Love songs.

[sister_luck]

At the moment I'm mostly preoccupied with school stuff - finding texts for exams, hunting for cartoons and so on. There's one project I haven't really started on and I could use your help. It's for my older students who are in their last year and one of the topics I'm doing with them is "Shakespeare's sonnets and modern love songs". Now, I've got Shakespeare's sonnets and a couple of lesson plans, but I'm still looking for love songs.

So, have you got any favourites?

I'm not fussed about the style of the music, but the lyrics should be fairly easy to understand which rules out mumblers like Bob Dylan. We will look at the text and analyse it, so it should be a bit more meaty than just "I love you" - though I could have one example of that kind of song.

Thank you!

Comments

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

What about "Love of my life" by Queen ? It's quite easy to understand.

I'd recommend Elvis Presley's songs too, like "You're Always on My mind"

Anyway,< a href="http://www.romantic-lyrics.com/">this site might help you...

Or http://www.datenlove.com/lovesongs.php

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much - it's good idea to have a couple of 'classics' and the links are great, too!

[kazzy-cee.livejournal.com]

Daniel Bedingfield "If your not the one" is a pretty song with clear lyrics (and a favourite of mine)

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Gah, it's not playing for me right now - I'll have to check back later.

[distractogirl.livejournal.com]

How about 'She's the One' by Robbie Williams? He's fairly understandable when he's not trying to be trendy. Or Something Stupid? Loads of people have covered it, but the one I own is Nicole Kidman and Robbie. Or there's Frank Sinatra's 'I Only Have Eyes For You' - I love that song.

Ok. I'm going to stop now before everyone realises I'm a hopeless romantic.

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Romantic is good! I was thinking about 'Fever' or something like that.

Robbie Williams is a good idea, too.

Thank you!

[distractogirl.livejournal.com]

I can just about manage to shoehorn Robbie into any song suggestion anyone asks for. *snicker* You're just lucky I didn't have time to find the titles of the Kane songs - since there are love songs in that selection too!

[so-sharlemaine.livejournal.com]

Do I have any???

Oh honey....I could make a list for days...but I don't know if it's the kind you're looking for. Here are some anyways, though ;-)

Boz Scaggs - Look What You've Done to Me (http://www.sendspace.com/file/251ihm)

Dierks Bentley - Come a Little Closer (http://www.sendspace.com/file/gadtkl)

The Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin (http://www.sendspace.com/file/k5ug1x)

Restless Heart - The Bluest Eyes in Texas (http://www.sendspace.com/file/9za459)

The Drifters - Unchained Melody (http://www.sendspace.com/file/6n1boz)

Sade - No Ordinary Love (http://www.sendspace.com/delete/3a3e3a/5wkwt)

The Hollies - The Air that I Breathe (http://www.sendspace.com/delete/0ohx92/i4v1g)

The Commodores - Oh No (http://www.sendspace.com/delete/9fu06u/bueas)

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Awww, I love my friendslist and you're a star!

I'll download the songs in a minute and then listen to them properly. I know some of them of course, but I haven't really thought about the lyrics much.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Should it be love songs, as in "I'm in love" or can you go wider, cos I know some great falling out of love and dismissing your avances kind of songs.

If you want to go for the heartache try "I know it's gonna happen someday" (http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/I-Know-It's-Gonna-Happen-Someday-lyrics-Morrissey/24C7D85436477B69482568AB0034E378) from Morrissey.
"I'm The Girl" by Roberta Flack is great for longing without answer. As is "Jesse" (http://www.uppercutmusic.com/artist_r/roberta_flack_lyrics/jesse_lyrics.html). (Though I'm not quite sure whether that last one is supposed to be a love song.)
Chet Baker also has some decent love songs and is very understandable when he sings. His lyrics aren't very thoughtful, though. It's more in the range of Elvis Presley.
Ooh Pulp's "Babies" (http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/Babies-lyrics-Pulp/D96EB275497529E8482568A40015BFAA) is a crazy somewhat anti love song. And the one true love song "Something Changed" (http://www.lyricsdomain.com/16/pulp/something_changed.html). Pulp and Jarvis Cocker lyrics are something to put your teeth in, but not too obscure that you won't understand what he means, and it says on the cover of the CD: "Please do not read whilst listening to the music." so it's best to let the kids listen without giving them the lyrics.

That's what I have for now. Sting and The Police are alse nice and understandable.

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Links to lyrics + You can pester me into burning a CD.

Thank you!

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

I think it would me more interesting to have different stages of love, so yeah, the heartbreak songs are fine, too.

Well, each song will probably get several listenings by the students (first one without lyrics, second one with lyrics with words left out and then a proper one with the complete lyrics).

Thank you very much - and I'll come back to you, when I've narrowed down the field a bit for the actual songs though I should have the Morrissey one.

[kashmanik.livejournal.com]

I'd suggest Tim Buckley's "Song To The Siren". Here's the lyrics, and I'd happily upload it for you if you want a copy...

On the floating, shapeless oceans
I did all my best to smile
til your singing eyes and fingers
drew me loving into your eyes.

And you sang "Sail to me, sail to me;
Let me enfold you."

Here I am, here I am waiting to hold you.
Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you here when I was full sail?

Now my foolish boat is leaning, broken love lost on your rocks.
For you sang, "Touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow."
Oh my heart, oh my heart shies from the sorrow.
I'm as puzzled as a newborn child.
I'm as riddled as the tide.
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Or shall I lie with death my bride?

Hear me sing: "Swim to me, swim to me, let me enfold you."
"Here I am. Here I am, waiting to hold you."




RJA also suggest a couple more (he suggested the above one too, I just like to take the credit!) The Knife's "Heartbeats" and The Cardigans "You're The Storm".

"Heartbeats" -

One night to be confused
one night to speed up truth
we had a promise made
four hands and then away
both under influence
we had divine scent
to know what to say
mind is a razorblade

To call for hands of above to lean on
Wouldn't be good enough for me

One night of magic rush
the start: a simple touch
one night to push and scream
and then relief
ten days of perfect tunes
the colours red and blue
we had a promise made
we were in love

And you
you knew the hand of a devil
and you
kept us awake with wolves teeth
sharing different heartbeats in one night.




"You're The Storm" -

oh it's healing - bang bang bang
i can hear your cannons call
you've been aiming at my land
your hungry hammer is falling

and if you want me I'm your country

I'm an angel bored like hell
and you're a devil meaning well
you steal my lines and you strike me dumb
come raise your flag upon me

and if you want me I'm your country
if you win me I'm forever - oh yeah!

'cause you're the storm that I've been needing
and all this peace has been deceiving
I like the sweet life and the silence
but it's the storm that I believe in

come and conquer and drop your bombs
cross my borders and kill the calm
bear your fangs and burn my wings
I hear bullets singing

and if you want me I'm your country
if you win me I'm forever - oh yeah!

'cause you're the storm that I've been needing
and all this peace has been deceiving
I need some wind to get me sailing
so it's the storm that I believe in

you fill my heart, you keep me breathing
'cause you're the storm that I believe in

and if you want me I'm your country







As with Song To The Siren, I'll upload those two if you want them. All three are a bit more complex than just sappy love songs, so hopefully it's the kind of thing you're after!

[kashmanik.livejournal.com]

And just to let you know - RJA has, at last count, 3984 songs on his iTunes. If you need any more love songs, I'm sure we can find some! :-)

[frances-lievens.livejournal.com]

Err yeah not coming near with my 2606 things, but still since I also have Heartbeats I do think I've got some decent songs on there. (P.S.: tell RJA some of the decent songs are his and I'm always up for more...)

Thank you and thank you rja!

[sister-luck.livejournal.com]

Just judging from the lyrics I think "Song to the Siren" and "You're the Storm" sound really interesting - lots of metaphor to delve into.

I'd definitely be interested to have them, so if you could upload those, too, I'd be eternally grateful!