This Valentine’s Day show that you care with the first ever Columbia Spectator love song mix tape! This slightly schizophrenic mix is also available online, so you can properly seduce your partner to the sweet sounds of Johnny Cash, boy bands, and the Flaming Lips. Enjoy!
Lucy Tang (Spec Staff Writer), soulDecision—Faded
“Couldn’t we do what we did last night again? Baby you and I could be better friends. Don’t you think it’s time we went a bit further, oh yeah.”
Rebecca Pattiz (Spec A&E Writer), The Impressions—I’m a Fool for Love
This song perfectly sums up how foolish and impractical love can make you in the most soulful and wrenching way.
Jennie Rose Halperin (Spec Music Editor), Graham Parker—Partner for Life
From Graham Parker’s folk phase comes a song with startlingly poetic lyrics and a snarl reminiscent of his “angry young man” beginnings. “On the wall the paintings of couples intertwined, locked in embraces as if fighting for their lives.” Brilliant.
Andrew Martin (former Spec A&E Editor), Johnny Cash—I Walk the Line
Sweet fidelity and an almost terrifying dedication to surveillance (“I keep my eyes wide open all the time”) coalesce over an unshakeable shuffle. Plus, its perfect for sending mixed messages on a Valentine’s mix, since Cash famously wrote it to convince the wife he was cheating on that he wasn’t cheating on her.
Lianna Carrigan (Spec A&E Writer), Jeff Mangum live @ Jittery Joe’s—I Love How You Love Me
Because Jeff Mangum takes what it is to be in love and puts it into words. Plus, I kiss with my eyes closed.
Reid Sandelands (Spec A&E Writer), Tripping Daisy—I Got a Girl
No matter the ups or downs, true love remains unmoved.
Eva Gonzalez-Ruskiewicz (Spec Weekend Editor), The Flaming lips—Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Part 1
I’ve never been a fan of overly romantic nonsense. I enjoy quirkiness. I don’t think anything is more sincere and loving than simply stating “she won’t let those robots defeat me,” instead.
Elizabeth Simins (Spec A&E Editor), The Smiths—There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
Only The Smiths could write a song about wanting to die with the person you love, and not only get away with it, but have it almost universally acknowledged as one of the best love songs of all time.
Alexandria Symonds (Eye Editor), Neutral Milk Hotel—In the Aeroplane over the Sea
I like the part about mouth muscles. You know a song is a legit makeout song when it mentions mouth muscles. Ignore the oblique Anne Frank references and you should be all set.
Shane Ferro (Spec Food and Drink Editor), Queen—Somebody to Love
This is the desperate story of my life—it’s just too bad that Freddie and I never would have worked out. Somebody, somebody, somebody to loooooove...
Rebecca Evans (Spec Deputy A&E Editor), Mountain Goats—Old College Try
When I heard John Darnielle play this song live, he described it as “the love song about that destructive drunk relationship you have to have in college” (or something along those lines). Does a better love song than that exist?