This month is special, not the least because of our wedding anniversary. Hence this selection of love songs from my music library. Enjoy!
| Title | Artist | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| All You Need Is Love | The Beatles | Written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney) as a simple, universal message of peace and unity during the Summer of Love. Premiered live on the BBC’s Our World broadcast, it became a countercultural anthem. 100% original and quintessentially “Beatles.” |
| Put Your Hand In the Hand | Ocean | Originally written by Gene MacLellan and first recorded by Anne Murray. Ocean’s gospel-infused 1971 version turned it into a pop hit about faith, compassion, and trust. The 2006 remix revived its uplifting spirit with a modern beat. Toronto, Canada’s quintet Ocean featured singer Janice Morgan, singer-keyboardist Greg Brown, bassist Jeff Jones, guitarist Dave Tamblyn and drummer Charles Slater. |
| La fête | Michel Fugain | Written and first performed by Michel Fugain with Le Big Bazar. A joyful French pop anthem celebrating community, life, and togetherness — a musical invitation to dance and forget worries. Entirely original and emblematic of early ’70s French optimism. |
| Wonderful World | Sam Cooke | Written by Sam Cooke, Lou Adler, and Herb Alpert, this charming soul tune humorously contrasts poor academic knowledge with deep emotional wisdom (“Don’t know much about history…”). It’s both romantic and lighthearted — and an original Cooke classic. “Wonderful World” was originally written by music legends Lou Alder and Herb Alpert, but Cooke added the finishing lyrical touches, and the trio used the songwriting pseudonym “Barbara Campbell,” the name of Cooke’s high school sweetheart. |
| Makin’ Whoopee (ft. Rickie Lee Jones) | Dr John | The song was originally written by Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn in 1928 as a humorous warning about marriage and its consequences. Dr. John and Rickie Lee Jones’ Grammy-winning version updates it with sultry jazz and sly humor. |
| I Got A Woman (Live) | Ray Charles | Written by Ray Charles and his bandleader Renald Richard, it’s considered one of the first soul songs — blending gospel with rhythm & blues. Inspired by the gospel tune It Must Be Jesus, Charles reworked it into a secular, passionate love declaration. |
| Love And Marriage | Frank Sinatra | Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen for the TV musical Our Town. Sinatra’s version humorously insists that “you can’t have one without the other.” Later became famous as the Married… with Children theme. |
| So This Is Love | Selah Sue | Belgian artist Selah Sue (Sanne Putseys) performed this Disney cover by written by Mack David, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston on the second Jazz Loves Disney album. It’s an introspective soul-pop piece about vulnerability and the messiness of love — both tender and questioning in tone. Entirely original. |
| La chanson des vieux amants | Jacques Brel | Written by Jacques Brel and Gérard Jouannest, this poetic masterpiece tells the story of two lifelong lovers weathering decades of infidelity, forgiveness, and devotion. Deeply autobiographical, it’s one of Brel’s most profound chansons. |
| Saved By The Bell | Robin Gibb | Written and performed by Robin Gibb shortly after temporarily leaving the Bee Gees. A melancholic ballad about lost love and regret, notable for its rich orchestration. Entirely original and reflective of Gibb’s solo artistry. |
| Bailar pegados | Sergio Dalma | Written by Luis Gómez Escolar and Pablo Pinilla, and performed by Dalma at the Eurovision Song Contest 1991 selection for Spain. A slow ballad about the intimacy of dancing close — symbolic of emotional closeness and real connection. |
| Sincerità | Riccardo Cocciante | Written and first performed by Riccardo Cocciante, this Italian ballad celebrates emotional honesty in relationships. A piano-led meditation on truth and vulnerability — quintessential Cocciante, both grand and intimate. Riccardo Cocciante , (born 20 February 1946), is an Italian singer, composer, theatre man and musician. born in Saigon, French Indochina, now Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to an Italian father and a French mother. |
| Todos los Besos (ft. El Reino de la Playa) [Comparsa de Tarifa] | Los Rebujitos | Spanish pop duo Los Rebujitos blend flamenco rhythms with contemporary pop. This track, whose title means “All the Kisses,” celebrates passion and Andalusian spirit. Entirely original, full of youthful romanticism and Mediterranean flair. |
| Volví a nacer | Carlos Vives | Written by Carlos Vives and produced by Andrés Castro, this Colombian pop vallenato hit is about emotional rebirth after finding love. The title means “I was born again,” reflecting renewal and gratitude. Original and one of Vives’ most defining modern hits. Carlos Alberto Vives Restrepo was born on 7 August 1961 in Santa Marta, Colombia. |
| Silly Love Songs | Wings | Written by Paul McCartney, partly as a response to critics who accused him of writing trivial love songs. It humorously defends love as a timeless theme — catchy, self-aware, and quintessential McCartney irony. Linda McCartney is credited as a co-writer on this track and was a member of Wings. |
| Ms Grace | The Tymes | Written by John Hall of the band Orleans, with lyrics by his wife Johanna. This smooth soul tune celebrates a woman’s poise and charm. The Tymes’ version became a UK chart favourite, combining romance with silky Philadelphia soul. |
| Ain’t No Other Man | Christina Aguilera | Written by Christina Aguilera, DJ Premier, and others, this retro-soul anthem celebrates finding a partner who stands out from the rest. Inspired by Aguilera’s marriage to Jordan Bratman. 100% original and Grammy-winning. |
| On The Radio | Donna Summer | Written by Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder for Adrian Lyne’s 1980 teen drama Foxes, starring Jodie Foster, Scott Baio and Runaways singer Cherie Currie. The song is about hearing a painful breakup story on the radio, then realising it’s your own. A disco-pop confessional, both glamorous and vulnerable. Entirely original. |
| Paradise | Sade | Written by Sade Adu, Stuart Matthewman, Andrew Hale, and Paul S. Denman, this song radiates calm joy and romantic serenity. A slow groove celebrating peace and fulfilment in love. Original and signature Sade sophistication. |
| Joy To The World | June Lodge | Joy to the World was written in 1719 and based on Psalm 98, by Isaac Watts (1674-1748), author of around 750 songs, commonly called “The Father of Hymns” due to his popularity as the first English hymn writer. June Lodge transforms it into a laid-back Caribbean groove — less about biblical joy, more about carefree celebration. A cover with tropical flair. |
| Now That We’ve Found Love | Third World | Originally written by Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, first recorded by The O’Jays (1973). Third World reinterpreted it as a reggae-disco crossover about universal love and unity. Became a global hit. |
| One Love/People Get Ready | Bob Marley & The Wailers | Combines Bob Marley’s One Love (1965) with Curtis Mayfield’s People Get Ready (1964). Marley fused the two as a message of unity, faith, and redemption. Became one of reggae’s most enduring anthems. |
| Ain’t No Sunshine | Bill Withers | Written and performed by Bill Withers, inspired by the film Days of Wine and Roses. While it was first released as the B-side to another song called “Harlem”, Disc jockeys played this as the single instead and it became a hit. All the instruments on this track are acoustic and played by Withers: guitar, vocal, Booker T. Jones: keyboards, Stephen Stills: guitar, Jim Keltner: drums and Bobbye Hall: percussion. |
| Have I Told You Lately | Van Morrison | Written and first performed by Van Morrison, this song is a gentle prayer of gratitude and love. Often interpreted as a spiritual message as much as a romantic one. Later covered famously by Rod Stewart. |
| Always There | Jocelyn Brown | Originally an instrumental by Ronnie Laws (1975), later adapted by Side Effect (1976). Jocelyn Brown’s 1984 version adds powerful vocals, transforming it into a soulful anthem about faith, resilience, and presence. |
Sources
The information sources of the song facts include, but are not limited to, Wikipedia, songfacts.com, discogs.com, secondhandsongs.com, YouTube and artists’ related websites.
