Happy Valentine's Day Carol! I thought I'd try something different this year and make you a playlist of songs some of which I know you love, and some that I love, that maybe you'll love too. So, let's get started!
Little Red Corvette
I figure why not get things started off with a bang. So many great Prince songs to choose from - it's hard to know what to pick. But, I love this song and I know you love it too. It was a smash. Released in 1983 as the second single from 1999, the song was at that point Prince's highest charting and his first to reach the top 10 in the U.S., peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was also his first single to perform better on the pop chart than the R&B chart. He'd go on to have a bunch of #1 hits, but in some ways this is the song that got it all going.
Dog Days Are Over, Florence + The Machine
OK. This is a swing in the other direction, but I think you'll like it. Florence + The Machine make big, sweeping, emotional anthem indie rock music. "Dog Days Are Over" is off their debut album in 2009. Florence + The Machine are known for putting on spectacular live shows. Following the performance of "Dog Days Are Over" on the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards, the track sold 96,000 digital downloads which signified a 257% increase over the previous week and leaped to number 21 giving Florence her first top 30 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. So much energy in this song - and I love the little false ending that unleashes the big, triumphant conclusion.
Care, beabadoobee
Another fairly new song that I've come across on Spotify. beabadoobee is the "coffee for your head" singer. But I promise, this song is way better. She released the coffee song in 2017. And she also released a song called "I wish I was Stephen Malkmus" which I think is pretty cool - cuz Stephen Malkmus was an indie-rock guy from the 90s who I particularly like. Anyway, "Care" was released in 2020 and as she says “This song has end-of-a-90s movie vibes, like you’re driving down a highway." It does have kind of a 90s feel - which is something I'm noticing in a lot of new artists lately (and which I love, of course!) She goes on to say "It is pretty much me being angry at society, or people around me who I just don’t think know me and don’t care. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I just want you to understand what I’ve been through."
Cannibal, Tally Hall
I came across this song while listening to Spotify. It's a really great twist on a love song. And I found out these guys are from Ann Arbor which makes them even cooler. Apparently they wear color coordinated neckties - which feels a bit Wiggles-like. But I'll cut them some slack cuz this song has the great feel of classic power pop, which I love.
Dancing in Heaven, Q-Feel
Do you remember this 80s dance hit? Well if not, I think you'll like it. It was released in 1982 and - surprise surprise - was this band's only real hit. Mostly a club hit at the time, now a staple on the classic alternative radio show I listen to. It's got all the glitz and bump of the 80s - sort of disco meets synth pop.
Everyone Blooms, The Front Bottoms
This song came out over last summer, and it just kinda stuck with me. It's deceptively simple, but it builds and shifts along the way. And it's just a wonderfully positive message - and by the time we get to the end and we're singing the chorus over and over the energy is just awesome!
Cherish, The Association
OK, what's this old dusty musty song doing on your playlist? Well, it just happens to be the song that was #1 in the US the week you were born. So, it's pretty special for that reason alone. Despite being a golden oldie, it's got some good qualities. There are some nice harmonies, a nice change of pace that lends the song some urgency, and overall it's got a sincerity to it that isn't all bad. Interesting when they released it as single they had to cut a few lines from the final chorus to keep it under 3 minutes, otherwise radio stations wouldn't play it. OK, enough nostalgia, let's move on.
Into The Groove, Madonna
Let's get things back on track with some Madonna. Here again - So. Many. Hits. What to choose. I've always loved this song. The synth beat gives it a bit of a techy feel and to me this is Madonna at her best. Plus, it had a weird little movie tie-in. At the time her label didn't want to release it as a single because they didn't want it to compete with "Angel" another single off Like a Virgin. I dunno, that seems kinda dumb to me - lots of artists have had multiple hits at once. But no matter - it became a big hit on the dance club charts and eventually sold a million copies. Can't stop Madonna!
I'm Not Your Toy, LaRoux
LaRoux had a decidedly 80s vibe. And in some ways, this song has similarities to "Into the groove." Much like Madonna says "You got to prove your love to me." LaRoux says "I'm not your toy and this isn't another girl meets boy." She's not messing around. Plus, I love this song - the simple synth melody that opens it, the bouncy rhythm, the great chorus and big post chorus section "All false love and affection, you don't want me you just like the attention." The album was actually a pretty big hit and one a Grammy. Unfortunately she didn't have much success after that. But thankfully, we've got this great song. Hope you like it too.
Fever Dream, mxmtoon
I'll be honest, I just discovered this song a couple of days ago and really like it. She's a 20-year old singer/songwriter from California who apparently likes to play ukulele. And get this - Her 2018 self-released EP, Plum Blossom, recorded on her laptop in her parents' guest bedroom, has been streamed over 100 million times! Whoa. "Fever Dream" was released last year and she describes it as being about "the leap of faith that's required when you make decisions in your life at different points. you may not always know the outcome, but trusting yourself, allowing yourself the opportunity to take risks, and the chance to face new challenges can be utterly rewarding." Seems pretty cool to me.
Shooting Stars, Bag Raiders
Honestly I don't know how I discovered this song. But I really love it. The band, a duo from Australia, released the song in 2008, but it's stuck around for quite some time. In 2017 it became part of a pretty big internet meme of people falling through space. Lady Gaga even incorporated the song and the meme into her 2017 Super Bowl performance. Pretty cool. I think it's just a great song, that starts out with a nice simple refrain that builds and builds over time, then shifts into a big, beautiful sing-along chorus.
Rio, Duran Duran
I mean, the cover art alone simply screams 80s. The artist, Pat Nagel, was famous for this sort of Art Deco/Pop Art style. Tony Stark and Bruce Banner both wear a t-shirt with the art on it in Thor: Ragnarok. So yeah, it's iconic. As is the song. Such a great, driving beat, cool changes ups in melody and structure, and amazing bass line. Truly a treasure. And let's not forget that video - also iconic. Simon Le Bon and the band in the best designer suits, sailing the Caribbean on a yacht. It was a staple on MTV. By now, you may have notices I'm mixing in some classics with some songs you may not have heard. I thought about building an 80s block within the playlist, but in the end decided it was better to mix it up.
Let Go, RAC, Kele, MNDR
Another song that I'm not entirely sure where I found it. But one I think you'll like. It's got some connections to 80s synth pop, but with a more modern beat. The song came out in 2013, from an artist who goes by RAC. He's sort of a producer/DJ/songwriter who does a lot of remixes. This song features a couple of other artists. Kele Okereke, is an English dude from a really cool post-alt rock band called Bloc Party, and MNDR, a woman named Amanda Warner who's another producer/DJ/singer/songwriter. In the song, the narrator is offering support and trying to convince a loved one to open up and change their behavior. Kele sings the verses sweetly and MNDR brings some bigness to the chorus. I just love it.
Ride or Die, The Knocks feat. Foster The People
The Knocks are an American electronic duo, and of course you're familiar with Foster. The song was released in 2018 and was a pretty big hit with over 100 million streams, the #1 single on the iTunes Dance chart and over 22 weeks on Billboard's Dance chart. The title "Ride or die" is a term used to describe a person (usually a woman) that is willing to do anything for their partner, friend, or family, even in the face of danger. That doesn't seem healthy. But if we take it down a notch, the idea that there's someone in your life you would do virtually anything for seems pretty cool. And it's a great song.
Level of Concern, Twenty One Pilots
This was apparently the #1 alternative song of 2020 - and I'll admit I'd never heard it before. But I like it. I'm not sure what happened to these guys - seems like 3 or 4 years ago they were everywhere but I've sort of lost track of them. But hey, they seem to be doing OK. This song sold 500,000 copies which is no small feat. A portion of the song's proceeds are being donated to the charity Crew Nation, a global relief fund made by Live Nation for touring and venue personnel made redundant due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is cool.
Disolve, Absofacto
This is a song I'd heard before I looked it up. It was the #3 alternative song of 2020 (which is weird cuz it looks like the song was released in 2017). Turns out, Absofacto is a solo project by musician Jonathan Visger, a member of Michigan-based indie rock band Mason Proper (so now I gotta look those guys up!). Seems like it's been a hit on TikTok - but a few folks kinda got creepy with it so Visger went out and asked his fans on TikTok to take the song back, which thankfully they did.
Circles, Post Malone
Ok, I know I've been kinda hard on Post Malone, what with all the face tattoos and all. But, he won me over when he did the Nirvana tribute concert on YouTube, and then I came across this song which I really enjoy. It just has a vibe to it that's undeniable. It is one of those songs that never really changes (the chord structure is exactly the same throughout) but he changes up the arrangement and melody enough to keep it interesting. "Circles" became the first song to spend 30 weeks in the top 10 of Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 radio airplay chart, where it also ranked at number one for 10 weeks, becoming the first single by a solo male artist to achieve double-digit frames at number one on that chart. The song spent 61 weeks on the chart before leaving in November 2020. And it's got a trippy music video where he plays a knight on a mission. Pretty impressive.
Good Girls Don't Get Used, Beach Bunny
I'll admit I'm kind of obsessed with this band at the moment. This EP came out in January and in the four songs, singer Lili Trifilio sings of how society views girls/women, and she's not really up for that. Hence this particular song. I also love the cover art. Another band with a bit of a 90s alt rock feel, but so much musicality. I also particularly like how most of their songs don't end the way they start. Little touches like that really show the time and attention that went into writing the song. Yes, I'm a fan.
Tom Boy, Bettie Serveert
So in some ways, Bettie Serveert are the godmothers to Beach Bunny. A bit grungier sound (it was the 90s - you remember) but similarities in tone, content and a style that was all their own. The band's name translates to "Bettie Serves" which has a little subtext all it's own. This was a big hit on alt radio in the day, from their debut album Palomine, which I highly recommend. A look at the lyrics and you can see the connection to Beach Bunny - "They call me a tom boy and I love it. 'Cause only a tom boy could stand above it. By simply changing"
Sweet Love, Anita Baker
What Valentine's Day themed playlist would be complete without our wedding song. The song was Baker's first big hit single, peaking at number two on the US Billboard R&B chart, number three on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1986. It also won the Grammy for best R&B song. So clearly, we've got good taste. I can still remember dancing to this at our wedding - one of the best moments of my life. And one I recall fondly every time I see our picture in our bedroom. And it's a song that reminds me of some of our Valentine's Days together, especially one particularly memorable VD when we were young.
And I Love Her, The Beatles
You didn't think you were getting away without a Beatles song did you? The Beatles wrote a LOT of love songs. I chose this one because it's pretty, simple and it says the right words.
Well that's it. In addition to the songs you know, I hope you find a few here that you grow to love.
I love you very much. I'm so lucky and grateful to have you in my life. You're kind, caring, and beautiful.
All my love,
Petey
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