Five Of The Top Valentine’s Day Songs Of All Time

With February 14th rapidly approaching, it’s that time of year when we’re starting to feel a little bit loved up.

Valentine’s day was named after St. Valentine, who was known for officiating the marriages of young men in secret. Under the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius II, the marriage of young men had been banned, as he felt that single men made better soldiers in war than those who had duties to their wives and children.

St. Valentine was martyred for his cause and was put to death, but his memory – and the lasting legacy of his commitment to love – has lived on throughout the centuries, now manifesting in the form of cards, chocolate, and roses instead of the traditional love letters.

As time has moved on, many of us now have a broader sense of what love truly means to us. For many of us, it is our romantic relationships, but for others, it may be love for our friends, queerplatonic partnerships, or family members.

And while in the West, Valentine’s Day has traditionally been a date for men to seduce women, in many parts of Asia, it is a tradition for women to write love letters to men, and increasingly, women are stepping up their game to romance the man in their life.

Valentine’s Day is now a day for all of us to celebrate the love in our lives, regardless of our gender, sexuality, or religion. Here, are some of the most meaningful love songs for lovers from all walks of life. So snuggle up with the one that means the most to you, put some music on, and enjoy the loving feeling.

1. The Classic: Fly Me To The Moon (Ella Fitzgerald)

There’s nothing quite as romantic as a spot of smooth jazz, and this classic cover by Ella Fitzgerald perfectly captures the sweet playfulness of new love.

Her voice is crooning and lullaby-like, leaving behind her usual power in favour of something a little more tender. This track is deep and multifaceted, and can be easily interpreted as joyful, and perhaps even a little wistful in places, with perfectly controlled trills and dips.

Fly Me To The Moon was originally released as ‘In Other Words’ by Kaye Ballard, and there have been several notable covers, including Frank Sinatra’s famous track. But Ella Fitzgerald put her own subtly nuanced twist on the song, making it sweeter, more vulnerable, and truly genuine in tone.

If you’re searching for the perfect song to slow-dance to in front of the fire this February, you can’t go wrong with this soulful classic.

2. The Hedonist: Take Me To Church (Hozier)

This powerful song by Hozier has a darkly lustful undertone and speaks of how, for him, no religion can compare to the passion he feels for his lover. But this romance comes at a price – Hozier describes how he sacrifices and degrades himself for the approval of the woman he loves, and it is only when he has given everything that he is clean.

A dark and haunting song, which captures the light and the shadows of a hedonistic romance, Take Me To Church is a fascinating insight into religion’s relationship with romance and sexuality, from the euphoria of the union between the sexes, to threats of damnation for the ‘sins of the flesh’.

While Hozier’s lyrics depict the relationship between a man and woman, his exploration of religion’s damning attitudes towards sexuality puts a distinctly ‘queer’ spin on this track, which is explored in the music video which features the relationship between two men.

As per Hozier’s usual style, there is something darkly captivating about his music – fascinating, otherworldly, and at times, gruesome, but always enchanting.

3. The Hippy: All You Need Is Love (The Beatles)

If you’re looking for something a little more joyful, you can’t beat The Beatles! This catchy track is positive, celebratory, and of course, a real earworm.

All You Need Is Love is the ideal song to blast you back to the ‘Summer Of Love’ in 1967, perfectly capturing the hippy mentality that everything is achievable with love, and that love is the only thing that really matters.

This song is a great choice for those of us who want to celebrate love, but aren’t necessarily in a romantic relationship. There is nothing inherently romantic or sexual about this track – instead, it just celebrates the power of love in all its glory, and the abundance of positivity that it brings into the world.

Upbeat, exuberant and an anthem for lovers everywhere, All You Need Is Love is a celebration of all kinds of love everywhere – whether romantic, platonic, or just the simple love that we have for other human beings.

4. The Newly Single: I Will Always Love You (Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston)

Unfortunately, a few of us are always single on Valentine’s Day. And more often than not, Valentine’s Day has a bit of a tendency to bring back memories that we would prefer not to think of.

But embracing the day as an opportunity to acknowledge those feelings is a powerful way to heal from them, and this song is deeply comforting to all the newly single out there. So why not crack open a bottle of wine and a large tub of Ben and Jerry’s, put some Dolly or Whitney on, and do your very best Bridget Jones impression?

You’ll cry so hard, you might just laugh.

5. Fun And Flirty: I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You (UB40)

Elvis Presley’s well-known love song gets a reggae revamp by UK band UB40 in this upbeat track.

While Presley’s original was slow and crooning, the UB40 cover is upbeat, fun, and the perfect track for dancing wildly with your partner as if nobody is watching.

Warm and inviting, this song’s upbeat atmosphere echoes the fuzzy, comfortable feeling that you get when you’re with your soulmate, whoever that is for you.