Songs for when the boyfriend is away. "Home is wherever I'm with you..."
December 27, 2013 6:27 PM Subscribe
My boyfriend is away and I'm making a playlist of poppy songs about love that are either cheery (& uptempo) or lovely/sweet (& understated) without being "too much" of a good thing. Currently have two songs: I wouldn't dance and Home. Nothing over-the-top (no Whitney Houston or other full-lung songstresses, nothing overproduced). Any decade is fine by me. Unfortunately, I don't have much happy music and I've run out of songs already (and one of my two songs is already leaning heavily towards sad/wistful!). Any help?
Best answer: Elbow, "One Day Like This" with the BBC Concert Orchestra and Chantage. Or Elbow's "Starlings"?
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:36 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:36 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: The Best Of My Love always makes me groove.
posted by HeyAllie at 6:38 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by HeyAllie at 6:38 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Safe and Sound by Capital Cities!
posted by gemutlichkeit at 6:41 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by gemutlichkeit at 6:41 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: If I Were a Carpenter - Johnny Cash and June Carter
Tired of Being Alone - Al Green
Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
Your Smiling Face - James Taylor
Roy Walker - Bell & Sebastian
The Weight - The Bande
Born to Hum - Erin McKeown
I'm Sticking with You - The Velvet Underground
The Way We Get By - Spoon
Big Girl - Dr Dog
Do the Trick - Dr Dog
Kiss - Prince
Hallelujah I Love Her So - Ray Charles
Concrete & Clay - Unit 4+2
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
Edit: I should say, these aren't all songs about being separated from your love, but these are songs that I enjoy while away from my husband.
posted by melissasaurus at 6:47 PM on December 27, 2013
Tired of Being Alone - Al Green
Here Comes My Baby - Cat Stevens
Your Smiling Face - James Taylor
Roy Walker - Bell & Sebastian
The Weight - The Bande
Born to Hum - Erin McKeown
I'm Sticking with You - The Velvet Underground
The Way We Get By - Spoon
Big Girl - Dr Dog
Do the Trick - Dr Dog
Kiss - Prince
Hallelujah I Love Her So - Ray Charles
Concrete & Clay - Unit 4+2
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson
Edit: I should say, these aren't all songs about being separated from your love, but these are songs that I enjoy while away from my husband.
posted by melissasaurus at 6:47 PM on December 27, 2013
For the "home is wherever you are" angle, there's Billy Joel's "You're My Home".
Dire Straits' "So Far Away" May be lyrically a little maudlin, but the make it sound fun somehow anyway.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:57 PM on December 27, 2013
Dire Straits' "So Far Away" May be lyrically a little maudlin, but the make it sound fun somehow anyway.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:57 PM on December 27, 2013
When I was in a long distance relationship, I found "You" by X (from See How We Are) comforting to listen to.
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:00 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by GenjiandProust at 7:00 PM on December 27, 2013
My favorite long distance song is Boston and Saint John's by Great Big Sea.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:15 PM on December 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by rmd1023 at 7:15 PM on December 27, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Some Van Morrison. Warm Love, Come Running, Old Old Woodstock, You're My Woman, Crazy Love, Wavelength, Hungry for Your Love, etc., etc., et lovin' cetera.
posted by bricoleur at 7:26 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by bricoleur at 7:26 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Happy Together by The Turtles
Never Had Nobody Like You by M. Ward
posted by Fairchild at 7:28 PM on December 27, 2013
Never Had Nobody Like You by M. Ward
posted by Fairchild at 7:28 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Come Get to This by Marvin Gaye is what I play on repeat when Mr Otter Handler is away on business trips.
posted by Otter_Handler at 7:32 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by Otter_Handler at 7:32 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: I know why I waited, I know why I've been so blue -- I prayed each night for someone exactly like you.
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 7:40 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by pH Indicating Socks at 7:40 PM on December 27, 2013
ZZ Ward, Home. The studio recording is a little more rocky / peppy.
posted by mibo at 7:54 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by mibo at 7:54 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Underwood Typewriter by Fionn Regan?
Laundry Room by the Avett Brothers
posted by mermily at 7:56 PM on December 27, 2013
Laundry Room by the Avett Brothers
posted by mermily at 7:56 PM on December 27, 2013
The first thing that came to mind after I read your title was The Promise Ring "My Life is at Home".
posted by Asherah at 8:05 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by Asherah at 8:05 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Taking another tack, Need You Tonite by Mylo or Girl Boy Song by Aphex Twin. Very happy and lovey, but not very wordy. Also I am a sucker for La Ritournelle by Sebastian Tellier.
Lover's Carvings by Bibio. This is fun...
posted by mermily at 8:22 PM on December 27, 2013
Lover's Carvings by Bibio. This is fun...
posted by mermily at 8:22 PM on December 27, 2013
Poi Dog Pondering - Spending The Day In The Shirt That You Wore
posted by carsonb at 8:24 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by carsonb at 8:24 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Our House - Crosby Stills Nash & Young
posted by sockermom at 8:28 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by sockermom at 8:28 PM on December 27, 2013
Do you want a song to celebrate the anticipation of seeing each other again?
My Happiness, by Powderfinger.
(And you have to love a video which stars a slinkie, desperately trying to get back to his best friend.)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 9:26 PM on December 27, 2013
My Happiness, by Powderfinger.
(And you have to love a video which stars a slinkie, desperately trying to get back to his best friend.)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 9:26 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: Osaka in the Rain by Matt the Electrician. Maybe a little more wistful than you want, but so so sweet!
posted by theweasel at 9:29 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by theweasel at 9:29 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: The Highway Song - Aztec Two Step. Lyrics.
posted by gudrun at 9:45 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by gudrun at 9:45 PM on December 27, 2013
Warren Zevon's Keep Me In Your Heart falls into your sweet/lovely category and is the opposite of overproduced.
posted by entropyiswinning at 9:47 PM on December 27, 2013
posted by entropyiswinning at 9:47 PM on December 27, 2013
Best answer: First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
Just about anything by the Lumineers - but especially Flowers in Your Hair or Ho Hey (darn, on preview I see Lutoslawski beat me to this one).
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
Gardenia - Landon Pigg (super sweet!)
posted by kbar1 at 9:59 PM on December 27, 2013
Just about anything by the Lumineers - but especially Flowers in Your Hair or Ho Hey (darn, on preview I see Lutoslawski beat me to this one).
Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait
Gardenia - Landon Pigg (super sweet!)
posted by kbar1 at 9:59 PM on December 27, 2013
The Weepies are the reigning ruler of my schmoopy song needs: Take It From Me, Painting By Chagall, Be My Thrill, Hummingbird, I Was Made For Sunny Days, Somebody Loved, Simple Life
Sweet and lovely without being saccharine.
I also enjoy:
The Counting Crows -- Accidentally In Love
Finley Quaye & William Orbit -- Dice
Nina Gordon -- Tonight and the Rest of my Life
Semisonic -- Fascinating New Thing
The Blow -- Parentheses
Fountains of Wayne -- Hey Julie
Jason Mraz -- I'm Yours
posted by foxfirefey at 10:26 PM on December 27, 2013
Sweet and lovely without being saccharine.
I also enjoy:
The Counting Crows -- Accidentally In Love
Finley Quaye & William Orbit -- Dice
Nina Gordon -- Tonight and the Rest of my Life
Semisonic -- Fascinating New Thing
The Blow -- Parentheses
Fountains of Wayne -- Hey Julie
Jason Mraz -- I'm Yours
posted by foxfirefey at 10:26 PM on December 27, 2013
Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
posted by peanut butter milkshake at 1:14 AM on December 28, 2013
posted by peanut butter milkshake at 1:14 AM on December 28, 2013
Best answer: Naive Melody (This Must Be The Place) is the song that really hit me with this feeling when I was falling in love with my husband. "you got a face with a view" still gets me feeling here we go on this grand adventure in life together. There are a million covers out there that play with the feeling too, from maudlin to poppy if the Talking Heads don't do it for you.
posted by goggie at 4:49 AM on December 28, 2013
posted by goggie at 4:49 AM on December 28, 2013
Best answer: I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers
New York City by They Might Be Giants
The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side by The Magnetic Fields
posted by mlle valentine at 7:15 AM on December 28, 2013
New York City by They Might Be Giants
The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side by The Magnetic Fields
posted by mlle valentine at 7:15 AM on December 28, 2013
Your home is where you're happy - Lemonheads
posted by Bunglegirl at 4:17 PM on December 28, 2013
posted by Bunglegirl at 4:17 PM on December 28, 2013
Pure - Lightning Seeds
I Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper
Honey Honey - Abba
Super Trouper - Abba
posted by SisterHavana at 9:20 PM on December 28, 2013
I Drove All Night - Cyndi Lauper
Honey Honey - Abba
Super Trouper - Abba
posted by SisterHavana at 9:20 PM on December 28, 2013
Kenny Loggins and Stevie Nicks, "Whenever I Call You Friend." Sweet poppy retro goodness!
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:59 AM on December 29, 2013
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:59 AM on December 29, 2013
Darren Hayes's Bloodstained Heart and So Beautiful.
posted by divabat at 4:15 AM on December 29, 2013
posted by divabat at 4:15 AM on December 29, 2013
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Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am
The Sundays - Wild Horses
Sixpence None the Richer - Kiss Me
Mazzy Star - Fade into You
posted by cairdeas at 6:33 PM on December 27, 2013 [1 favorite]