It was on Valentine’s day night when I got home and rummaged through my iTunes and began to consider my favorite love songs of all time.  It got delayed, so I figured better late than never.

Now, I claim no authority whatsoever in this arena. My music taste was stunted growing up by Christian Radio and Country. Sorry, WNWC Madison & Mom & Dad, you were a positive influence, but not very developmental to my music taste. Except Dad with the Beach Boys.  Thanks to the Delt boys, most notably Ferg, for making this list become slightly more sophisticated. Note the word “slightly…”

10. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant – Billy Joel. Not well known, but special for me. I used to work nights as a janitor in high school and the last stop was cleaning a local country club bar and grill. I played this song on the juke box initially after Piano Man while mopping the bar room floor. Eventually, I grew to like it more than Piano Man. Billy Joel at his finest – creative style, playful lyrics, nostalgic.

9. If I Ain’t Got You  – Alicia Keys. An old school woman in a new school world – and schools ‘em all.  So gifted. She’s amazing.

8. Secret Garden – Bruce Springsteen. I love this song because the Boss knows lyrics like no one else. Bold statement, I know, but have you ever listened to Nebraska? My, that is a sad album. A friend introduced me to it, and it’s haunting. Anyway, Bruce nails this one and I love how he describes a woman. Rene Zellweger on Jerry MacGuire is a plus, too.  Close second for the Boss would be Rosalita. I’d be proud to be from Jersey just because of Bruce & E-Street.

7. It’s Your Love – Faith Hill, Tim McGraw. Some of you will stop reading the list now because it’s country.  That’s your loss.  But if you know me, you have to realize this is where I come from and I can’t deny my roots.  Yes it is syrupy sweet, but it is golden. Priceless memory of this song is seeing it live in Soldier Field with my late fraternity brother & big bro, Eric, and his then girlfriend and future wife sitting on his shoulders trying to see the stage. Rest in peace, Eric.

6. Sweet Child of Mine, GNR. Some of you think I’ve lost it, but yes, this is a love song.  Go ahead and argue me on it, but Axl does something pretty special with this piece. Not traditional by any means, but then again, neither am I. The crazy thing about this song? GNR wrote it in five minutes with Slash messing around on a set. No joke. This song is perfect for driving in the summer with the windows down.

5. Just Like Heaven – The Cure. I don’t exactly know why, but there is something about this song that I enjoy with each ensuing time I listen to it…can’t explain it. I could easily switch this out with “Friday I’m in Love” and have no qualms about it.

4. Something – Beatles. Like the Cure, I love this song the more I listen to it.  Harrison’s a genius. Or he smoked a lot of dope and did a lot of drugs. Or both. The lyrics fit the style of the song, too, which is just awesome.  If I were a Beatle, I think I’m most like George. Or Paul. Depends on the day.

3. A Kiss to Build a Dream On – Louis Armstrong. Old school. Syrupy. But there’s that uncomparable voice with the trumpet. Will there ever be another like him? No way. Pure class. I wish I could have heard him live at the Green Mill back in the day.

2. The Luckiest – Ben Folds. Anything I would say about this song would cheapen it’s simple, honest beauty.

1. God Only Knows – Beach Boys. Love this song. Haunting opening lyric, “I may not always love you,” but it’s a realistic honest confession of love. The harmonies trailing off in the end is the bestest…

From “A New Way of Struggling” by Susan W. N. Ruach

To stuggle used to be

To grab with both hands

and shake

and twist

and turn

and push

and shove and not give in

But wrest an answer from it all

As Jacob did a blessing.

But there is another way

To struggle with an issue, a question-

Simply to jump

off

into the abyss

and find ourselves

floating

falling

tumbling

being led

slowly and gently

but surely

to the answers God has for us-

to watch the answers unfold

before our eyes and still

to be a part of the unfolding

But oh! the trust

necessary for this new way!

Not to be always reaching out

For the old hand-holds.

I wish I had thought of this idea.  Not only would you get to see the world, but you would have such a good time.

Some of you have probably already seen this already…I’m kinda behind in YouTube watching.  Like I don’t do it much.  This is one that most people have seen before.

To read more about the creation of this, check out this article.

The song is sung in Bengali, and the translation is this:

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

Stream of Life
by Rabindranath Tagore

A very thoughtfully crafted, yet simple video.

I love thoughtful art.