A Late Valentine (Patricia Potter)

Yep, I’m two days late. But that’s rather par for the course lately.

So let me step back to Wednesday. On that day the New York Daily News listed the one hundred Greatest Love Songs.

Now I love music. I love music as much as I love books. Put them together, and I’m an extremely happy person. Add a hot bubble bath and scented candle, and I’m in heaven. Music is also a necessity to my writing. I have everything from western music to classical to numerous bagpipe recordings, and, yes, the world’s greatest love songs that I keep reserved for writing my love scenes.

My favorites are not necessarily the all-time favorites of others, but most are included in the list New York Daily News compiled. Personally I would put "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" at the top of my list, along with the "Unchained Melody," and "When I Fall In Love." "Moon Glow" should be there as well. Who can forget that dance scene in the film, "Picnic," without getting goosebumps – and maybe more -- down their backs? I think it ranks right there with the garage scene in "Witness" as the all-time sexiest/romantic scenes in film history.

Mind that I said romantic. Neither have actual sex in the scene, and yet the sexual tension is so strong, so powerful, that it beggars so many more graphic scenes.

I kinda like books that way, too. I love the anticipation rather than slam bam, thank you, mam. Someone once asked me to describe sexual tension. My reply: I want and cannot have, I really want and cannot have. I’m dying of want but cannot have.

And then you get to the actual love scene (I want and, by golly, I CAN have), and the readers are there (hopefully) with you, chaffing at the bit for the main event that changes the world for the characters.

And in the background – at least in my mental background – is the swelling of music . . .

But I digress.

Back to the list. Despite the fact that it neglects some of my favorites, I really can’t quarrel with the overall list. I fell in love (several times) to songs on the list, and many still tug at my heart for that reason. Nearly every one evokes memories.

According to the New York Daily News, each had to be popular enough to have ranked among the top twenty pop songs in whatever year they were released. Some, said Jim Farber, Daily News Music Critic, may find them smug, or sappy or overplayed. "But the songs here have probably made more lovers misty than any music in memory."

I don’t find any of them sappy or overplayed or smug. I loved most of them all dearly. They are there for a reason. People -- particularly couples in love -- were emotionally moved by them. And who can say there's anything sappy about that.

So is your song there? Or do you have a favorite not on the list? Or do you believe one should be ranked higher? Or do you have a great romantic movie scene?

In the meantime, enjoy the many memories this list awaken.

From the New York Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/497113p-418804c.html)

1. "My Girl" The Temptations; 2. "I'll Be There" The Jackson 5; 3. "Wonderful Tonight" Eric Clapton; 4. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" Stevie Wonder; 5. "You Are So Beautiful" Joe Cocker; 6. "In My Life" The Beatles; 7. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" Roberta Flack; 8. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" Elvis Presley; 9. "Michelle" The Beatles; 10. "I Can't Stop Loving You" Ray Charles; 11. "Best of My Love" The Emotions; 12. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" Simon & Garfunkel; 13. "All I Have to Do Is Dream" The Everly Brothers; 14. "You've Got a Friend" Carole King; 15. "Killing Me Softly With His Song" Roberta Flack; 16. "To Sir With Love" Lulu; 17. "Sherry" The Four Seasons; 18. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" Queen; 19. "Unchained Melody" The Righteous Brothers; 20. "Save the Last Dance for Me" The Drifters; 21. "Stay" Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs; 22. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" Carole King; 23. "Up on the Roof" The Drifters; 24. "He's So Fine" The Chiffons; 25. "I Will Follow Him" Little Peggy March; 26. "Chapel of Love" The Dixie Cups; 27. "My Guy" Mary Wells; 28. "Happy Together" The Turtles; 29. "Back in My Arms Again" The Supremes; 30. "I Got You Babe" Sonny and Cher; 31. "My Love" Petula Clark; 32. "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration" The Righteous Brothers; 33. "I Will Always Love You" Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston; 34. "When a Man Loves a Woman" Percy Sledge; 35. "Reach Out I'll Be There" The Four Tops; 36. "Strangers in the Night" Frank Sinatra; 37. "Baby Love" The Supremes; 38. "This Guy's in Love With You" Herb Alpert; 39. "Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet" Henry Mancini; 40. "Higher Love" Steve Winwood; 41. "Sugar Sugar" The Archies; 42. "The Long and Winding Road" The Beatles; 43. "Close to You" The Carpenters; 44. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Diana Ross; 45. "Let's Stay Together" Al Green; 46. "Heart of Gold" Neil Young; 47. "Here, There and Everywhere" The Beatles; 48. "Lean on Me" Bill Withers; 49. "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" Stevie Wonder; 50. "Let's Get It On" Marvin Gaye; 51. "Midnight Train to Georgia" Gladys Knight; 52. "The Way We Were" Barbra Streisand; 53. "Love's Theme" The Love Unlimited Orchestra; 54. "Feel Like Makin' Love" Roberta Flack; 55. "Can't Get Enough of Your Love Babe" Barry White; 56. "Then Came You" Dionne Warwick and the Spinners; 57. "Lovin' You" Minnie Ripperton; 58. "Shining Star" Earth Wind & Fire; 59. "You Don't Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)" Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. ; 60. "How Deep Is Your Love" The Bee Gees; 61. "You're the One That I Want" John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John; 62. "Love You Inside Out" Bee Gees; 63. "Come On Eileen" Dexys Midnight Runners; 64. "Time After Time" Cyndi Lauper; 65. "Crazy for You" Madonna; 66. "Take on Me" a-ha; 67. "Moon River" Henry Mancini; 68. "With or Without You" U2; 69. "Vision of Love" Mariah Carey; 70. "Kiss From a Rose" Seal; 71. "Girl" The Beatles; 72. "Chelsea Morning" Joni Mitchell; 73. "P.S. I Love You" The Beatles; 74. "Just Like a Woman" Bob Dylan; 75. "Do You Believe in Magic?" The Lovin' Spoonful; 76. "Still in Love With You" Al Green; 77. "Somewhere" Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein; 78. "On the Street Where You Live" From "My Fair Lady"; 79. "Saving All My Love for You" Whitney Houston; 80. "Always on My Mind" Willie Nelson; 81. "Crazy" Patsy Cline; 82. "Sexual Healing" Marvin Gaye; 83. "Do You Want to Dance?" Bette Midler; 84. "Fever" Peggy Lee; 85. "Last Dance" Donna Summer; 86. "Just the Way You Are" Billy Joel; 87. "Songbird" Fleetwood Mac; 88. "You Make Loving Fun" Fleetwood Mac; 89. "At Last" Etta James; 90. "All I Want" Joni Mitchell; 91. "Natural Woman" Aretha Franklin; 92. "A Man and a Woman" Anita Kerr Singers; 93. "Someone to Watch Over Me" Linda Ronstadt; 94. "Some Enchanted Evening" From "South Pacific"; 95. "Do You Love Me?" From "Fiddler on the Roof"; 96. "Alison" Elvis Costello97. "How Can I Tell You" Cat Stevens; 98. "Have I Told You Lately" Van Morrison; 99. "When I Fall In Love" Nat King Cole; and 100. "Oh Girl" The Chi-Lites