Love Songs Radio

Posts

Dancing in Love

Ciao! This week I’ve chosen the theme “Dancing in Love”. First up is “Sway” by Dean Martin from 1954. Next up is “Lady in Red” by Chris DeBurgh from 1986. It was a huge worldwide hit, going to #1 in 25 different countries. Now let’s listen to “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers. The song is from 1955, with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North wrote the music as a theme for the little-known prison film “Unchained”, which explains the song’s title. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack, but it is the version by the Righteous Brothers from 1965 that became the jukebox standard. One of the favorite songs from my youth is “Muskrat Love” by Captain & Tenille. Recorded in 1976, it is about two muskrats, Sammy & Suzy, who are in love, and who like to dance together. “Heartache on the Dance Floor” by Joe Pardi is a 2016 country western song about a girl that captures a man’s heart as he watches her dancing. Now here is “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie fro...

My Love's Name

Ciao! This week I’ve chosen songs that all have the name of a woman in their title. So I’m calling this episode “My Love’s Name”. To start off let’s listen to “Aubrey” by Bread from 1972. Next up is “Magdalena” by Demis Roussos from 1989. It is a song about a man who is on his way back home, and back to the woman that he loves. Now let’s listen to the Allman Brothers with “Melissa” from 1972. Our next song is by Antonello Venditti, an Italian singer-songwriter and pianist who became famous in the 1970s for the social themes of his songs. Here is one of his most beautiful love songs from 1978, entitled “Sara”. Next we have The Police with “Roxanne” from 1978. Here is “Lorelei”, one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite groups, Styx. Released on their 1975 album Equinox, it was released as a single in 1976. The song peaked at #27 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was the band's second top 40 hit single. Lorelei also hit number six on the Canadian charts, and was ranked as the 77...

Only You

Ciao! This week’s theme is “Only You”. To start off let’s listen to a song with that very same title, by the Platters from 1955, with lead vocals by Tony Williams. Our next song was originally recorded by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons in 1967, but this is the Boys Town Gang version from 1982, with Cynthia Manley’s fabulous voice. Here is “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”. Now let’s listen to the 1974 hit “Hooked on a Feeling” by Blue Swede, also known as the Ooga-Chaka song. In 1974 Claudio Baglioni released the song “E Tu”, from his album of the same name. The title means “and you”, and it says “there is nothing but you, only you, always you”. Blue Moon by Ella Fitzgerald from 1957, was originally written in 1934 by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and over the years became a standard ballad that has been recorded by many artists. My favorite version is this one, with the beautiful tones of Ella Fitzgerald. And now here is “My Girl” by the Temptations from 1965. “Sei nell’Anima” by ...

My Wish

Ciao! This week I’ve chosen the theme “My Wish” and our lineup features songs that talk about wishing for love, or wanting something to change, or evolve in the relationship. Our first song is “End of the World” by Demis Roussos from 1993. “Con Te Partirò” (which means “with you I will depart”) by Andrea Bocelli from 1995 is similar to the previous song, as it is a wish to go on a romantic voyage with a loved one, to places that no longer exist. Our next song is “Fly Me to the Moon”. Frank Sinatra recorded it in 1964, but the voice of Doris Day is so sweet that I chose her version, from 1965. Who else loves Guardians of the Galaxy? Here is one of the songs from Peter Quill’s playlist “Come and Get Your Love” by the native American band Redbone, from 1974. Now here is “Vorrei Che Fosse Amore” by Mina from 1968. The title of the song means “I wish it was love”. Next up is the hauntingly beautiful “She’s Like the Wind” by Patrick Swayze from 1987. “Se Adesso Te Ne Vai” (which means “if yo...

Synth-Pop Love

Ciao! This week’s theme is “Synth-Pop Love”. Let’s start things off with a song that perfectly expresses the essence of the synth-pop genre. Released in 1980, "Fade to Grey" is by Visage, and it became an instant hit across Europe. Here’s "Vienna" by Ultravox. Did you know that this track was famously used in the film "Billy Elliot"? Let’s listen… Now here is "Shake the Disease" by Depeche Mode. Our next song is the synth-pop anthem "Love Action (I Believe in Love)" by The Human League. And now here's "Talking in Your Sleep" by The Romantics. It was a massive hit in the early '80s, reaching the top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Next up is "Secret" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, better known as OMD. Now let’s listen to "Lessons in Love" by Level 42. This song was a huge hit, reaching the top 10 in several countries. Up next, we have a synth-pop classic that's guaranteed to melt your heart. ...

Feelings

“Emozioni” by Lucio Battisti “Could It Be Magic” by Barry Manilow "Quando L’Amore Ti Tocca” by Mina “Feelings” by Morris Albert “Questo Piccolo Grande Amore” by Claudio Baglioni “You Make Me Feel Brand New” by the Stylistics “Babe” by Styx “Diamante” by Zucchero “Hold On My Heart” by Genesis “Il Cielo in Una Stanza” by Gino Paoli “Heaven” by Bryan Adams "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin This week’s theme is “Feelings”, and our first song has that same title, but in Italian. It’s “Emozioni” by Lucio Battisti, from 1970. Our next song is "Could It Be Magic", by Barry Manilow. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Released in 1973, the melody was inspired by Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C minor. Mina, the queen of Italian pop, brings us the next heartwarming track, "Quando L’Amore Ti Tocca" from 1981. The title of the song means “When Love Touches You”. Next up is Morris Albert with "Feelings" (released in 1974 from the album of the sam...

Endless Love

Ciao! Let's start off this week's lineup with "Let Her Go" by Passenger from 2012. Our next song is the delightfully melancholic "Vivere Una Favola" by Vasco Rossi from 1987. The title of the song means, "To Live A Fairytale", and he says, "What I wouldn't give, to be on a cloud; to live in a fairytale". Now let's listen to "Black Water" by the Doobie Brothers, from 1974. Next up we have "Sento Solo il Presente" by Annalisa from 2015. This song is pure poetry. She says, "Transform me into a bubble, so that I can touch a star. Breathe softly and send me around the moon. Bind me to a ray of sunshine. Give it to the wind, and catch the essence of my every smile, and give it to the world. Everything is alive when I'm with you, and I search for nothing but the certainty that you are here". Our next song is "Grease" by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, from 1978. And now, here is 883 with ...

Melodies of Love

Ciao! Let’s start off this week’s lineup with“L'Isola” (or “the Island”), a song by Emma Marrone from 2018. It is about finding the courage to choose what is best for us. Several artists have done covers of the song “Honesty”, but here is the original by Billy Joel from 1978 Next up is “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” by The Temptations from 1971. Our next song is “Prenditi Cura di Me” by Alessandra Amoroso from 2012. The title of the song means “take care of me”, and she is saying this because she is afraid of being hurt, after past experiences with others. Here’s a beautiful song from the new album by Santana, “Blessings & Miracles”. The title of the song is “Break” and it features the lovely voice of Ally Brooke. Another song from an album just released. This is ABBA with “I Still Have Faith in You”, from their album “Voyage”. The voices we all know so well are now mellowed and more mature, but still incredibly beautiful. Now let’s listen to “Un Passo Indietro” b...

Love's Harmony

Ciao! Let’s start off this week’s lineup with “Workin’ My Way Back to You”. The song was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966, but this is the disco version by The Spinners from 1979. Now let’s listen to “Evil Woman” by the Electric Light Orchestra, from 1975. Next up we have a song from 1973 by the Doobie Brothers that most people think is called “Without Love”, but the title is actually “Long Train Running”. And now here is Katrina Stone with “Soul on Fire” from 2016. Our next song is “Swearin’ to God” by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from 1975. Next up is the 1985 song by the Eurythmics “There Must Be An Angel (Playing with my heart)”. How about a beautiful love song duet? Here are Barbra Streisand and Bryan Adams singing “I Finally Found Someone” from the 1996 film “The Mirror Has Two Faces”. Here is the 1979 hit “We Don’t Talk Anymore” by Cliff Richard. Many artists have recorded this next song, but the original version by Louis Armstrong is still the best. Here is...

Weathering Love

Ciao! This week’s theme is “weathering love” and I’ve chosen love songs that talk about the weather. Let’s start off with Eddie Rabbit with “I love a rainy night” from 1980. Next up is “Rainy Night in Georgia” by Brook Benton from 1970. Now let’s listen to “Sunshine on My Shoulders” by John Denver from 1971. And now here is “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix from 1967. Our next song is also from 1967: “Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream. Next up is “Fire & Rain” by James Taylor from 1970. There are a lot of beautiful songs about the weather from the late 60s and early 70s, aren’t there? Here is “Rainy Days & Mondays” by the Carpenters from 1971. And now one of Prince’s best known songs, “Purple Rain” from 1984. Now here is “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina & The Waves from 1983. Next up we have “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions from 1984. Our next song is “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin from 1979. Here is “Riders on the Storm” by the Doors from their 1971 album...

Who Loves You

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “Who Loves You?” and our first song has that same name. It’s by Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, from their 1975 album of the same name. Next up is “Crazy Love” by Van Morrison from his 1970 album “Moondance”. Our next song is “Nient'Altro Che Noi” by the Italian band 883 from 1999. The title of the song means “nothing but us”. “You Are the Reason” is a song by English singer Calum Scott. It was released in November of 2017 as the second single from his debut album “Only Human”. The song has been streamed over one billion times, and has sold over five million copies worldwide. And now here is “Woman in Love” by Barbra Streisand from her 1980 album, “Guilty”. The song was written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, who received the 1980 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically. It is her fourth Platinum record, and is considered her greatest international hit. Next we have “Una Finestra Tra Le Stelle” by Annalisa from 2015...

Life After Love

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “Life After Love”. Our first song is “Believe” by Cher from her 1998 album of the same name. Next up is “Nessun Rimpianto” by the Italian band 883 from 1997. The title of the song means “no regrets”. "Waiting for Love" is a song by Swedish DJ and music producer Avicii. The song features lyrics and uncredited vocals by Simon Aldred, the former lead singer of the English band Cherry Ghost. The song was released in May of 2015 as the lead single from Avicii's second studio album, “Stories”. “The Way We Were” was written by Alan Bergman, Marilyn Bergman and Marvin Hamlisch and recorded by Barbra Streisand for the 1973 film of the same name. The song won two Academy Awards for the songwriters. The single was also a commercial success, topping the charts in both Canada and the US, and in the top 40 in Australia and the UK. "The Way We Were" was 1974's most successful recording in the United States, and has since been certified Pl...

The Magic of Love

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “The Magic of Love”. Let’s start off with “Do You Believe in Magic?” by The Lovin Spoonful from 1965. Next up is “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by The Police from their 1981 album “Ghost in the Machine”. The single reached the top of the charts in the UK and hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the USA. Our next song is from 1982: “You Can Do Magic” by the folk rock duo America, from their album “View from the Ground”. Now let’s listen to “Black Magic Woman” by Santana from 1970. And now here is "All The Magic" by Natalie Imbruglia. It is one of the songs from "Winx Club: The Secret of the Lost Kingdom", an Italian CGI animated feature film, based on the television series Winx Club. The film premiered on November 30, 2007 in Italian cinemas. “Don't Kill the Magic” is the debut studio album by Canadian reggae fusion band Magic!. ... It was released on June 30, 2014 Next up is “Abracadabra” by the Steve Miller Ban...

Pure Love

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “Pure Love”. Let’s start off with The Bellamy Brothers and “Let Your Love Flow” from 1976. Now let’s listen to “Certe Donne Brillano” by Italian singer songwriter Ligabue, from his album “Start”, released in 2019. The title of the song means “some women shine”. Next up is “At Last” by Etta James from her 1960 debut studio album of the same name. This song is so beautiful, and really timeless, and Etta’s voice is just fantastic. The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. “Hai Bucato La Mia Vita” is by Italian singer songwriter Adriano Celentano, and was released in 2007. The title means “you made a hole in my life”, and he is referring to the moment when she left him. Here is “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams from 1992. The song was a commercial and critical success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. It was also ranked fourth on the list of Billboard's Top 100 hits of 1992, and became the biggest succes...

Don't Give Up

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “Don’t Give Up”. Let’s start off with The Temptations and “Ain't Too Proud to Beg” from 1966. Now let’s listen to “You Can't Hurry Love” by The Supremes. Written by Motown production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song topped the Billboard pop singles chart, made the UK top five, and made the top 10 in the Australian Singles Chart. It was released in late summer of 1966. Billboard named the song number 19 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time, and the BBC ranked it at number 16 on the The Top 100 Digital Motown Chart. Next up is “Don’t Worry Baby” by the Beach Boys from 1964. “Cade La Pioggia” by Negramaro is a beautiful song from 2007. The title means “the rain falls”, and it is about a relationship that is ending. And now, here is “I’ll Never Let You Go” by Steelheart from 1990. Our next song is “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” by Dionne Warwick from 1979. It reached number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 in...

Without You

Ciao! The theme of this episode is “Without You”. Let’s start off with a beautiful classic,”Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers from 1971. “Pronto a Correre” is a song by Marco Mengoni from 2013. The title means “ready to run” and he says that he is ready to move on, after a broken relationship. “Owner of a Lonely Heart” by Yes from 1983 is one of those songs that you just know is from the 80s, when you hear it. Yeah, I really miss that style, don’t you? And now, “Io Vivrò (Senza Te)” by Lucio Battisti from 1969. After she has left him, he says “I will live without you, but I will cry”. Now let’s listen to “Coming Back to Life” by Pink Floyd from 1994. This is classic Pink Floyd, and that wailing guitar really puts the feels on me. How about you? Quando Una Stella Muore is by Giorgia from 2013. The title of the song means “when a star dies”, but what she is talking about is a love that has ended. She says “the road changes our ideas and intentions, but no one knows what to do when a sta...

Power Ballads Again

Ciao! As my regular listeners know, I love power ballads. So here is another episode featuring them. Let’s start off with “Drive” by The Cars from 1984. Next we have “Listen to Your Heart” by Swedish pop music duo Roxette. The song was originally released in Sweden in September of 1988 as the second single from the duo's second studio album, “Look Sharp!” It went on to become one of the most successful singles of 1989, reaching number one in both the US and Canada. Our next song is “More Than a Feeling” by Boston from 1976. “The One I Love" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was released on the band's fifth full-length studio album, “Document” in 1987. The song was the band’s first hit single, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. In March 2005, Q magazine placed "The One I Love" at No. 57 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks, and in 2012, Slant Magazine listed the song as the 38th best single of the 1980s. Now let’s listen to “How ...

Search This Blog