Relics of Valentines Past

Music is the way I filter the world. I narrate my day using music. My life — seen through my brain — often looks a lot like a movie montage, cued to the perfect music. I have Spotify playlists for every occasion. Seriously, I love orchestrating the perfect mix.

Love is no different for me. Punk songs will immediately have me strolling back to shared seats on yellow buses huddling closer to my cd player with first loves. Softer, folksy tunes remind me of new beginnings in salt-tinged winds. Pop synth beat drops talking about love fearing millennials takes me back to his long, wavy brunette hair that I loved to envy. Summer anthems never let me forget the thrum of possibility that courses through my veins as temperatures warm.

Each relationship — whether it fizzled out or went down in flames — elicits an immediate musical response. ‘Fools Gold’ by Fitz and the Tantrums belongs to a mediocre first date. Unrequited love? There’s a song (actually ten) for that. Even the fabric of some of my longest friendships are deeply based in melodies. Even when the feelings fade, music is the last bastion for these memories.

This playlist started at about 100 songs. Now, I’ve narrowed it down to not-quite-the-number-I-was-aiming for. What started out as an inspiration playlist for an upcoming post (stay tuned!), turned into a sensory-filled ramble through the haunts of loves past. There’s a song for plenty of milestones and moments in my life: first love; unrequited love; relationships that never made it to the l-word; the aftermaths; the anthem for when I love myself and want to wear all the eyeliner; when I want to celebrate my singledom; when I loathe my singledom; how I feel about love right now; and for the deep, unyielding love I have for my friends.

This list was painful to narrow down — I had to leave off plenty of songs that I adore and make me swoon. But it’s three days before Valentine’s Day, I’m single and it’s 2018 — you’re gonna get a weird mix. Without further ado, here is my carefully curated list of songs in no particular order for 2018’s Valentine’s Day. Let me know in the comments what songs make your own Valentine’s Day list!

https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/122420366/playlist/5qisBi9kP9ywyrfcu0BXmz