In honor of Valentine’s Day, our first playlist will be songs related to love. As there are very few songs that don’t seem to be related to love in all its many guises, this first list will be more than twice as long as usual, though it is completely arbitrary and by no means exhaustive. To make things slightly easier (for me), I’ve categorized them according to some of love’s phases.

Falling in love

"At Last," Etta James, At Last! (Remastered)
This song has been co-opted by Jaguar (in a really clever use of the song) and Beyoncé sang it (beautifully) for the Obamas’ first dance, the ultimate romantic "sigh of relief" song for everyone who has finally found love (and not just a new president).

"I Believe I’m in Love With You," Bonnie Raitt, Road Tested
This totally infectious song reminds you of how much rocking, good fun falling in love can be. The band is having such a good time onstage they are clearly in love with each other.

"I Thought I Was a Child," Jackson Browne, For Everyman
Bonnie does a great version of this, too. Either way, it’s about that moment when an encounter can change your whole perception of yourself. Browne’s early lyrics are poetry.

"Everyday," Buddy Holly, Buddy Holly: Greatest Hits
Genius song by the first genius of rock and roll. You can feel it getting stronger.

"True Companion," Marc Cohn
He sang this at Brooke Shields’s wedding, and hey, she’s still married!

"Maybe I’m Amazed," Paul McCartney, McCartney (Remastered)
The best. And by a guy who really, really was in love with his wife (No. 1, that is).


Still Happy

"Ain’t Nobody," Chaka Khan, Epiphany, the Best of Chaka Khan, Volume 1
There was a period in the 1980s when people ended up dancing, wildly, to this song at every party I had (even in stuffy old Washington and often with things like colanders on their heads). If anyone can sing ecstasy, it’s Chaka.

"Here Comes My Girl," Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Damn the Torpedos
Who wouldn’t want to be this girl? Petty has never cut a song that isn’t rock and roll at its sexy, sexy best.

"Something in the Way She Moves," James Taylor, James Taylor: Greatest Hits
Someone told me the other day that George Harrison’s song by this same name was not about Patti Boyd at all, but about smoking pot, and there are probably almost as many songs about pot as love by some folks’ translation. Whatever — I love Harrison’s song for the guitar riffs alone, but Taylor’s song is so spare and touching and heartfelt. It is from his very first album "James Taylor and the Flying Machine," which made me a Taylor convert for life.

"Sparkle and Shine," Steve Earle, Washington Square
A lovely love song from a guy who ain’t generally all that happy.


Sticking it out — or trying

"Forever My Love," James Taylor and Carly Simon, Carly Simon, Hotcakes
A tad bittersweet since it was written when they were in love and married, and I think she was pregnant with their second child. Still, they meant it in the moment, as we all do.

"Let’s Stay Together," Al Green, Let’s Stay Together

"One Step Up," Bruce Springsteen, Tunnel of Love
Captures the difficulties of doing the above (staying together). Springsteen’s marriage was breaking up when he wrote this album and you can tell.

"The Long Run," Eagles, The Long Run