Spotify | Your Delray Boca

I have a curated list of love songs on Spotify that numbers 984 songs. That’s 64 hours and 17 minutes of music about one of my favorite subjects.

I also have a separate list of unrequited love songs for when I’m feeling unrequited — if you know, you know. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen much these days. But that was my vibe from 1976 through much of the ’80s. Sigh.

Anyway, being on the wrong end of breakups builds character and appreciation, too. When the love is returned, you’re thankful. In my case, very thankful. I mean like off the charts thankful.

My taste in love songs varies — from Americana and rock to soul and schmaltz–I cover the landscape. So in that spirit, and in honor of Valentine’s Day, I offer my ten “off the beaten path” love songs for your consideration.

These offerings are not the most popular or best love songs. If that were the case, I’d lead with “Something” by The Beatles or “God Only Knows” by The Beach Boys. No, these are offbeat selections designed to give you a playlist when all else fails.

Here goes.

1. “Laundry Room” — The Avett Brothers

This song is about the bittersweet nostalgia of first love. It’s a remarkable song about stolen moments, innocence, and bliss. “Tonight I’ll burn the lyrics because every chorus was your name.” Chills.

2. “Fair Play” — Van Morrison

This song is off the great but somewhat forgotten Veedon Fleece album from 1974. It’s not a traditional love song, but it is a romantic tune— more impressionistic than garden variety. In it, I hear longing, literature, and a whole world. Van is the man.

3. “On a Bus to St. Cloud” — Gretchen Peters

Jimmy LaFave and Trisha Yearwood have recorded versions too, but Gretchen’s take sweeps me away. She’s the one who wrote the song, which is wistful, wise, and weary. I loved it so much that I wrote a play about its characters. My play is nowhere near as good as the song.

4. “Save Me a Saturday Night” — Neil Diamond

I know you take a risk when you publicly state your affection for a Neil Diamond song. But this one — and dozens of others — are great. Who can argue with a narrator pleading for a romantic evening with his beloved? I can’t. The song is awesome. Period.

5. “Sweetest Decline” — Beth Orton

This beautiful song explores finding beauty in the mess of emotional decline. The lyrics ask us to embrace life’s messy moments and mistakes. Don’t hold on to regrets. Let them go. They are lessons.

6. “What Led Me to This Town” — The Jayhawks

The Jayhawks are the best band nobody has ever heard of. Well, that’s not exactly fair — they have tons of fans. But they should have been bigger. This song explores themes of arrival, reflection, and weariness. And midway through, there’s a confession of — you guessed it — unrequited love. The words level you.

7. “Come Monday” — Jimmy Buffett

This is a bit of a cheat. The song was a hit. But it’s also an excellent love song. It’s about missing someone, and it conjures up the days when you counted the hours and minutes until you could be with your loved one again. That ache is there, and Jimmy brings it. Man, I miss that guy in this world.

8. “If Not for You” — Bob Dylan

Bob can flat-out write. He’s a poet. “If Not for You” is just beautiful.

9. “Getting in Tune” — The Who

This song made the soundtrack of Jerry Maguire. It had me at “I’m getting a little tired of having to say, do you come here often. But when I look in your eyes, I see the harmony and the heartache softens.” Pete Townshend’s words, Roger Daltrey’s voice. A match made in heaven.

10. “Stars” — Dan Fogelberg

An early song from an artist who died way too soon. “Stars” is about heartache. Its specificity is devastating — and a reminder that art breaks through when you write precisely about a feeling or experience. Somehow the specific becomes universal.

I’m writing a play about that now. It’s called 2 A.M. Battle Creek. I’ll keep you posted.

Meanwhile, I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day. May you find, keep, and appreciate love.

Bones get tired

I woke up early this morning.

As is my Monday ritual, I grab my phone and open up Spotify.

Music helps me wake up and collect my thoughts.

Every Monday, this app is kind enough to give me a playlist called “Discover Weekly” and so I do. I discover new songs and rediscover some old ones too. I have to say, the algorithm gets me.

It has been a little over a month since I lost a mentor and friend and I still feel a little lost. More than a little lost.

When you lose someone fundamental to your life it can be hard to turn the page. But turn it we must. We must go on.

I know that intellectually; emotionally well that’s a whole other story.

Give it time, I tell myself. It’s still fresh I tell myself.

Today, is also Yom Kippur, the day of atonement. The holiest day on the Jewish calendar.

And so I’ll be spending my day reflecting, atoning for my sins and praying that my loved ones are in the book of life.

When I was a kid, I dreaded this day which was spent in a Long Island synagogue listening to prayers in a language I didn’t understand.

Inevitably, it was always a beautiful day, Indian summer we called it back then. I’m not sure that term is politically correct anymore but that’s what we called it.

It was a day off from school and my friends who weren’t Jewish were outside and in my mind’s eye having the best day ever while I chafed in a suit and tie waiting for services to end.

But these days, while far from observant, I appreciate the meaning, beauty and importance of ritual, observance and forgiveness.

And I miss my friend who was not in the “book of life.”

So when I began my day by turning on Spotify in the darkness of my room alone with my thoughts I “discovered” the song “Remembering” by Ashley Campbell. Ashley is Glen Campbell’s talented daughter.

We lost Glen a few years back to the scourge that is Alzheimer’s disease.

That damn disease is so cruel. That damn disease…it steals everything.

The song tells the story of a little girl seeking her father’s protection during a storm and the dad reassuring her that all is well and that she should enjoy the show. And she does.

He teaches her guitar and she plays him “Blackbird” and even though she misses notes he tells her it’s the best version he’s ever heard. And you know he’s telling the truth.

But bones get old. And the song mentions how the man who sings like an angel is slipping away.

“Bones get tired, and they can’t carry all the weightWe can talk until you can’t even remember my nameDaddy, don’t you worry, I’ll do the rememberingDaddy, don’t you worry, I’ll do the remembering.”

Yes, we will do the remembering and the grieving too.

I tried to end this little essay with something upbeat, something hopeful. That’s my nature.

But this morning I’m at a loss. I’ve had a loss and I just want to feel it because it’s real. And something is telling me I just need to sit with this for awhile.

May we all be in the book of life.

Don’t Let Go of Valentine’s Day Just Yet

Remembering