Songs in the Key of Love

Lyric Koch, Perspectives editor

Valentine’s day can elicit a bunch of emotions from  heartbroken and in tears, or infatuated and in love. Meeting a person, crushing on them, being in love, and breaking up is an intense cycle. Music helps people connect with their emotions and experience new feelings. Here are the most relatable songs for wherever you are in this spiral of love.

Love at First Sight- Being in a sea of people and catching someone’s eye even though the crowd is overwhelming usually how people experience  love at first sight. “Kiss Her You Fool” by Kids That Fly is an upbeat and fun rock song to get the adrenaline rushing, as it does when you experience love at first sight. Also, the classic “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Vallie is a perfect example of these emotions, as the lyrics say “You’re just too good to be true.”

Crushing- A crush, reciprocated or not, is a roller coaster of emotions, like seeing them in the hallways and getting those butterflies. 

“She Wants Me (To Be Loved)” by The Happy Fits perfectly shows sticking by someone’s side even if you want more. The lyrics go into detail about watching the person you love being into someone else, as they sing “All of the boys, you kiss-and-tell/ Though, I’ll never be them, see, I’m just a good friend.” Another song that displays this exact thing is “Looking Out for You” by Joy Again. The vocals are soft yet the emotion is full of yearning and desire.  Listening to a love song is one thing, but a song about a crush gives the listener a giddy feeling.

Honeymoon Period- Finally getting into a relationship with the person you have crushed on for so long is equivalent to winning the lottery.  

“Valentine” by Laufey represents just that feeling with soft instruments and mellow vocals. “Could This Be Love?” by Saturn 17 speaks for anyone in utter shock by their partner. This band’s vocals are angelic and help relay the feeling of how amazing this time period is. 

Falling in Love- The deep connection between two people often starts by falling in love, which comes with periods of euphoria and other extremely intense feelings. 

“Softly” by Clairo is a chill alternative song that also showcases the early stages of being in love with the lyrics. She sings “Touch you softly I call you up late at night/ Know that it isn’t right/ But you can be my one and only”.Another song with a beautiful instrumental background and powerful vocals is “Golden Hour” by JVKE. 

Conflict in a Relationship- After the honeymoon phase, the bickering begins to act as a wall in between two people that is hard to break. 

“Afterglow” by Taylor Swift explains it perfectly. Her writing is relatable yet poetic, which makes her music even more enjoyable. She sings “I lived like an island, punished you with silence/  went off like sirens, just cryin’”. Additionally, “tolerate it” by Taylor Swift displays her talents of writing “I know my love should be celebrated, but you tolerate it”. Not only does she use many poetic elements in this song, she sings with a piano to help the listener feel more emotion.

Falling Out of Love- After having a deep connection for so long, falling out of love is as heart-breaking as a balloon coming out of your hands as a kid.  

“Are you bored Yet?” by Wallows, like the title shows, the band sings about their significant other getting bored of them and their connection. 

“Doomsday” by Lizzy McAlpine is one of the most powerful and emotional songs about this topic. Her heart breaking songwriting is one of a kind, like when she writes “Pull the plug, make it painless/ I don’t want a violent end”. 

Breaking Up- Relationships coming to an end leads to different feelings depending on the person. Some people feel like they will never recover, while others feel a sense of relief.  The ultimate breakup playlist may vary depending on the situation, but “A Soulmate Who Wasn’t Meant To Be” by Jess Benko will make anyone shed a tear with the overall vibe of the song. Her soft voice and soft guitar playing fits the vibe of breaking up all too well.  Almost any song written by Conan Gray is gut-wrenching, but “Memories” is ideal for a break up when they just won’t stop showing up at your doorstep. 

Moving On- Finally being over whatever happened in the past is a breath of fresh air. “Evergreen” by Omar Apollo is the perfect representation of knowing you deserve better with a chill vibe and calming beats and vocals.  Also, “Clean” by Taylor Swift is an absolutely amazing song for the same feeling. As stated before, Taylor is an incredibly talented songwriter and she proves this even more with the bridge of this song. 

 

It is hard to put how you feel into words, however, music can articulate those feelings. Music connects people around the world, and a variety of songs can be relatable for a variety of people, especially around Valentine’s day.