Oldies: Songs of Romance & Love

Valentine’s Day is blowing in faster than our Northeast windchill. So treat yourself to some festive holiday chocolates and other Valentine goodies as you take a stroll to the intersection of Memory Lane and Love Song Street from decades gone by. Some are Happy Love, some are Demanding Love, some are songs of Broken Hearts while others are just plain Romantic and Fun.

The 50’s and 60’s wracked up plenty of songs covering happy love and love gone bad. Dion freely admits he loves his women, but he can’t help it, he’s The Wanderer and has got to keep moving! Bobby Lewis has it so bad, he’s Tossin’ and Turnin’ – love sure knows how to keep you from a good night sleep! The Doors get right to the point with their smash hit of “instant love” – Hello I Love You.

When it comes to hard-core romance, the 70’s soul Philly group, The Stylistics had the market cornered. Ten songs hit the Billboard Top 40 with hits like: You Are Everything, You Make Me Feel Brand New, I’m Stone in Love with You, Betcha By Golly Wow – and more. Also disco hit the dance floor with Donna Summer leading the way with her sensual Love To Love You Baby and her demanding Hot Stuff – and no doubt about it, she needed it NOW!

In 1987, bassist/vocalist of The Cars, Benjamin Orr, spun off Stay The Night, a beautiful one-hit wonder. Also breaking out on his own in the 80’s, Eric Carmen, lead singer of the Raspberries, gave us a boatload of love songs like: Hungry Eyes (from the film Dirty Dancing), All By Myself, etc.

Enjoy the good, the bad and the ugly of love songs from the past:

Memories Are Made of This – Dean Martin ‘55

I Want You, I Need You, I Love You – Elvis ‘56

You Send Me – Sam Cooke ‘57

Only The Lonely (Know How I Feel) – Roy Orbison ‘60

Calendar Girl – Neil Sedaka ‘60

Heart & Soul – The Cleftones ‘61

The Wanderer – Dion ‘61

Once In A While – The Chimes ‘61

Tossin’ & Turnin’ – Bobby Lewis ‘61

What Kind of Love Is This – Joey Dee & the Starliters ‘62 (from the film: 2 Tickets To Paris)

I Left My Heart In San Francisco – Tony Bennett ‘62

The Night Has A Thousand Eyes – Bobby Vee ‘62

Take These Chains From My Heart – Ray Charles ‘63

Tell Him – The Exciters ‘63

Love Me Do – The Beatles ‘64

Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat – Herman’s Hermits ‘65

Strangers In The Night – Frank Sinatra ‘66 (from the film: A Man Could Get Killed)

As Tears Go By – The Rolling Stones ‘66

Tell It To The Rain – The 4 Seasons ‘67

To Sir With Love – Lulu ‘67

Somebody to Love – Jefferson Airplane ‘67

Hello I Love You – The Doors ‘68

(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher – Rita Coolidge ‘77

Love The One You’re With – Isley Brothers ‘71 Stephen Stills also ‘71

Have You Seen Her – Chi-Lites ‘71

You Are Everything – Stylistics ‘71

I’m Stone In Love With You – Stylistics ‘72

Betcha By Golly, Wow – Stylistics ‘72

Everybody Plays The Fool – Main Ingredient ‘72

We’ve Got to Get It On Again – Addrisi Brothers ‘72 (lost hit rarely heard on the oldies stations)

Tighter and Tighter – Alive & Kicking (group produced by Tommy James) ‘72

Could It Be I’m Falling In Love – The Spinners ‘73

You Make Me Feel Brand New – Stylistics ‘74

Air That I Breathe – The Hollies ‘74

Love To Love You Baby – Donna Summer – ‘76

It’s So Easy – Linda Ronstadt ‘77

You and I – Rick James ‘78

Because the Night – Patti Smith Group ‘78 (Written by Smith and Bruce Springsteen)

Seven Year Ache – Roseanne Cash ‘81

How Bout Us – Champaign ‘81

Mama Used to Say – Junior ‘82

On The Wings of Love – Jeffrey Osborne ‘82

They Don’t Know Tracy Ullman ’84

Freeway of Love – Aretha Franklin ‘85

Crazy For You – Madonna ‘85

Love Theme From St. Elmo’s Fire – David Foster ‘85

Glory of Love – Peter Cetera ‘86 (from the film Karate Kid II)

Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer ‘86

Man Size Love – Klymax ‘86 (from the film Running Scared)

Stay The Night – Benjamin Orr ‘ 87 (bassist/vocalist for The Cars)

Catch Me I’m Falling – Pretty Poison ‘87

Tell It To My Heart – Taylor Dayne ‘87

Hungry Eyes – Eric Carmen (former lead singer for Raspberries) ‘87 (from the movie Dirty Dancing)

Load your favorite oldies into your listening devices or check them out on YouTube. All these blasts from our past are sure to tickle your fancy (and your memory) as we celebrate all things love and romance on Valentine’s Day.

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