On Valentine’s Day, lovers everywhere celebrate the day with all sorts of rituals, both old and new. Flowers will be given, romantic candlelight dinners enjoyed and intimate relations of course enjoyed.
One of the added touches to any Valentines Day celebration is music. Mood setting music ranging from romantic to sexy will be played in restaurants, living rooms, and, well, yes, bedrooms.
But what about those without a significant other? What about those who have recently gone through a breakup or just have not found that soul mate yet? What kind of music should THEY be playing?
The following is a list of the top ten all time anti-Valentine’s Day songs. If you are “celebrating” Valentine’s Day alone, you might want to hear little about Valentine’s Day, but putting on these anti-Valentine’s Day songs might just pick up your mood a bit.
Used to Love Her, by Guns ‘N Roses
I remember first hearing this song and trying to decide whether it was more funny than shocking or vice versa. “I used to love her, but I had to kill her…” WHAT?
All these years later, I still can’t believe Axl Rose actually sang this.
It almost gets worse: “I had to put her six feet under and I still can hear her complain.”
Wow. If this isn’t the least romantic, and least get you in the mood song ever written, please tell me what is!
Already Gone, by The Eagles
Unlike Axl’s obvious, uh, issues when he somewhat matter of factly sings about killing her, Glenn Frey and the Eagles seem to be enjoying the breakup and delivering the news.
“And you’ll have to eat your lunch all by yourself” is probably the most memorable lyric in the song and it’s a labor of love for these guys to deliver it to the now ex girlfriend.
U and Ur Hand, by Pink
From anybody else, the prediction that it will be just ‘you and your hand tonight’ would seem trite and clichéd, but Pink’s ability to express it all in her intonation, phrasing and energy make this a funny and telling song. You and your hand, indeed. Question I have is, where will Pink’s hand be later?
You Oughta Know, by Alanis Morissette
It’s hard to believe that this song is nearly 15 years old now. I’ll be she’s over it all, even while doing her thing in a theater. But is he? She sounded pretty confident that the new one wouldn’t do all the things that she did, and something tells me she was right. Something also tells me the stuff she was doing was an expression of love, not a substitute for it and yet she was branded as a result as he moved on to the Stepford wife, which is a very anti-Valentine’s Day thing to do.
Go Your Own Way, by Fleetwood Mac
It always amazed me that Lindsay Buckingham could get Stevie Nicks to sing along to the words, “shacking up is all you want to do…”. THAT is probably the prototypical anti-Valentine Day sentiment.
Fleetwood Mac has been skewered in some quarters as being too slick, too corporate and too predictable. Well, I don’t know how anybody listening to the real life breakups that were chronicled on the Rumors album would think that. There’s actual primal screaming and pain on here camaflouged by slightly left of center guitar and blues driven rock.
I’m Not in Love, by 10cc
I’m pretty sure the song is a case of “she doth protest too much” and the singer actually really is in love. But the reality is that most relationships don’t survive denial, despite all the happy endings in the movies and song.
Falling in love is easy, admitting it more difficult. This relationship was doomed from the start and is about as anti-Valentine Day as any I can think of.
Lucille, by Kenny Rogers
As awful as leaving your husband with ‘four hungry children and a crop in the field’ is, what’s hidden in this song is that the guy doesn’t even seem to be upset that she’s leaving. It’s more the timing of it, which is totally inconvenient for him and the family. Sure he hurts, but he may hurt more for the kids than any long lasting love he still has for her.
Had she waited a few years, it’d be a lot easier to take, it sounds like. The love is gone, but there are mouths to feed and a crop to harvest. Forget anti-Valentine’s Day. This is simply anti-romance of any sort.
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover , by Paul Simon
It would sound as if there’s no question that this guy wants to leave his lover. Particularly with this temptress compelling him to ‘sleep on it tonight’. The question is how will he leave. There’s no ruminating over lost love and what could have been, or what might be, simply that the logistics need to be worked out and she’s telling him there’s at least 50 ways to do it. It’s about as anti-Valentine’s Day as you can get.
Your Love, The Outfield
Remember, this I the ‘anti-Valentine’s Day’s song list’, not the ‘anti-lust or desire list.’
This song opens up with the Outfield singing that Josie is far away and that this girl should come over and ‘talk it over’. Sure, he wants to talk. Not only is the girlfriend out of town, but he clearly says he just wants to ‘use (her) love’ tonight. Oh, and he usually likes his girls a little bit older, but tonight he’ll make an exception.
So, let’s tally it up here. There’s infidelity, a ‘using’ of a girl, and possibly an age issue as he generally likes his girls a little bit older.
But, like the Police hit ‘Every Breath You Take’, which is a disturbing song more than a love song, Your Love was put to a hook filled song with soaring vocals and clanging guitars and people forget what these guys are actually singing about.
Since You’ve Been Gone, by Kelly Clarkson
You listen to this song and forget about Valentine’s Day, you might think relationships in general aren’t what they’re cracked up to be. Kelly Clarkson is singing the ultimate anti-Valentine’s Day sentiment: life is SO much better since you’ve been gone.
He’s out of sight and out of mind, so save the flowers, the chocolates and the feelings. It’s over, pal.
