1. Few bands so brilliantly mix the soul of a br@$$
section and the sounds of rock guitar as does
Chicago. “Alive Again,” a lively track from their 1978
album
Hot Streets, features the talents of guitarist Donnie
Dacus. With the lyrics, “All the empty yesterdays
have disappeared, now that you have filled my life
with love,” the feeling does come that when the
right one comes along, life is indeed better.
2. The spirited “More,” recorded in 1964 by the
legendary Bobby Darin for his
Hello Dolly to Goodbye Charliealbum is a masterful
blend of pop, jazz and big band swing. Talking
about a person so deeply in love that their only
desire is to “…love you more each day.”
3. Quite possibly one of the greatest singer/
songwriters of all time, Dan Foglebergisin a league
all his own. The gorgeous “Believe In Me,” from his
brilliant 1984
Windows and Wallsrelease has one line that
touches the heart perfectly, “Those other loves that
came before, mean nothing to me any more…”
4. From my daughter Rachel came the idea to
include this song. After a listen, I learned why —
there are times a couple just needs to hold one
another and let the world around them do what it
will. The mesmerizing “Chasing Cars,” from Snow
Patrol’s 2006 extraordinary CD
Eyes Open,is a flawless song that drives the
message home: “If I just lay here, would you lay
with me and just forget the world…?” This track is
beyond good.
5. “Grow Old With Me,” a tender song penned from
a Robert Browning poem, is one of the final songs
recorded by John Lennon and can be heard on his
posthumous 1984 CD,
Milk and Honey.”Grow old with me, the best is yet
to be….” Little more needs to be said.
6. “Still The One,” a full of life number from Orleans
1976
Waking and Dreamingrelease tells the story of a
couple pa$$ionately in love. From their first kiss to
a spouse’s final breath, there’s that look that tells
you even after everything a married couple go
through, “that even after all these years, you’re still
the one I want whispering in my ear…”
7. Marriage isn’t easy – there will be tough times,
but if there is love, and forgiveness, there are few
things that a couple can’t overcome. From Bruce
“The Boss” Springsteen’s 1992
Lucky Town release comes the gentle “If I Should
Fall Behind,” with the excellent lyrics “We’ll help
each other, stay in stride…”
8. In the world of music there is Stevie Wonder,
and then, it seems, there is everyone else. “You
And I,” from his 1972
Talking Book album, is so touching that while
listening to it, time seems to stop: “I have found
strength in you…you and I can conquer the
world…” the lyrics go, and it is a wish this song
would go on forever.
9. The beautiful Vanessa Williams sings about a
marriage’s pure love on “The Sweetest Days,” a
sensational song from her 1994 CD of the same
name. “All the while, life is rushing past us. These
are the days, the sweetest days we’ll know…”
Vanessa sings, and she sings it perfectly.
10. In “And I Always Will,” Beach Boys’ Al Jardine
sings, “Without you, I just can’t go on… I dedicate
my whole life to loving you…” from his 2010 solo
project
A Postcard From California. The most beautiful of
love songs, it tells how a man, when looking back
over his life with his wife, would do it all over
again.