Comments on: Happy Valentine’s Day! https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/ A blog about political change, among other things Sat, 16 Feb 2019 12:32:51 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 By: huxley https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423555 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 12:32:51 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423555 A favorite of mine, as sung by Julie London. Intimate, throaty, velvet voice…. A great shame that she changed her style later on.

Julie near Chicago: It was the London version of “Valentine” in neo’s list which popped for me. I don’t know her aside from “Cry Me a River.” She’s a classy singer.

My favorite “Valentine” is still Chet Baker’s, maybe because it was the first version I really listened to. I love the way he kept it small and the jazz so pure, spare, yet inventive.

You can hear a lot of Chet Baker in Elvis Costello’s later style and you would not be mistaken.

]]> By: huxley https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423554 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 12:13:33 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423554 neo: Yeah, I know the Jimmy Rodgers version, but my parents were beatniks so for me it was the Weavers.

Lord, it’s a beautiful tune and the lyrics downright wholesome! It was loosely adapted from an Irish song about a cow….

]]> By: neo https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423542 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 05:15:12 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423542 huxley:

I actually thought to put the Weavers’ “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” in there, but I though it was too obscure (I was raised on the Weavers). However, the pop version, quite popular in 1957, was by Jimmy Rodgers.

]]> By: Julie near Chicago https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423521 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 05:11:55 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423521 “Mad about the Boy,” / It’s pretty funny, but I’m Mad about the Boy ….

A favorite of mine, as sung by Julie London. Intimate, throaty, velvet voice…. A great shame that she changed her style later on.

]]> By: Julie near Chicago https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423516 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 04:56:49 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423516 DNW, “Bewitched, &c.” is from Pal Joey, which opened on Broadway in (I think) 1940. From stories by John O’Hara; music by Richard Rodgers.

]]> By: huxley https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423508 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 04:02:42 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423508 How could I forget the Lovin’ Spoonful!

I’ll throw another log on the fire with “Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” because this blog doesn’t get enough commie folksingers.

It’s not as upbeat as “Do You Wanna Dance” but it’s the same old story, only in it for the long haul.

“Kisses Sweeter Than Wine” — The Weavers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDa7Q8DZQ_M

]]> By: neo https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423501 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 02:31:46 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423501 Let’s see, happy love songs…

I’d add Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay,” Donovan’s “Jennifer Juniper,” the Beatles’ “The Long and Winding Road,” Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe,” Aretha Franklin’s “Natural Woman,” Leo Sayers’ “When I Need You,” the Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Rain On the Roof” and “Do You Believe in Magic.”

]]> By: huxley https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423489 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 01:14:25 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423489 It’s not easy to have popular happy love songs

Tom Grey: That’s a tough challenge. You’ve got a good list and I have trouble extending it.

Even the Beatles didn’t have many unalloyed happy love songs. “She Loves You” has the shadow of a misunderstanding hanging over it. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is a prologue to love. Your “I Feel Fine” is a fine choice.

The problem, I think, is songs often tell stories. Stories don’t bask in happy love. Stories involve conflict and an arc or some sort or they are not stories.

I think you missed a bet on Van Morrison, assuming he is popular enough for your metric.

“Jackie Wilson Said (I’m in Heaven When You Smile)”
“Brown-Eyed Girl”
“Moondance”
“Caravan”
“Crazy Love”
“Gloria”

I’m sure Stevie Wonder and the Monkees have a part to play in your list as well. Then there’s Bob Dylan’s uncharacteristic “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.”

]]> By: Gringo https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423487 Sat, 16 Feb 2019 01:03:46 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423487 Found this one:
Q: How many singers does it take to sing My Funny Valentine?
A. All of them.

]]> By: Tom Grey https://thenewneo.com/2019/02/14/happy-valentines-day-3/#comment-2423415 Fri, 15 Feb 2019 14:19:16 +0000 https://www.thenewneo.com/?p=84788#comment-2423415 All good, and a bit different.
I liked Carmen the best, despite having the slowest beginning. Great phrasing on the “Is your figure less than Greek…”, plus fantastic rising voice at end.

It’s not easy to have popular happy love songs — much much more sad, lost, breakup songs. Both in jazz and my far more listened to pop rock.
One great smiling song that comes to mind is the Turtles – Happy Together
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvu3xiFmfDU

I made a list of many pop songs, including Do You Wanna Dance, since my wife and I love dancing together.
https://tomgrey.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/happy-love-songs-not-just-for-valentines-day/

Was busy with wife on V-Day. We saw a surprisingly good RomCom: Crazy, Stupid Love (2011 – in Slovak, so I continue to slowly improve). Not too stupid, like too many comedies now.

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