Feb. 14 looks different for everyone; luckily, there is a Valentine’s Day tune for everyone. Here are a few recommendations to get you started on a romantic musical journey.
“Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush
If you’re either a fan of 19th-century novels or looking to feel angsty this Valentine’s Day, Kate Bush’s 1978 song “Wuthering Heights” is the one for you. The song is based on Emily Bronte’s novel “Wuthering Heights” and takes inspiration from the intense, emotional and, frankly, dark relationship between the novel’s central characters Cathy and Heathcliff. In the song, Bush wails, “Heathcliff, it’s me, I’m Cathy/I’ve come home, I’m so cold/Let me in your window.” Further in the song, she continues, “I’m coming back love/cruel Heathcliff/My one dream, my only master.” These lyrics highlight melodramatic, complicated relationships filled with yearning, and if you’re into that sort of thing, give this song a listen.
“When I’m Sixty-Four” by The Beatles
On a much less melancholic note, if you’re looking for a song that encompasses love’s simple pleasures, look no further than “When I’m Sixty-Four” by The Beatles. This tune is all about wanting to love someone as you grow old together, with Paul McCartney singing, “You’ll be older too/And if you say the word/I can stay with you.” The song’s jovial, almost nostalgic tone, accompanied by its simple yet more-than-effective clarinet-forward instrumentation, is sure to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about love this Valentine’s Day.
“Heart to Heart” by Mac DeMarco
I can’t quite articulate why, but this song just feels like Valentine’s Day to me. This song is about the importance of intimate conversations in all of life’s meaningful relationships, romantic or platonic. DeMarco wrote this song about his friendship with late rap artist Mac Miller, and it highlights the importance of appreciating the beauty of conversations with those we love. The song’s title references “heart-to-heart” conversations we have with our loved ones. The melodic, almost dreamlike production fits this song’s simple yet very poignant lyrics, DeMarco singing, “To all the days we were together/To all the time we were a part/Of each other’s lives/Heart to heart.” This is a beautiful and sentimental track to play this Valentine’s Day.
“Old Friends” by Simon & Garfunkel
For those celebrating the beauty of platonic love this Valentine’s Day, “Old Friends” by Simon and Garfunkel certainly deserves a listen. Look, I’m extremely biased. Simon and Garfunkel is perhaps my favorite band of all time, and this song is on my favorite album. “Old Friends” transports the listener to a park bench conversation between two older men with decades of friendship between them. The tune does have a melancholic sound, but it represents the simple yet amazing experience of growing old with a friend, knowing someone for so long that you know practically everything about them but still enjoy their company. The pair ponders this idea, singing, “Old friends/Old friends/Sat on their park bench like bookends,” and ask each other, “Can you imagine us years from today/Sharing a park bench quietly?” To me, “Old Friends” gives us all a glimpse into the beauty of lifelong friendship, something we should all value on this holiday.
