Muuuuuuuuuuusic, yum.

[brigdh]

lunatunes's theme this week is "love songs that don't suck". Dude, there's no way I wasn't making a post for that. Since they flock everything, below the cut you'll find my post reproduced, instead of just giving you the link. Some of these songs I've posted before, but there are always new people to entertain.

...I feel like which OTP I associate with which song is incredibly obvious, as well as which ones I'm currently writing and therefore have more songs for.

Also, man, it's snowing! The warmest day in a week and a half and it snows; what's up with that? Though I will concede that the flakes catching and sparkling in the light of streetlamps is possibly the most gorgeous sight ever.


Disturbing Songs I adore love songs, and collect bucketsful of them. You know, if you could keep songs in buckets. But I have a particular fondness for songs that are dark, depressing, and focus on the less sunshine-y side of love.

The Mountain Goats - Fault Lines
I got sugar in the fuel lines,
Both of us do.
But a fight and the lies that we both love to tell
Fail to send our love to its reward down in hell.
I got pudding for a backbone,
But so do you.
I am possibly the only person ever who interprets this as a love song, but I do. It reminds me of a pair of bank robbers hanging out on some Caribbean island, spending way too much money and sulking around.

The Mountain Goats - Oceanographer's Choice
And then we fell down, and we locked arms,
We knocked the dresser over as we rolled across the floor.
I don't mean it when I tell you,
That I don't love you any more.
Look at that, would you look at that?
The way the ceiling starts to swerve.
What will I do when I don't have you,
When I finally get what I deserve?
Oh god, that last pair of lines *kills* me so very much. I could listen to it on repeat forever.

The Mountain Goats - Moon over Goldsboro
You were almost asleep, halfway undressed.
I lay right down next to you, held your head against my chest.
And a guy with any kind of courage,
Would maybe stop to think the matter through.
Maybe hold you still and raise the question,
Instead of blindly holding on to you.
But we crank up the heat,
And you giggle and moan.
Look, I love The Mountain Goats and have trouble choosing, okay? But this song is gorgeous and tragic and possibly more about a dead relationship than a current one, but that's still love.

Regina Spektor - Fidelity (Blockhead Remix)
I never loved nobody fully,
Always one foot on the ground.
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds.

And suppose I never met you,
Suppose we never fell in love,
Suppose I never ever let you kiss me so sweet and so soft,
Suppose I never ever saw you,
Suppose we never ever called.
I love this remix; the coldness of the techno beat is such a perfect match for the lyrics. This also falls into the category of "*I* say it's a love song, dammit".

Jose Gonzalez - Lovestain
You left a lovestain on my heart,
And you left a bloodstain on the ground,
But blood comes off easily.
This song would go in 'top love songs!', except, well, the content makes it fit better here. Jose Gonzalez is the current owner of my soul; he is so much darker and wonderful and overally excellent than his cover of 'Heartbeats'- which is the only thing most people have heard- would indicate.

Fisher - Mad Girl's Love Song
I dreamed how you bewitched me into bed,
And how you kissed me quite insane.
I close my eyes, the world drops dead,
I think I made you up inside my head.
Because, seriously, how could a pretty piano pop cover of Sylvia Plath *not* be awesome?

Rufus Wainwright - Greek Song
You who were born where you shiver and you shudder,
You turn me on.

All the pearls of China
Fade astride a volta.
Don't sew beelines to anybody's hide,
Save your poison for a lover who is on your side.
This song is so sweet and pretty, at least until I noticed the whole thing about poison.

Matthew Good Band - Alabama Motel Room
Say you love me,
We will never get the chance again.
Songs featuring guys enacting bloody vengeance on their girlfriends' killers are about love too!

Tom McRae - Day Like Today
I wish I could comfort you.
If love is our defence,
It's alright, I can comfort you.
If you let me, I could love you to death.
This song sounds far too simple and pretty for its lyrics. But I love it anyway.

Naked Raven - Skin
Don't look back and don't look down.
Take me whole and hard and take me home.
Pin my wrists and hold me down,
Everything can wait but now,
Take me whole and hard and take me home.
Chamber pop about bondage! And, you know, love. This song is the very top most-played on my ipod; I adore it beyond the telling of it.

Nine Inch Nails - The Perfect Drug
I got my head, but my head is unraveling,
Can't keep control, can't keep track of where it's traveling.
I got my heart, but my heart's no good,
And you're the only one that's understood.

And I want you, and I want you, and I want you, and I want you:
You are the perfect drug.
It's about love! Fucked-up love, but that still counts.

Massive Attack - Safe From Harm
Midnight ronkers,
City slickers,
Gunmen and maniacs:
All will feature on the freakshow.
And I can't do nothing 'bout that, no.
But if you hurt what's mine,
I'll sure as hell retaliate.
Despite the violence of the lyrics, this song is a gorgeous example of how lovely trip-hop can get.

Bizarre Religious Metaphors, Yay! I was not actually planning to have this category when I started writing this post. But then I realized that I had a bunch of songs that talked about Jesus, and hey, who am I to argue when the universe starts pointing out parallels? Feel free to suggest others to me; apparently I should start collecting these.

Jose Gonzalez- Crosses
Don't you know that I'll be around to guide you?
Through your weakest moments, to leave them behind you.
Returning nightmares, only shadows.
We'll cast some light and you'll be alright.
Jose Gonzalez is the current owner of my soul! This song is lovely and sweet and gentle.

Extra Glenns - Going to Marrakesh
And our love is like Jesus, but worse.
Though you seal the cave up where you've lain its body,
It rises.
It rises.
A song about trying not to be in love, and failing, which is somehow still amazingly awesome. Who knew denial could be sound so hopeful?

The Hold Steady - Citrus
Hey citrus, hey liquor,
I love it when you touch each other.
Hey whiskey, hey ginger,
I come to you with rigid fingers.

And I've had kisses that make Judas seem sincere.
Pretty folk music with bitter lyrics is always a good combination.

Iron & Wine - Jezebel
Who's seen Jezebel?
She was gone before I ever got to say,
Lay here, my love, you're the only shape I pray to,
Jezebel.

Sayin' wait,
We swear we'll love you more,
And wholly, Jezebel,
It's we, we that you are for only.
You probably don't need me to tell you how pretty Iron & Wine's music is, but, um. *So* pretty.

Bell X1 - Flame
But, oh, how your neck
Flows to your shoulder.
It draws me, it draws me to your flame.

Your flesh it melts in my mouth
Like Holy Communion,
But you don't really care for
Jesus, now, do you?
The lyrics are so sensual; I cannot help absolutely adoring this song.

Porcupine Tree - Lazarus
My David, don't you worry,
This cold world is not for you,
So rest your head upon me,
I have strength to carry you.
This song is very different from Porcupine Tree's usual style; it's very delicate, more of a pop song than metal.

Regina Spektor - Samson
Oh, I cut his hair myself one night:
A pair of dull scissors and the yellow light.
And he told me that I'd done alright,
And kissed me till the morning light, the morning light,
And he kissed me till the morning light.
I think this song might have already been posted, but whatever. It's far too pretty to allow anyone to miss a chance to hear it.

Top Ten Love Songs Ever! (Plus Two) Not in order, because I clearly already had enough trouble picking ten.
1.Neutral Milk Hotel - Love You More Than Life
And I'm all screwed up,
But I feel all right,
Sinking deeper all the time
Inside a hole deep in my mind,
But I love you, I love you,
More than life.
So. Pretty.

2.The Mountain Goats - Love Love Love
Some things you do for money,
And some you'll do for fun,
But the things you do for love
Are gonna come back to you one by one.
Not quite a love song the way most of these are, but rather a song about love itself, with incredible- though dark- lyrics.

3.Regina Spektor - Better
If you never say your name out loud to anyone,
They can never ever call you by it.
If I kiss you where it’s sore,
Will you feel better, better, better?
Will you feel anything at all?
Oh, *yes*. So, I'm not the only person who always wants to kiss people I love all better, right?

4.Live - Forever May Not Be Long Enough
Forever may not be long enough for this love.
This world is never enough,
And I'm not giving up.
My faith in love is like blood,
I'd spill it freely for some,
My faith in love is like blood.
Vaguely-Middle Eastern influenced rock that is so very fun. I've adored this song for years.

5.Poe - Amazed
I don't know just what it is you do,
But do it again!
I'm amazed,
When push comes to shove what I'd give to you:
Everything.
This song somehow becomes *even better* if you've read House of Leaves and get the references. But it's very good even without that.

6.Bif Naked - Lucky
It was a Monday, when my lover told me,
"Never pay the reaper with love only."
What could I say to you, except, I love you.
And I’d give my life for yours.
I know we are, we are the lucky ones.
I got this song off of 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' ages ago, and I adore it so much that I've never stopped listening to it since. It's just so pretty, funny and sweet.

7.Songs Ohia- Captain Badass
We get no second chance in this life,
So a hot pulse is alright,
So a quick pulse is alright,
So a hot kiss is alright,
So a long kiss is alright,
So a long night is alright,
And all night is alright.
This song rocks with its determination and belief.

8.Matthew Good Band - Whispering in the Dark
Humming softly to the beating of the drum inside his chest,
A contradicting fool,
A trick he learned in high school.
He always hurts the ones he loves the best.
And I have been told that every day in the sun is a good day

Would you believe me if I told you that the stories were true?
Would you believe me if I told you that the whole world was blue?
Would you believe me if I told you that I was wrong?
Would you believe me if I told you this was a song about love?
Although my love for the Matthew Good Band is vast and encompassing and includes pretty much their entire catalouge, I do think this song is my very favorite.

9.Madeleine Peyroux - Dance Me to the End of Love
Dance me to your beauty with a burning violin.
Dance me through the panic 'til I'm gathered safely in.
Lift me like an olive branch and be my homeward dove.

Let me see your beauty when the witnesses are gone.
Let me feel you moving like they do in Babylon.
Show me slowly what I only know the limits of.
I don't normally listen to jazz, but this song is too good to allow for genre restrictions.

10.Gayleen Froese - Sparrows
Only so close, only so far.
Can't stand to know where the demarcations are.
I won't be told,
"Hold it there."
I won't care,
I don't, I don't care.
No intervention,
no follow-through.
God watches sparrows
And I watch you.
Gayleen Froese deserves to be so much more famous than she is. This song has followed me for years, and I always come back to it as one of my favorites.

11.Massive Attack (ft Tracey Thorn) - Protection
I stand in front of you,
I'll take the force of the blow,
Protection.
Slow, sultry trip-hop could make anything sound like a love song, but this one has awesome lyrics also.

12. Deftones - Passenger
Roll these misty windows down,
To catch my breath,
And then go, and go, and go; just drive me
Home and back again.
Here I lay just like always.
Don't let me go,
Take me to the edge.
The lyrics are not adequate to describe the awesomeness of this song, the way it builds and rolls and perfectly captures that feeling of needing motion. Possibly more of a sex song (with intimations of bondage, even) than a love song, I adore the relationship sketched in vague details. This is truly my favorite song ever, about any topic; if you only get one song from this post, make it this one.