[DannyDep]

I entered my first U.S.A. Songwriting Competition in 1978 when there were probably a few hundred entrants.
The three songs I entered all got honorable mentions. So I figured I'd continue.

I occasionally enter one of my songs with them and get their email invites.
I guess this one today came with a caveat listing the Top 10 Love Songs of All Time.
According to who?

Thought it would be interesting to see where you stand on this.
So I will start listing my favorites which are naturally biased by the folks I like to listen to.
And I think sound does matter, I list the Song Name --> Writers --> (favorite renditions by)

Songbird - Christine McVie (Eva Cassidy)

Look What You've Done To Me - Boz Scaggs/D. Foster - (Boz Scaggs)

When We Dance - Sting - (Sting)

Some Enchanted Evening - Richard Rogers/Oscar Hammerstein (Reba McEntire & Brian Stokes Mitchell)

Home - Brian McKnight - (Brian McKnight)

Over The Rainbow - Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg - (Eva Cassidy)

Young At Heart - Johnny Richards/Carolyn Leigh (Frank Sinatra)

Something - George Harrison - (The Beatles)

It Might Be You - Dave Grusin/Alan and Marilyn Bergman (Steven Bishop)

Evergreen - Paul Williams (Barbara Streisand)

[bernabby]

The First Time Roberta Flack
Love Me Tender Elvis
Love Is A Many Spendord Thing ??
Killing Me Softly Roberta Flack
I Will Always Love You Dolly Parton

[porcupine]

This is tough, I can think of 50, but these stand out, in no particular order

Something - George Harrison
Angel Eyes - John Hiatt
Have I Told You Lately That I Love You - Rod Stewart
Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Close To You - The Carpenters
You Are So Beautiful - Joe Cocker
I'll Stand By You - Pretenders
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
Fields Of Gold - Sting

[kimberlyinnc]

Danny,
I needed a diversion from working on stuff, so here is my list, though hard to pick only 10 as there are many favorites, but these came off the top of my head, in no particular order

Unchained Melody- Righteous Brothers
At Last- Etta James
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face- Roberta Flack
This is Love- Mary Chapin Carpenter
Can't Help Falling in Love With You- Elvis
Evergreen- Barbra
Endless Love- Dianna Ross and Lionel Ritchie
Maybe I'm Amazed- Paul McCartney
You are so Beautiful- Joe Cocker
Remember When -Alan Jackson



Great thread, Danny...for Valentines...


Kim

[Scotto]

Tough subject because there are so many choices...

Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney (It was in answer to Lennon saying all you do is right silly love songs)
In My Life - Beatles
Lets get it on - Marvin Gaye
Natural Woman - Aretha
Have I told You Lately - Van Morrison
Ain't no Mountain high enough - Marvin Gaye
Faithfully - Journey
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone - Bill Withers (covered by many)
Time after time - Cyndi Lauper

Falling in Love - Elvis

OK that's 11...

[neuroron]

As an aside, I must say that for a songwriter forum, we very often reference a song by a PERFORMER rather than the songwriter(s) - Danny did not neglect to do this. If you look at recordings and videos now, it is damn near impossible to tell who the writers are. Here's 10 I think are at the top (with many others)

1. At this moment – Billy Vera – Tom Jones version
2. Maybe I’m Amazed – Paul McCartney
3. I Will – Lennon/McCartney [Beatles version, though Alison Krauss version is cool]
4. Mi Mancherai - Luis Enríquez Bacalov – Josh Groban version
5. If ever I would Leave You – Lerner & Lowe – Franco Nero / Camelot Soundtrack
6. Maria – S Sondheim & L Bernstein (West Side Story Broadway cast)
7. Darlin’ Companion – John Sebastian (Lovin’ Spoonful)
8. Long Long time – Gary B. White – Linda Ronstadt version
9. For all we know (Theme from Lovers and Other Strangers) - M: Fred Karlin; L: Robb Royer &Jimmy Griffin/Carpenters ver.
10. Misty – Lyrics: Johnny Burke, Music: Erroll Garner – Johnny Mathis version

And I can't leave off: Nessun dorma - G Puccini, from Turandot - Pavarotti version

[feegis]

It's funny - as I was driving home just today, I was thinking of starting a thread like this, but for sentimental / nostalgic songs (I'd still like to do that).

In any case - here's a first draft of my 10 Favorite Love Songs

This Is Love- Mary Chapin Carpenter http://www.youtube.c...h?v=SXY11uYRPhY

Remember When -Alan Jackson http://www.youtube.c...h?v=TTA2buWlNyM

She - Elvis Costello http://www.youtube.c...h?v=O040xuq2FR0

I'll Be There - Jackson 5 http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Y3qk8V_7_ZU

Misguided Angel - Cowboy Junkies http://www.youtube.c...h?v=lIq4uczWIVE

This Love Is Real - John Prine http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Xzba5sovfEk

If I Should Fall Behind - Bruce Springsteen http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

For Crying Out Loud - Meat Loaf http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ffSeQPc1rkU

When It Don't Come Easy - Patty Griffin http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

Love Is Everything - Jane Siberry (as performed by kd lang) http://www.youtube.c...h?v=9mZLqp_-GvE

[bernabby]

This is why love songs dominate the writing scene. There are so many favorites.

[Jim Colyer]

I add "Al Di La" from the film "Rome Adventure" 1962.

Al Di La http://www.youtube.c...h?v=JZ8f8bIxx-E

It is in Italian, but I cannot imagine a song being more romantic.

[ScenesFromPalacio]

Walk Away, Renée - The Left Banke

Goodbye To Love -The Carpenters

Ruby Tuesday - Rolling Stones

Cry Me A River - Julie London

Lady Grinning Soul -David Bowie

Julia - The Beatles

Ghost In My House -R Dean Taylor

Lalena -Donovan

Take A Look - Irma Thomas

All I Need _The Temptations

All By Myself -Eric Carmen


Actually 12 there off the top of my head..Thanx to gravity Jim for reminding me of Left Banke and Julie London

[DannyDep]

I know it's hard to come up with a top 10.
Seeing some on others lists as well as other artists like,

For The First Time - James Newton/Rich Howard - (Rod Stewart)

Harbor Lights - Boz Scaggs - (Boz Scaggs)

How Sweet It Is - James Taylor - (James Taylor)

Leave A Tender Moment Alone - Billy Joel - (Billy Joel)

Send Your Love - Sting - (Sting)

[oxe57]

The top 10 best love songs of all time? How 'bout:


"Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by Dinah Washington
"A Woman In Love" by Barbara Streisand
"Keepin' A Light" by Natalie Cole
"Ain't No Way" by Aretha Franklin
"By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Gloria Lynne
"I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Johnny Mathis (any song by this cat)
"Distant Lover / Live" by Marvin Gaye
"You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by The Righteous Brothers
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack
"Lovin' You" by Minnie Ripperton

Of course this list is subject to change-

[paradise dismissed]

This is certainly not an official list of mine but here goes nothing:

God Only Knows (Brian Wilson/Tony Asher) - The Beach Boys
Unchained Melody (Alex North/Hy Zaret) - The Righteous Brothers
Into The Mystic - Van Morrison
For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her (Paul Simon) - Simon & Garfunkel
Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - Leonard Cohen
If You See Her, Say Hello - Bob Dylan
River Deep - Mountain High (Phil Spector/Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich) - Ike & Tina Turner
Nights In White Satin (Justin Hayward) - The Moody Blues
At Last (Mack Gordon/Harry Warren) - Etta James
Yesterday (Lennon/McCartney) - The Beatles

[DeeDee]

Hmmmm....Here are my top 10 (not necessarily in this order....too many to choose from!)

Power of Love- Frankie goes to Hollywood
Eternal Flame - The Bangles
Can't Help Falling in Love with You - Elvis Presley
When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
More than a Feeling - Boston
Everything I Do - Bryan Adams
Nothing Compares to You - Sinead O'Conner
Don't Speak - No Doubt
Me and Bobby McGee - Kris Kristofferson
I Melt With You - Modern English
(special mention goes to Madonna - Crazy For You, Sonny & Cher - I got You Babe, Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You and Etta James - At Last, Oh...and Patsy Cline - Crazy)

[DCW]

1. "Sleeping"-Dwight Twilley

2. "God Only Knows"-Brian Wilson/Tony Asher

3. "Desiree"-Michael Brown (Left Banke)

4. "The Worst That Could Happen"-Jimmy Webb (Brooklyn Bridge)

5. "Torch Song"-Todd Rundgren

6. "Never My Love"-Addrisi Brothers (The Association)

7. "And I Love Her"-Paul McCartney

8. "I've Been Waiting"-Matthew Sweet

9. "You and Your Sister"-Chris Bell

10. "Everyday as We Grow Closer"-Alex Chilton

[ScenesFromPalacio]

You and Your Sister by Chris Bell is such a beautiful song...Amazingly hardly known as well

[MABBO]

How about three monster songs written about the same woman?

You Look Wonderful tonight- Eric Clapton
Layla - Eric Clapton


Something in the Way She Moves- George Harrison

Written about Patti Harrison/Clapton. Both married her.

MAB

[porcupine]

ScenesFromPalacio, on 16 February 2012 - 08:02 PM, said:

Walk Away, Renée - The Left Banke

paradise dismissed, on 23 March 2012 - 04:08 PM, said:

Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - Leonard Cohen
At Last (Mack Gordon/Harry Warren) - Etta James

DCW, on 26 March 2012 - 11:39 PM, said:

4. "The Worst That Could Happen"-Jimmy Webb

ScenesFromPalacio, on 28 March 2012 - 04:24 AM, said:

You and Your Sister by Chris Bell is such a beautiful song...Amazingly hardly known as well

Wow! Such an amazing list! I would like to add the above songs to mine!

Steve- I listened to that song on your recomendation..Really Nice!!!

Mabbo- not sure if the song "Something" was written for Patti, that's been debated for a long time. IMO, with my useless trivia of The Beatles, I think it was written for no one specific, atleast thats what he attests to. He even says that the video has pictures of him an Patti, making it hard to take his poiint. Still, love the song, it's the reason Im a musician/songwriter

[TamsNumber4]

I made a cd of my fav love songs, these mean a lot to me, so I guess they are the Best Love songs of Tammy's time...but here they are:



I'M IN YOU - Peter Frampton

I NEED YOU - America

IF - Bread

ANYWHERE - Evanescence

LEARNING TO FALL - Chicken Foot

ANGEL - Judas Priest

STEADY AS WE GO - Dave Matthews Band

HUNTING HIGH AND LOW - A-ha

WE FOUND EACH OTHER IN THE DARK - City and Colour

I FOUND LOVE WHEN I FOUND YOU - Kenny Wayne Shepherd

VANILLA TWILIGHT - Owl City

MAGIC - Colbie Caillat

DOG AND BUTTERFLY - Heart

[Dannyk1]

Here's a few of mine, in no certain order.


Love Will Keep Us Alive - Eagles

Something - George Harrison

Baby I'ma Want You - Bread

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All - Air Supply

Every Breath You Take - The Police

I Don't Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith

With Or Without You - U2

Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton

Can't Fight This Feelin' - REO Speedwagon

Lady - Styx

[Dannyk1]

One I just thought of today and NOT because my name is in it! lol

Danny's Song - Loggins and Messina

[Gordon]

Okay... somebody had to do this. i'm a little disappointed it was left up to me

10. "Don't Talk to Strangers" - Dio

9. "Stone Cold Sober" - Del Amitri

8. "Blues Before and After" - Smithereens

7. "Love Stinks" - J. Geils Band

6. "Love Hurts" - Nazareth

5. "Sick of You" - Lou Reed

4. "You Suck" - the Murmurs

3. "Die Die My Darling" - the Misfits (but of course i prefer Metallica's cover)

2. "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" - Bacharach/Davis, with many, many performers

1. "I Don't Believe in Love" - Queensryche

And a bonus goes to AC/DC's "Back in Black"... only because if you lived through anything that made those 10 above your favorites, you really need a good dose of "Back in Black" to pick you back up!

[DeeDee]

Right up there with 'Back in Black' has got to be 'Whole Lotta Rosie'!

[kofblz]

Hi everyone. This is my first post. Here's a few that may not have been mentioned yet.

Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce

Love's Found a Shoulder - Nanci Griffith

Always and Forever - Heatwave

He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones

Please Come to Boston - Dave Loggins

Girl From Ipanema

Boots of Spanish Leather - Bob Dylan

Tomorrow Night - Sam Coslow and Will Grosz, Dylan version

Fly Me to the Moon - Frank

Close to You - The Carpenters

[Wolf Kier]

I can't believe no one has mentioned "moon river" from breakfast at tiffany's. One of the most beautiful melodies ever, imo. Doesn't get any more romantic than this:

Henry Mancini and Andy Williams (with clips from the movie): http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Z5aQyPZuQZE

Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=qsl5QowaPAU

enjoy,
wolf.