Local stars pick their greatest love songs ever
Love songs make the world go round. In spirit of Valentine’s, we asked Pinoy musicians and other music types what they think is the the greatest love song ever made. Check out what they have to say.
GLOC-9: “Passenger Seat” by Stephen Speaks
“Kasi nung ako’y nanliligaw pa lang, wala akong sasakyan at di ako marunong mag-drive kaya ako ang laging pasahero ni Thea (girlfriend then, his wife now).”
BASTI ARTADI of WOLFGANG: “Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton
“I think it’s almot the perfect love song. In my opinion, though, the last verse would have ended even better with “And then SHE tells me as I turn down the light, SHE says my darling, you are wonderful tonight…” You see, through most of the song, he’s praising her at how awesome she makes him feel. To reverse the original end of the song and show that SHE felt the same way for him, that would have been pure icing on the cake.”
BAYANG BARRIOS: “Ngayon at Kailanman” by Basil Valdez
“Wala nang makahihigit pa sa letra ng kantang ito para sa isang minamahal: ‘Sa bawa’t araw ang pag-ibig ko sa ‘yo liyag / Lalong tumatamis, tumitingkad / Bawa’t kahapon ay daig nitong bawa’t ngayon na daig ang bawa’t bukas…’ Grabe, nasabi sa isang kanta ang buong damdamin para sa isang nililiyag.”
ROBERT JAVIER of THE YOUTH
“Any of the Bread singles (“Make It With You, “Everything I Own”) for the simple reason that no one writes love songs anymore the way they did.”
LIZA NAKPIL, manager of WOLFGANG
“It would be a bit of a stretch for me to me to name a favorite single of ‘all time.’ My taste usually runs from ‘accusatory’ like Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep’ to anti-(love) such as Kamikazee’s ‘Narda.’ Having said those, The Dawn has a ‘beauty’ in the can which I’m not sharing right now….”
KARYLLE: “Evergreen” by Barbra Streisand
“Perfect lyrics: ‘Love soft as an easy chair…’ “Nuff said.”
JOHNNY ALEGRE, jazz guitarist: “If I Fell” by The Beatles.
“The two-part harmony and the elegant rhetoric of the words connect straight to the heart. It is such a classic example of fine songwriting, so pure that it can be sung unaccompanied without subtracting from its beauty. Hearing this rock ballad for the very first time in the school yard when I was small gave me a glimpse of the possibilities of rock 'n' roll, beyond Elvis which was my staple in kindergarten as heir of 50s Sun Records 45s from my uncles and aunts.”
STONEFREE: "Something” by The Beatles.
“It is such a sexy and simple song that conveys both certainty and uncertainty regarding George Harrison's feelings towards this woman he adores. There's indeed that unexplainable thing that happens when you meet someone who catches your eye and makes your heart skip a beat. George captured that initial reaction so well, something that happens to us too all the time”.
ELY BUENDIA: “Distant Shores” by Chad & Jeremy.
“Kasi it has this ethereal feel.”
PAUL MARNEY LEOBRERA of BLEU RASCALS: “Merry Go Round” by Fleetwood Mac.
“Because of the raw sound and feeling of the song that tells love can be a merry go round that can go round and round forever. I also have an original composition for my girlfriend called ‘What Love Can Do.’ which is the greatest love song for me, right now. It’s on our debut album that’s coming out very soon.”
BONEYARD CIRCUS
Angie, “November Rain” by Guns ‘n Roses: “Simply epic, in a tragic-romantic sort of way and the crescendo…spine tingling!”; Juni,“I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys: “It strikes a chord with everyone somehow, and it’s so damn catchy.”; Karl, “A Song for You” by The Carpenters: “For a love song, it has strong lyrics that don’t sound so mushy at all.”
LOURD DE VEYRA of RADIOACTIVE SAGO PROJECT: “Baby I Need Your Love” and “The Only Thing I Would Wish For” by Angela Bofill.
“Two songs that make love sound so much joyously transcendental…and not the dire, painful, soul-crushing morass that it truly is.”
MARC ABAYA of KJWAN: “Stand by Me” by Ben E. King.
“It’s simple. It’s beautiful. It’s timeless.”
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