*"If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die." *
So goes the famous quote by Shakespeare from The Twelfth Night, well when I was single, and I had a feeling for the girl next door, the best way for me to experience it, was put on my favorite romantic songs and just dream about. Now no longer single or footloose, and become more of a rock fan, but yes, whenever I am stressed out from work, I do put on those soft romantic ditties, and just lie back. As a techie I am used to working long hours into the night, and whenever I do that, I just play one of those lovely romantic ditties. Now again there are some songs which I used to love some time back, but somehow find them too corny, best example being "Nothing Gonna Change My Love for You", and as for Celine Dion’s "My Heart Will Go On", I find that one of the most overrated song from the most overrated movie of all time. So these two songs will never find a place in any romantic songs list of mine. This is a list of some love songs which I find romantic any time, any day, and which I can hear without feeling bored. Timeless and romantic.
1) Everything I Do, I Do it For You-Bryan Adams
When it comes to romantic songs, there is none like Bryan Adams. And of course he happens to be one of my favorite singers. This is one love song, which I can listen to again and again. The opening piano interludes and then Bryan’s voice taking over
"Look Into My Eyes- You Will See*
*What you Mean to Me"
And then he raises the voice
"Dont tell me it’s not worth tryin for*
*You cant tell me it’s not worth dyin for"
And then he brings it down
"You know its true*
*Everything I do, I do it for you".
And the music video is great too, picturized for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves( as Bollywood a movie as ever), this has some real wonderful romantic moments between **Kevin Costner and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.
*2) Last Christmas- Wham
Another of my favorites, starting off with a fantastic beat quite similiar to another favorite love song of mine "Every Breath you Take" by Sting., and the lyrics are just too good
’Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, You gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I’ll give it to someone special "
The music is just superb here, and then we have the next stanza
" Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby do you recognize me?
Well it’s been a year, it doesn’t surprise me "
And these lyrics taunting his girl
"My God I thought you were someone to rely on
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man undercover but you tore me apart
Oooh Oooh
Now I’ve found a real love you’ll never fool me again "
And oh yes our own Annu Mallik was very inspired to adapt this song as "Dil Mera Churaya Kyon", one of the most blatant plagiarisms, I have heard, right down to the last note.
3) Every Breath You Take- Sting
This love song ironically caused Sting to split away from the Police, and he later branched out on his own. And the biggest irony is the real meaning of the song was dark, it was about a stalker’s obsessive love, but it somehow ended up as a love song.
Whatever this is another great love song, which I can listen to as many times, and the opening beats are just too brilliant, the drums and the guitar riffs, and the Sting’s voice taking over
*"Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
Ill be watching you"
And then he comes to
"Oh, cant you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take"
Sting’s modulation is here just brilliant. And then he goes
"Since you’ve gone I been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around but its you I cant replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying baby, baby, please."
Sting’s voice comes straight from the heart. You really feel the love pure and honest here. I listened to this first time in 1987 when I was a teen of 18 years and now running close to 38 I still listen to this song again and again. And yes not to forget the brilliant B&W music video.
4) Keeping You Forever and Always- Shania Twain
What do you call some one with drop dead gorgeous looks, a million dollar smile and a voice to die for? And of course a screen presence that makes you skip a heart beat, and want you to just keep looking at her? Just two words- **Shania Twain
I saw this song first time as a music video, and was so hooked on to Ms, Twain, that I ended up buying most of her cassettes. And this remains one of my fav Shania Twain love songs, the other one being "You’r Still the One". It starts off with Shania humming and the beautiful melodious music starting and then it starts
*"In your arms I can still feel the way you
want me when you hold me
I can still hear the words you whispered
when you told me
I can stay right here forever in your arms"
Shania has a wonderful drawl, especially the lazy manner in which she says "And there aint No way". And the lyrics are romantic without being too corny.
*"In your heart-I can still hear
a beat for every time you kiss me
And when we’re apart,
I know how much you miss me
I can feel your love for me in your heart"
The lyrics are simple language, no verbal excesses here and thats what makes it touching. And yes the music video in one word, awesome. Especially the way in which love is shown in 3 stages- as kids, as teens and as elder citizen. In fact I found the last part wonderfully touching as the elderly couple walk on the beach in love. And yes when Ms Twain flashes that smile of hers, you can only say.
"And there ain’t no way-
I’m lettin’ you go now
And there ain’t no way-
and there ain’t not how
I’ll never see that day.
Cause I’m keeping you
forever and for always
We will be together all of our day
Wanna wake up every
morning to your sweet face-always"
Yes aint no way, you can let Ms Twain go out of your mind, she is some one whom you would love to keep in your mind forever.