The music of love. Your Valentine’s playlist courtesy of my iTunes library

If you were suddenly stranded on a deserted island with only one form of entertainment what would it be? Every season of Seinfeld, Family Guy, Dancing with the Stars? What about your Wii, or ESPN or Lifetime Channels?

I don’t even need to stop and think about that question – it would be music, with 100% assurance. If you were to knock on my door, and I’m home, music will be playing in the background. In fact, as I write this I’m sitting in a airport with Greg Karukas piping through my earphones.

Music, it seems, is part of my DNA and it’s also a necessary ingredient for a memorable Valentine’s Day. When a couple is celebrating their love for one another, on this most romantic of holiday seasons, the right musical ambiance is as essential as a bouquet of roses.

There’s just on problem, what to play?

I can tell you it certainly isn’t your local radio station’s compilation of love songs. Don’t let me find out you did this. And it also isn’t one your brother-in-law’s ‘mix-tapes ’ from back when he was a DJ in college.  You have to put forth a bit more effort than that. The right music playlist, given the proper attention, is guaranteed to add love and romance to any Valentine’s Day festivities. So, being the guy I am, I’ve dug through my modestly-vast iTunes library and handpicked 30 of the most sultry and velvety love songs I’ve got. Now I should warn you I have broad musical tastes, there’s plenty of R&B, for obvious reasons, 70’s, 80’s, jazz, lounge, electronic and chances are good there’ll be more than a few you’ve never heard of  but you have to trust me on this, I know what I’m talking about. I’ve embedded a few here and the others you will need to find. So check them out, plug them in, and let the love begin!

As a guide, I’ve marked each song as one of three types:

♠  -  cocktail music

♣  -  dinner music

♥  -  baby making music

Happy Valentine’s Day!

1. Shalimar – For the Lover in you ♠
2. St. Germaine – Sure Thing ♥ 
   
3. Sade – Your love is King ♥
4. Tony Bennet – The Shadow of Your Smile ♣
5. Teddy Pendergrass – Love TKO ♥ 
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6. Stevie Wonder – My Cherie Amour ♠
7. Rufus and Chaka Khan – Sweet Thing ♥
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8. Prince – Nothing Compares 2 U ♥
9. Poco – In the Heart of the Night ♠
10. Player – Baby come Back ♠
    
11. Pierre Bensusan – Nefertari ♣
12. Paul Davis – I go crazy ♠
13. Michael Franks – Every time she whispers ♣
14. Maxwell – ‘Till the cops come knocking ♥
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15. Little River Band – Lady ♠
16. Commodores – Sweet Love ♣
17. Kem – Love Calls ♥ 
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18. Isley Brothers – Smooth Salin’ Tonight ♠
19. Hil St. Soul – Paradise ♥
20. Gordon Lightfoot – Beautiful ♣
21. Gipsy Kings – Obsesion De Amor ♣ 
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22. Gabriela Anders – Fire of Love ♣
23. Freddie Jackson – Rock Me Tonight ♥
24. Frank Sinatra – Stardust ♣

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25. Bill Evans – Spartacus’s Love Theme ♣
26. Billie Holiday –I love you Porgy ♣
27. Blue Six – If you turn your back on love ♥
28. Dephazz – Nonsensical Thing ♥ 
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29. Antonio Carlos Jobim – Corcovodo ♣
30. Kurt Elling – Winelight ♥
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