm surprised of the absence of "Let's Get It On".
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