Love is in the air and on the airwaves!
In honor of Valentine’s Day, KNKX will be sprinkling some of our favorite jazz love songs into our regular music shows on Feb. 13 and 14. The amorous tunes will include time-honored standards that have set the mood for decades, like the heartfelt tune “My Romance,” and new gems, like Laufey’s delightful original “Valentine.”
In anticipation of the most romantic day of the year, why not impress your date by learning the backstories behind a few of the love songs you may hear together?
“My Romance”
From the 1935 Rodgers and Hart musical Jumbo, “My Romance” is the epitomic jazz love song. The song’s poetic lyrics describe the sweet simplicity of real love, and how it doesn’t need the “twinkling stars” or “soft guitars” to be true. We often feature a version by the great vibraphonist Gary Burton, which highlights vibes and piano harmonizing on the tender melody. A classic wedding song, it’s an ideal fit on the day of love, too.
“You Go To My Head”
The perfect tune for those intoxicating early days in a new romance, “You Go To My Head,” is a wistful jazz standard first recorded in 1938. Written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie — the same songwriting duo that wrote “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” in 1934 — “You Go To My Head” has been covered by jazz musicians for decades. Our music archive contains a beautiful version from the breathy, lilting saxophonist Paul Desmond.
“My Funny Valentine”
Like much of jazz’s standard repertoire, “My Funny Valentine” originally appeared in a musical. This song is from Rodgers and Hart’s Broadway production Babes in Arms from 1937. One of the most frequently recorded jazz ballads of the 20th century, the Chet Baker version you may hear on Valentine’s Day is one of the most iconic versions of the song. A closer listen may pose questions about the songwriter’s true intent: Why is it that her looks are “laughable” and her figure is “less than Greek?” The lyrics are chock full of back-handed compliments, but the melody is oh-so pretty and romantic.
“Sunday Kind Of Love”
The perfect song for spending a lazy weekend with your sweetheart, “Sunday Kind of Love” was written by Barbara Belle, Anita Leonard, Stan Rhodes, and Louis Prima in 1946. It wasn’t until 1960, when Etta James recorded it on her debut record, that the song rose in popularity. Listen for a bluesy, pared down version from R&B artist Charles Brown on KNKX.
“Skylark”
This emotional 1941 ballad was written by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Originally entitled “Bix Licks” for cornetist and pianist Bix Beiderbecke, the song has a lyrical and melancholy melody that’s made it a longtime favorite. The version you’ll hear on Valentine’s Day is from the Virginia-based drummer Jae Sinnett, off his 2023 record Commitment.
“Besamé Mucho”
A Latin classic by one of Mexico’s most notable composers, the pianist Consuelo Velázquez, “Besame Mucho,” which translates to “kiss me a lot,” is a must-have on any Valentine’s playlist. According to American Songwriter, Velazquez wrote the song as a teen, before she’d had her first kiss. Originally recorded in 1941, it’s been covered by a variety of artists including The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley. On Valentine’s Day, we’ll play a version from Cuban composer and jazz pianist, Alfredo Rodriguez.
“Valentine”
One of the more recent additions to our store of jazzy love songs, “Valentine” is a charming recording from modern pop-jazz artist Laufey. “Valentine” tells the hopeful and sometimes comical story of someone finding love for the first time. “He tells me I'm pretty/ Don't know how to respond/ I tell him that he's pretty too/ Can I say that? Don't have a clue,” Laufey sings innocently in the song, which appeared on her 2022 album Everything I Know About Love.
These are just a few of the songs that may play on Valentine's Day. In fact, we’ve got an arsenal of approximately 100 songs that highlight how thoroughly — and perfectly — jazz composers and musicians have cornered the love song market.
Here’s hoping our curated features help you celebrate the day with those close to your heart.
Tune into KNKX on Feb. 14 for special Valentine’s Day additions during our music shows.
