Valentine's Day is the one day out of the whole year when you have the opportunity to show your special lady just how much you care. Technically, there is your anniversary — it's very important you do that then also. Oh, and there is also her birthday — that's another opportunity. And don't forget about Christmas. Come to think of it, Valentine's Day is a giant scam.
Scam or not, Valentine's Day is a big deal to most women, and unless you want to be spending next year's Valentine's Day sitting alone at Applebee's drowning your sorrows in Mud Slides, wondering how it all went wrong, you had better come correct, fellas.
Of course, one thing that never fails to impress the ladies is a mixtape. Sure, it's a little bit 10th-grade, but taking the time and effort to put together the perfect mixtape for someone really lets them know you care. But crafting the perfect mixtape is no easy task, and we often could use a little guidance. But to whom should you turn for such guidance?
How about sensitive New Jersey rocker Pete Yorn?
We caught up with Yorn to talk love songs. Coincidentally, Yorn will be kicking off his latest tour in Tempe this Valentine's Day (hint, hint). So just in case you were wondering whether or not to include the following songs on your Valentine's Day mixes, here is Yorn's take.
"Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney: "That is a good song. Paul's written a lot of good love songs. It's funny; if you look through my catalog, there aren't really many songs about the amazement of being in love. It's always kind of the other side of it. But it is a cool song."
"At Last" by Etta James: "I like that song, but I feel like it's been co-opted by too many wedding first songs or too many romantic comedies or something."
"Let's Stay Together" by Al Green: "That's a classic, good song. I like how he brings in the reality of how hard relationships can be — the good, the bad, the happy, the sad. You kinda gotta take it all if you want it to work. So I like that realism in there."
"Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole: "I liken [it] to 'Maybe I'm Amazed' in that it kinda seems to deal with that initial burst of almost lust/almost fantasy love that I don't think any human could really sustain over a long period of time, but maybe I'm wrong."
"Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis Presley: "Love that song. I love the melody of that song and Elvis' delivery of that song. I've actually covered that song a few times trying to do my best Elvis impersonation. There is something so cool about when you have that instant attraction to someone that you kind of obsess over them for a while. It's a very powerful human thing that goes on there, where you have no control, where I can't help falling in love with you. It's basically like saying you're out of control, and the most powerful people find themselves out of control by love or lust. It's pretty wild to watch that happen."
"Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye: "I like that song. It's very honest, straightforward. Very few people are able to pull that off where they're able to just say, 'Let's get it on,' in their song —and it works. Marvin could do that. Which is pretty cool."
"Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthew Band: "I don't know what that's about."
