I’ve spent the last few hours listening to a series of love songs. More specifically, the Spotify playlists titled “Falling in Love” made by the Romeos over at Spotify. Why? Maybe because I’m a masochist, but also because there 24,606 people subscribed to this playlist, meaning that these 17 tracks may offer new insight into the music kids are listening to when they are fallin’ in ♥. But really, 24,606 people? Maybe the monoculture is still intact amongst the monogamous. Let’s dive in.
Tenerife Sea – Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is the dude who looks like Ron Weasley. Tenerife is the largest and most populated of the Canary Islands, and a place where Ed Sheeran probably needs a lot of sunscreen. But the song’s not even about Tenerife Sea, you see. It’s about how “your silhouette brings out the blue in your eyes is the Tenerife Sea.” I’m not sure how a silhouette would bring out color, but sure.
Dirt – Florida Georgia Line
I was planning on taking a stab at understanding this song but to my knowledge its just a series of stereotypical country metaphors describing a house. I think. I don’t know, you try: It’s that elm shade/ Red roads clay you grew up on/ That plowed up ground/ That your dad/ Damned his luck on/ That post game party field.”
Country love is so adult. It’s not about some stupid meet-cute, its about making life investments. This song is quite literally about real estate.
Kiss Me – Ed Sheeran
I have now listened to two Ed Sheeran songs. This one gets straight to the point. It’s very much a love song, and I can see why someone would obey Ed in the circumstance he describes. “I was made to keep your body warm/ but I’m as cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms.” *Holds Ed in my arms.*
Paint Me a Birmingham – Tracy Lawrence
Country music has a long history of storytelling. This ballad chronicles a man’s (Tracy is male) attempt to get a street artist to paint him Birmingham, the way he imagines it, where he’s still with that one girl. You know the girl, in the cotton dress. Anyway, this song is more about unrequited love and street artists. It’s also a horrible song for the ears part of my body, specifically.
It Was Always You – Maroon 5
This song is about Adam Levine realizing he’s actually in love with his friend. You know, the one that’s been in front of him this whole time. They should make a movie like that. It’s a great pop song, and the first uptempo track on this playlist. If these 17 songs serve as the soundtrack to falling in love, It Was Always You is the the track that plays during the montage where they are at the club dancing with their hands above their heads.
Love Someone – Jason Mraz
Yes, Jason Mraz is still alive. Yes, Jason Mraz still loves someone. But this song isn’t really about the someone as much as it is about the loving of that someone. This is a good song for falling in love with love. It’s just not very descriptive. LIke, I’m wondering if Jason ever really met this person he’s apparently so in love with. Give the deets.
Perfect Storm – Brad Paisley
“She’s Sunday drive meets High speed chase/ She ain’t just a song/ She’s the whole mix tape/ She’s so complicated/ That’s the way God made her Sunshine mixed with a little hurricane.”
She sounds horrible.
“If she was a drink/ She’d be a single-barreled Bourbon on ice/ Smooth with a kick/ A chill and a burn all at the same time.”
If this song we’re a drink it’d be prune juice mixed with torn cardboard and a used napkin.
Both of us – B.o.B. feat. Taylor Swift
This song is about being in the throes of a relationship. When you’re falling in love you don’t really worry about lifting one another up. You just do it, and then don’t make a song about it. It saddens me that I don’t think Taylor Swift knows who B.o.B. is.
19 You and Me – Dan + Shay
You could argue that country-pop makes the best falling in love songs. I’m not going to make that argument, but you could. I see the appeal here. Young love in the summer of my 19th year. I get it. But here’s the catch: that was all in the past. This track is actually about how great it was. What used to be. It’s like Birmingham, but this the flash back is to Myrtle Beach, which, to Dan + Shay’s credit, is way sexier than Birmingham, Alabama.
Not a Bad Thing – Justin Timberlake
The reason I didn’t listen to The 20/20 Experience — 2 of 2 was because I suspected it would be a bunch of songs like this. Justin is super convincing in this song. “It’s not a bad thing to fall in love with me.” Sure, yeah, I guess that’d be all right.
Your Body is a Wonderland – John Mayer
This is one of two songs on this playlist I was even aware existed. In recent years, I believe it’s been lauded as creepy, but you have to remember that when it came out originally, John was an innocent, porcelain doll, who dared make the claim that your body was a mythical place. It was very romantic at the time, but in today’s context, knowing what we know now about John? Nope.
Sparks – Coldplay
This is really an apology song. That’s why it’s good.
Ashley – Big Sean feat. Miguel
Wow, Big Sean gets really personal in this song about his now-ex Ashley. I don’t know what this has to do with me falling in love with someone not named Ashley, but sure.
I Love You More Than Anything – Rizzle Kicks
This song shouldn’t have been made. Rizzie Kicks sounds like if The Streets read one of those book about how to pick up girls.
Here are some lyrics: “There’s been times when I’ve talked from my genitals/ Or we’ve warred intellectually/ Tried to pull the other off their pedestal/ And yeah, I do win arguments so face it/ And you hate that I love it, but you hate it.”
You Make Me – Avicii
Maybe I’m projecting a bit when it comes to falling in love. Maybe the kids these days aren’t looking for the same things I am. Only olds fall in love on park benches and romantic look outs. Us kids, we fall in love at Electric Zoo, where Pastor Avicii consecrates our union. In sickness and in PLUR…
So Good – B.o.B.
Nope!
Promises – Wiz Khalifa
This is a really sweet, romantic song about being in love. Unfortunately, we know that Wiz was cheating on Amber Rose, kind of erasing all the meaning. But not for nothing, Wiz also seems to care a lot about cars and weed, in case that’s what you are falling in love with.
