Twenty Romantic Love Songs for Valentine's Day

Music is one of the elixirs of life. It sets the tone, creates the mood, makes an impression and enhances experiences. It has the power to elicit long-dead memories of happiness, love, sadness and even angst.

Based upon the beauty and sensuality of the melody and music and the sentimentality of the lyrics, here is a list of what are, in this woman's opinion, twenty of the most romantic, sexiest love songs ever recorded. These songs are perfect for sitting in front of the fire with a glass of wine with your significant other. Allow the music and the melodies to whisk the two of you away on a night filled with romance, song, love and passion.

Happy Valentine's Day

20. Love Me Tender
As recorded by Elvis Presley
Not exactly an original, this song was actually adapted from a Civil war ballad called "Aura Lea." Ken Darby original wrote most of the lyrics, yet credit was given to Presley and Vera Matson, Darby's wife. The question isn't who has covered this tune; the real question is who hasn't? Everyone from Frank Sinatra to Merle Haggard,
Willie Nelson, Ricky Nelson and Linda Ronstadt have covered this tune.

19. Can't Help Falling in Love
As recorded by Elvis Presley
Again, this song wasn't exactly an original. It was based upon "Plaisir d'amour," a classical French love song written in the 1700's. And again, who hasn't covered this tune? Doris Day, Bob Dylan, Richard Marx, Clay Aiken, Harry Connick, Jr.; the list goes on. But it is the Presley version best to be included on a Valentine's Day playlist.

18. Endless Love
As recorded by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie
Written by Lionel Richie, this song was used as the theme song to the movie "Endless Love" (1981). The movie was crappy, but the song was the second-biggest selling single of that year (the first was Olivia Newton-John's "Physical"). The song was covered by Kenny Rogers and Mariah Carey and has been performed on American Idol three times.

17. You Are So Beautiful
As recorded by Joe Cocker
First recorded by Billy Preston in 1974, Joe Cocker made this song a hit in 1975. His version reached the number 5 position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1975. It has been covered by the likes of Tanya Tucker, Diana Ross, Al Green, Bonnie Tyler and Donny Osmond.

16. Maybe I'm Amazed
As recorded by Paul McCartney and Wings
Written by Paul McCartney, dedicated to his late wife, Linda, this song was not released as a single until McCartney and his band Wings released a live performance version. It became a top ten hit in 1976. It has been covered by Petula Clark, Joe Cocker, and the like.

15. My Heart Will Go On
As recorded by Celine Dion
This theme song from the movie "Titanic" (1997) was the best selling single of all time, number 1 all over the world.

14. Lay, Lady, Lay
As recorded by Bob Dylan
It was released in 1969 on Dylan's "Nashville Skyline" album. It has been covered by Cher, Hoyt Axton, Neil Diamond, Everly Brothers, Isaac Hayes, The Isley Brothers, The Everly Brothers, Della Reese and numerous other artists.

13. I Will Always Love You
As recorded by Dolly Parton or Whitney Houston
Originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974 (who also wrote the song), Whitney Houston's version in 1992 became one of the best-selling singles of all time. Houston's version was recorded for the soundtrack for "The Bodyguard" (1992). This song has actually appeared in five major films: "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," "My Bodyguard," (1992) "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974), "It's My Party" (1996). It has been covered by Vince Gill, Connie Talbot and Kenny Rogers, used for auditions and rapper Lil Wayne plays it at the end of each concert for his audience to listen to.

12. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
As recorded by Roberta Flack
Originally, this was a folk song, written by Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger in 1957. Roberta Flack covered it in 1969 with a much slower version and took it into mainstream pop music. Flack's version was used in the film "Play Misty for Me" (1971) and won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1972. Elvis Presley, George
Michael, Celine Dion, Engelbert Humperdinck, Wayne Newton, Johnny Cash and a long list of other artists have covered this tune.

11. Three Times a Lady
As recorded by The Commodores
Written by the phenomenal Lionel Richie, the song topped the charts at number one for two weeks in August of 1978. It was covered by Conway Twitty and has been used countless times in television shows, as well as parodied.

10. Truly Madly Deeply
As recorded by Savage Garden
Australian pop band Savage Garden released this song in 1997. In 1998, it was used for the soundtrack of the movie "Music From Another Room." It reached number one for two weeks in January 1998. It's bound to be covered in the future.

9. Time in a Bottle
As recorded by Jim Croce
"Time in a Bottle" reached the top of the charts in December of 1973, three months after writer Jim Croce was killed in a plane crash. It has been a classic ever since.

8. Make You Feel My Love/To Make You Feel My Love
As recorded by Trisha Yearwood or Garth Brooks
Actually, this is a Bob Dylan tune, covered by Billy Joel, Neil Diamond, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Hicks and others, as well as Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks. Both Yearwood's and Brooks's versions appear on the soundtrack for the movie "Hope Floats" (1998) but only Yearwood's version is heard in the movie.

7. At Last
As recorded by Etta James
This song was originally written for a musical film, "Orchestra Wives" (1942). Glenn Miller and his orchestra were the first to record the song for the film. It has since been covered by Etta James, Celine Dion, Beyoncé, Lou Rawls, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, Stevie Nicks, Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride and a long list of other
artists. Etta James' version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle danced to a number of renditions of the song at ten different balls honoring his inauguration.

6. Unchained Melody
As recorded by The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers recorded it in 1965 and it's been a hit ever since. It has been covered over 500 times and in hundreds of different languages. It was the perfect song for the movie "Ghost." (1998)

5. The Rose
As recorded by Bette Midler
Performed by Bette Midler in the movie "The Rose" (1979), this song sold over half a million copies and was certified gold by RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America). Midler won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song. It has been covered by Conway Twitty, LeAnn Rimes, Harry Belafonte and
countless others.

4. Unforgettable
As recorded by Nat King Cole and Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole
A timeless classic, written by Irving Gordon, a/k/a, Irving Goldner, the original title of the song was "Uncomparable." It was the music publishing company which requested Irving change the title to "Unforgettable." Nat King Cole recorded the most popular version in 1951. Forty years later, thanks to advances in technology,
Cole's daughter Natalie was able to record an edited and remixed version of the song with her father. Truly, unforgettable. And, yes, it's been covered. By everybody.

3. 10,000 miles
As recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter for the movie "Fly Away Home" (1996). Included on Carpenter's "Party Doll and other Favorites" CD.

2. Moondance
As recorded by Van Morrison
The album Moondance by Irish folk rocker Van Morrison contained this timeless classic. The was released in 1970 and has been on many lists of best albums of all time. However, the song "Moondance" was not released as a single until 1977. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. Covers of "Moondance"
covered by Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Chris Botti were featured in the film "August Rush" (2007). For some reason, I find this song to be one of the sexiest songs ever recorded.

1. Kiss From a Rose
As recorded by Seal
Played at the end of "Batman Forever" (1995), won Grammy awards in 1996 for record of the year, song of the year and best pop vocal performance covered by Irish vocal trio Triniti and Japanese artist Angela Aki, King's Singers, Katherine Jenkins and Northern Kings. Jack Black also performed a cover on a 2007 American Idol charity special. The lyrics don't make a bit of sense but the melody, vocals and harmonies make this a very sensuous song. The video on YouTube is set to Japanese animé but it is an awesome accompaniment to this beautiful, albeit enigmatic, love song.

Sources:

Wikipedia.org
Internet Movie Database
Personal Record Collection