Lost Love Songs: A Coupleary Celebration

Well it is that time of year again. Coupleary. It is the 13th Month of The Year and spans from (Officially) January 15-February 14, but unofficially it lasts from December 26 (I checked, the stores had everything out on the shelves) until February 17. As a single guy, I usually do my best to ignore all the mushy ads. Valentines Day is one of the "holidays" that I opt-out of. I figure I save at least $500 every year. 

One of those things I try to avoid is love songs, at least the typical "I'd never trade a thing, you are so wonderful to me" songs. Written by someone who has the girl. Those of us who look at the situation and decide to try our luck at Foxwoods tend to like the other kind of "love song". The song where the girl says no or otherwise leaves. I call this playlist lost love songs, after "tis better to have loved and lost..." It is a work in progress and I will keep adding to it as I find them. For now, this is the list.

• Emery, The Ponytail Parades: "It scares me to think that you could find takers other than me, better than me." "Don't say that we can still be friends." With two cuts here, they are the king of the break up song.
• Emery, Can't Stop The Killer: One of the most disturbing songs in Christian Music. The chronicle of a Broken Marriage ending in Murder. You have to hear it to believe it.
• Color Theory, I Should Have Kissed You: "I told myself when you leaned in closer, this is my big chance but now it is over, and now I miss you. I should have kissed you." Honesty like this gets you the co-regency.
• Color Theory, A Safe Distance: "I will always love you, From a safe distance" Enough Said.
• Skillet, Say Goodbye: "Don't say anything tonight, if you're gonna say goodbye"
• NF, I Just Wanna Know: "I just wanna know, when did you get so cold, what happened to your soul."
• Sumerlin, Breaking Out: "It's my fault I gave my heart away with the key, I thought that she would be the one to stay here."
• The Ember Days, Darling: On first spin I felt it was about a spouse dying, I later discovered that it was about the death of a child. It works either way. "What shall be my hope without without my love without my love. Will I find heaven to be my only relief." I can not hear this song without tearing up. A short vocal song with a long instrumental end.
• The Quiet Science, The Things That Cannot Be: "If Only Every Word You Said Could be Removed From Me so that I didn't know you at all. If Only Every Line of your face didn't burn so deep into my memory the things that cannot be."

Despite the list I am not depressed, only realistic. The sayings end "than not to have loved at all" is true. You can't break up if you weren't together at one point. Get your tissues and give it a listen. Meanwhile I'll be practicing my poker skills. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.
 

Caught in a Firefall at General Hospital

The Calendar doesn't say it, but it is coupleary once again. For those new here, that is my name for the first half of February and the last half of January. It's the thirteenth month, and it exists mainly to depress single guys and make guys in a relationship feel guilty if they don't spend big bucks on this one day. I usually can ignore the month as best as is humanly possible, but these past few years have made me a bit more sensitive to its effects.

For that I blame love songs. They seem to occur with more frequency around now. A while back I was having breakfast at a fast food joint and a love song from the 70's came on the radio. Plus, they are always written by people who already have the girl.

You are the woman that I've always dreamed of, I knew it from the start.
I saw your face and that's the last I've seen of my heart.

Corny? Maybe, but pretty innocent. Just listen to the cars that pass by any day and you would have an eternal bleep if you tried. That's not love. Still, I remember listening to it and thinking "Lucky guy". If I knew it at the time, things would have been different. No, I am a bit closer to another love song, this from the 80's.

All I need is just a little more time to be sure of what I feel. Is it all in my mind. Cause it seems so hard to believe that you're all I need.

That second one comes from Jack Wagner, at the time a star on the soap opera General Hospital. You want to know how I know that?My High School Sweetheart was a GH Fan and she raved about the song. That should have been my cue to exit, stage right. No way I was going to compete with a soap opera star. What's reality when you've got fantasy.  I may have needed a little more time, but she probably wanted a decision NOW. When I finally had enough time I found out that my time was up long ago.

I'm not entirely a lost cause. I still believe there can be love at first sight. Only if it doesn't go both ways at that time, it never will. Though that line about marrying your best friend. Only if they became your best friend after marriage. Otherwise, once again, It doesn't work. Believe me, I know whereof I speak.

My post last year said it best. On the 15th, the candy goes on sale. Then we single guys get left alone until next year. Time to put Sumerlin on. Until next time, I am Awaiting Your Reply.

Its a long way to coupleary

I know, it's supposed to be Tipperary, but this is about Valentines Day. In honor of single guys everywhere, I have declared the first 16 or 17 days of February to be called Coupleary and give permission for them to be ignored. No more guilt trips.

Singleness does have its upside. Every year I save an average of $300 (just like I saved around $20K on a car last year by not buying one). Now I noticed the other day that Ash Wednesday is on February 13th. I'd like to see some poor sap try to use that for why he didn't get roses. "We're giving that up for lent." You know it's a tough call when it causes the Pope to say Take this job and shove it.

As a music blogger, I find a lot in lyrics, and while I would love to be like Rel Paul and say:

Girl you got me thinking, God must really love me
to give me someone like you, you, to really love me
hey hey hey, Oh, I'm like hey hey hey

And If I was really romantic, I'd go for Disciple's Kevin Young

So baby let's go dancing across the sky tonight
cause no mountain could keep me from your arms tonight
of all the things in my life, that I could rewrite,
I wouldn't trade a moment with you

Despite all the awww. There are plenty of things I'd trade. He's got his girl. While I'm a happy guy, when I get down around this time of year I sometimes agree with Cloud 2 Ground.

It's gonna be the last time I listen to my heart
cause it lied, and you lied
and I'm tired that I wont cry, I wont cry
look what you've done
I was crazy for you, so crazy for you.

And despite the years, I will agree with Skillet that

The older I get, will I get over it
it's been way to long for the times we missed
I can't believe it still hurts like this but I think
the older I get maybe I'll get over it
it's been way to long for the times we missed
I can't believe it still hurts like this.

While there is a certain someone I think about as I play woulda coulda shoulda, there are two others who could fit as well. My first crush was a girl in my church by the name of Tina Cavaleri. I was 13, I think she was 15 or 16. You know what that means. She didn't know I was alive. One time when our church got in a hugging mode I gave her a hug during service. Let's just say I now know what it's like to hug a dead fish.

At around the same time, there was another girl, Lori Ann Pierce, one of the Pastor's daughters. She was a cute petite blonde of around 12 or 13 and had a crush on me. Between the fact that I go for brunettes, and Tina was one, and she was somewhat younger, I didn't know she was alive. It was a double edged sword anyway.

• If things go well: You are in. With the Church and Heaven. You may be a favorite son in law and even make Pastor someday.
• If they don't: You can't even imagine the level of hell you'll be assigned to.

Lori's the only girl I could blackmail by saying that "She fell asleep on my lap." In reality she lay her head on my lap and fell to sleep while the youth group was returning from a trip to see a musical. I believe it was "The Missionary of Oz". It was in the pre -seat belt law era. Oh well. Woulda coulda shoulda.

February the 15th is almost here. That's when the Candy goes half-price.