Friday Five: Valentine
Whether you’re a fan of Valentine’s Day or think it’s a fake holiday perpetuated by greeting card companies, there’s a song or two for you on this list of my five favorite songs about February 14.
5. “Feb. 14” – Drive-By Truckers
Is there a crueler rejection than “I want to be alone/Take your chocolates and go home?” The knife is twisted when the rejecter ends up “blossoming all over” while the rejectee withers. Time for some comfort eating, Patterson Hood.
4. “Valentine” – Old 97′s
“It’s a lonely, lonely feeling when your valentine was wrong,” sings bassist Murry Hammond on this heartbreaker from Fight Songs “Valentine the destroyer,” indeed.
3. “Valentine” – Bobby Bare, Jr.
With proclamations like “I killed my valentine/And I shall proudly do my time” the younger Bare is your funny valentine; not “ha ha” funny, but an unstable type of funny. In other words, he’s perfectly suited for the Friday Five.
2. “Valentine’s Day” – Steve Earle
This poor fella’s forgotten Valentine’s Day, but his apology—”If you’ll take my IOU/I could make it up to you/Until then, I hope my heart will do”—could melt all but the coldest heart.
- 1. “Valentine” – Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard
I’m caught in my very own love triangle here, because I can’t decide which version of this Nelson-penned song (found on Willie’s Across the Borderline and Merle’s 1994) I like better.
Tagged In This Article
Bobby Bare Jr. // Drive By Truckers // Friday Five // Merle Haggard // Old 97's // Playlist // Steve Earle // Willie Nelson
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February 11, 2011 at 9:43 am
Surprised that Martina McBride’s “Valentine” didn’t make the list.
February 11, 2011 at 9:45 am
My favorite is Bruce Robison’s Valentine.
February 11, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I’m kinda shocked too Lewis… that is the only Martina song that I actually like, LOL.
February 11, 2011 at 2:12 pm
Billy Joe Shaver has one called “Valentine.” When I interviewed him a couple years ago, a British guy came up and told him it was his favorite song of his. Shaver played it at the in-store afterward, but said he felt like a little kid when he wrote it and didn’t seem too fond of it.
February 11, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Second to Bruce Robison’s “valentine” great song.