Waves On The Sea

#1!

Josh Ritter - “The Temptation Of Adam”

The most romantic song in my iTunes library is the wonderful Josh Ritter song, “The Temptation Of Adam.” As mentioned in the #3 entry, Josh is an outstanding storyteller. He creates these fictional stories and turns them into gorgeous songs. This song remains the most romantic song I’ve ever heard. Full list:

1. Josh Ritter - The Temptation Of Adam
2. Death Cab for Cutie - I Will Follow You Into The Dark
3. Josh Ritter - The Curse
4. Brandi Carlile - The Story
5. Iron & Wine - Naked As We Came
6. Bob Dylan - Make You Feel My Love (Adele version)
7. Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
8. Josh Ritter - Girl In The War
9. U2 - With Or Without You (Keane version)
10. Tegan and Sara - When I Get Up (I’ve Got You) (live/unreleased)
11. Keane - Somewhere Only We Know
12. Bruno Mars - Just The Way You Are
13. Hanson - Penny & Me
14. Edwin McCain - I’ll Be (acoustic)
15. Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)
16. Tegan and Sara - Living Room
17. The Temptations - My Girl
18. Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am
19. Tiesto/Tegan and Sara - Feel It In My Bones
20. Ray LaMontagne - You Are The Best Thing
21. Ben Kweller - Run
22. The Blow - Parentheses
23. Tegan and Sara - This Is Everything (live at The Phoenix)
24. Death Cab for Cutie - Marching Bands Of Manhattan
25. Coldplay - Fix You
26. The Knife - Heartbeats
27. The Cars - Just What I Needed
28. The Bee Gees - To Love Somebody (Damien Rice/Ray LaMontagne live version)

To hear all of the countdown entries, click here.

Honorable mentions (in no particular order):
Goo Goo Dolls - Iris

Tegan and Sara - Nineteen
Josh Ritter - Kathleen (live from Dublin)
Mandy Moore - Have A Little Faith In Me (cover)

Sons of William - Simple and True
Hanson - Crazy Beautiful
John Lennon - Real Love (Regina Spektor version)
NSYNC - This I Promise You
The Lemonheads - Into Your Arms
Elton John - Your Song (Ellie Goulding version)
Yeasayer - I Remember
Cheap Trick - I Want You To Want Me (live)
ABBA - Take A Chance On Me
The National - Slow Show
Rachael Yamagata - Be Be Your Love
Rihanna - Umbrella (Mandy Moore version)
Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
Justin Timberlake - My Love
The Magnetic Fields - I Don’t Want To Get Over You
Band of Horses - Nobody’s Gonna Love You
Bell x1 - Eve, The Apple Of My Eye
Spoon - I Summon You
Bon Iver - Blood Bank
The Cure - Love Song
Gavin DeGraw - More Than Anyone (acoustic)
Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams
Regina Spektor - Fidelity
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
Ray LaMontagne - Sarah

#2

Death Cab for Cutie - “I Will Follow You Into The Dark”

What a swoon-worthy song. It’s the second most romantic song in my iTunes library, and for good reason.

Note-worthy covers of this song have been done by: A Fine Frenzy, Ingrid Michaelson (live cover)

#3

Josh Ritter - “The Curse”

Josh Ritter is an amazing storyteller. “The Curse” is about a love story between a mummy and an archaeologist in a museum. I mean…the first time I actually LISTENED to the lyrics, I cried. It is just so beautiful, it makes my heart ache.

This gorgeous song comes in as the 3rd most romantic song in my iTunes library.

#4

Brandi Carlile - “The Story”

If you can listen to this song and not get choked up, you are a fucking robot!

This song will forever remind me of my parents’ story—both were in the Air Force, stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Fighter pilot father was shot down, which was when my intelligence officer mother realized she had feelings for him. After 23 days in enemy territory, my dad was rescued. My mom visited my dad in the hospital every day. They were married a year later and will be celebrating their 38th anniversary this July.

EXCUSE ME WHILE I GO BAWL LIKE A BABY NOW.

#5

Iron & Wine - “Naked As We Came”

THE TOP 5 COUNTDOWN BEGINS!

I can’t listen to the 5th most romantic song in my iTunes library without getting a lump in my throat and a bittersweet smile on my face. *sniffle*

#6

Bob Dylan - “Make You Feel My Love” (Adele version)

Adele OWNS this version. “Make You Feel My Love” comes in as the 6th most romantic song in my iTunes library.

#7

Peter Gabriel - “In Your Eyes”

A) It’s no secret that I love Peter Gabriel. I mean, the name of this blog even comes from a line in his song “Mercy Street.”

B) “In Your Eyes” is not my favorite Peter Gabriel song, but it’s one of the most romantic.

C) I know it’s famous because of the classic John Cusack boombox scene in “Say Anything,” but it really is a neat little song.

D THROUGH Z) PETER GABRIEL IS THE FUCKING MAN.

#8

Josh Ritter - “Girl In The War”

Josh Ritter is one of the most romantic songwriters of all time. Three of the top ten spots in this countdown are from him. Two of those are in the top three. Yeah, he’s that good.

#10

Tegan and Sara - “When I Get Up (I’ve Got You)” (live in 2004) (unreleased)

I still can’t figure out why they never officially recorded this song.

#11

Keane - “Somewhere Only We Know”

I highly recommend finding Natasha Bedingfield’s cover of this song. Gorgeous.

#12

Bruno Mars - “Just The Way You Are” (live on Z100)

I don’t normally like Top 40 songs, but Bruno Mars has been a pleasant addition to the mainstream music scene. “Just The Way You Are” comes in as the 12th most romantic song in my iTunes library.

Valentine’s Day came and went, but the countdown marches on.

#13

Hanson - “Penny & Me”

Everyone loves to make jokes about Hanson, but the truth is that they have become quite the awesome little band. I’ve seen them in concert twice and both times were fantastic. “This Time Around” and “The Walk” are my favorite albums, but 2004’s “Underneath” features the lovely song “Penny & Me,” coming in as the 13th most romantic song in my iTunes library.

This just so happens to be the only Hanson song I ever play on my guitar, too. JUDGE ME ALL YOU WANNNNNNT.

#14

Edwin McCain - “I’ll Be” (acoustic version)

I remember LOVING this song when it originally came out. Such a 90s song. <3

#15

Kate Bush - “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”

:-)    :-/    :-|    :-(

#16

Tegan and Sara - “Living Room”

This is what we call “creepy-romantic.”

P.S. This song is amazing live.