As February rolls around, love tends to be in the air and on the mind– whether you admit it or not. Wherever you are on Valentine’s day, love never looks the same. Though my music taste leaves much to be desired, I thought I’d share some songs (and my favorite lyrics) for wherever you are romantically this February 14th.
A Single Hopeless Romantic:
- Falling Behind – Laufey
- With an irresistible bossa nova beat, Laufey sings about how it seems like all of her peers dated and fell in love so easily. She expands on feeling inferior because she just can’t seem to fall in love, and therefore, feels like she’s “Falling Behind.”
- Like the Movies – Laufey
- The hopeless romantic in all of us can relate to this one. Meeting at a bookstore, laying under the stars, riding in the car together: Laufey reflects on all of the books and movies portraying love and wonders when, or if, she will ever be in love as deeply as she’s seen in the movies.
- IDK You Yet – Alexander 23
- A large facet of this specific feeling is the desire to fall in love, but not seeing anyone currently in your life as someone you could think of differently. This song is more of a question than anything– where are you?
Crushing…
- Beautiful Stranger – Laufey
- If you haven’t experienced this feeling– you’re missing out. This is the smallest kind of crush– a strong desire to talk to them despite knowing anything about them, not being able to look away even though you know you’re staring. Laufey sings about the possibility of going up to this “beautiful stranger,” the possibility of something starting with meeting a stranger on the bus.
- Still Into You – Paramore
- Though the lyrics themselves talk about an established romantic relationship, I think the energy of this song and specific phrases like, “I should be over all the butterflies, but I’m into you, I’m into you” can be relatable for anyone in the midst of crushing.
- I Wanna Be Yours – Arctic Monkeys
- The title of this song is self-explanatory. Crushing on someone is mainly an infatuation, rather than something unconditional and personal. With yet another hit, Arctic Monkeys describe the feelings of infatuation like poetry. “Secrets I have held in my heart, are harder to hide than I thought,” can be unbearably relatable for anyone stuck in the friendzone.
- Love Like You – Rebecca Sugar
- Made popular by Adventure Time, “Love Like You” is the closing song to every episode– a melancholy ballad describing hopeless adoration for someone. The singer admires this person so much that they can’t understand what about themself is worth loving as much as this person does. Either platonic or romantic, this song is sure to touch your heart.
Falling In Love (FOR REAL?!)
- Here With Me – d4vd
- This song describes a sense of peace around a special person. Not necessarily the butterflies, or the blushing, but the sense of familiarity and home that one special person can create.
- Can’t Help Falling In Love – Elvis Presley
- A classic, this one needs little to no elaboration. This song compares falling in love as inevitable as a river rushing to the sea, something that is meant to be. Certainly one of the most heartfelt (and cheesy) love songs, this one is sure to capture your heart.
- My Love Mine All Mine – Mitski
- An extremely popular song, “My Love, Mine All Mine” by Mitski outlines an exhilarating feeling of knowing that someone doesn’t belong to you, but rather with you. At this moment in time, it feels as if you complete each other. This song can mean a lot of different things to different people; this is my take.
- From The Start – Laufey
- Of course I have to mention unrequited love! Unfortunately, falling for someone who doesn’t return your feelings is a very common phenomenon. To be dramatic, these feelings can not only transcend infatuation, but become something deeper– often ending in tragedy.
NOTE: There are thousands upon thousands of love songs– these are a pitiful few of my many, many favorites.
Heartbreak 🙁
- Let You Break My Heart Again – Laufey
- There are so many different kinds of heartbreak. Yet another Laufey song in the list, “Let You Break My Heart Again” deals with rejection, with realizing that your deep love for someone isn’t reciprocated– at least, in the way that you want it to be. The lyric “One day, I will stop falling in love with you” is one of my favorite lyrics of this short song.
- I Love You So – The Walters
- The Walters wrote this song about falling in love with someone that wasn’t ready for a serious relationship yet. The low BPM and bittersweet tone symbolize a different type of heartbreak– the feeling of knowing someone isn’t good for you, but loving them despite that.
- Out Like a Light – The Honeysticks + Ricky Montgomery
- The only song in this collection that seems to actually be about a breakup, “Out Like A Light” laments the end of a relationship, and still being in love despite a bitter end.
No matter where you are on that fateful February 14, 2024, music is an outlet for almost every emotion you can think of. For the lovesick, for the crushing, to the single, to the hopeless, to the heartbroken: Happy Valentine’s Day.