My daughter is getting married in 8 weeks. Normally, I'm pretty good at making mix CD's. But lately, there's been just too much pressure at work, at home with the wedding prep, and a son turning 16 in a couple of weeks. I need to put together a couple of CD's of the Greatest Love songs of All Time for the Reception.

So you're probably thinking this should be easy, right? Well, my problem is that I have always dug the bittersweet love songs, i.e. 10cc - I'm Not In Love, DADA's Moon, Level 42 - Leaving Me Now, Elbow - Fugitive Motel, America - I Need You, Chicago - Wishing You Were here, etc. The all have a touch of meloncholy.

For a wedding, I need happy, positive love songs...bear in mind, I live in the buckle of the Bible Belt...

So, I'm asking for your help. Please give me ideas--song titles actually, lyrics if you like, what have you? In return for you help, I'll send you copies of the CD's I put together.

The songs can be from any time period, but probably 1955 to present would be most helpful. Songs about love, not lost love, nor waning love, nor forlorn love, but positive happy love giddy bubbly wonderful love.

Thanks!

Hey congrats, Marty!

Here are some songs I segued together for my sister's wedding mix many years ago:

I Do (the J. Geils cover version)
Baby I Love You - Aretha
Is This Love - Bob Marley
Just One Look - Linda Ronstadt
It's You I Love - Beausoleil
I Want to Do Everything For You - Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball & Tracy Nelson
Hold On, I'm Coming - Sam & Dave
Natural Woman (Aretha's cover version)
Good Lovin' - The Young Rascals
I Can't Help Falling In Love With You - Elvis
Burning Love - Elvis
In My Life - Beatles
Twist & Shout (Beatles cover version)

(oops, scratch that last one -- from that point on it just kinda turned into a not-so-romantic dance mix!)

And you might find a couple of suitable selections on that Drunkard's Prayer album.

Thanks Keith! Yeah, got have a least one Elvis tune, although I'll probably stay away from my fav...Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Is This Love is perfect!

Two really good Elvis songs are:

Wear my Ring around your neck

(words & music by Bert Caroll - Russell Moody)
Won't you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I'm yours, by heck
Let them see your love for me
And let them see by the ring around your neck

Won't you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I'm yours, by heck
Let them know I love you so
And let them know by the ring around your neck

They say that goin' steady is not the proper thing
They say that we're too young to know the meaning of a ring
I only know that I love you and that you love me too
So, darling, please do what I ask of you

Won't you wear my ring around your neck
To tell the world I'm yours, by heck
Let them see your love for me
And let them see by the ring around your neck

Let them know I love you so
And let them know by the ring around your neck

and Love me tender

(words & music by vera matson - elvis presley)
Love me tender,
Love me sweet,
Never let me go.
You have made my life complete,
And I love you so.

Love me tender,
Love me true,
All my dreams fulfilled.
For my darlin I love you,
And I always will.

Love me tender,
Love me long,
Take me to your heart.
For its there that I belong,
And well never part.

Love me tender,
Love me dear,
Tell me you are mine.
Ill be yours through all the years,
Till the end of time.

(when at last my dreams come true
Darling this I know
Happiness will follow you
Everywhere you go).

Plus these have been covered over and over, so there are many versions out there.

Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" is the greatest love song of all time, but you have to use the live version with the long intro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXRPm7faABo

I'd Have You Anytime * George Harrison

Arms of a Woman - Amos Lee

- a good song.

For fun - how about 'Shama Lama Ding Dong' by Otis Day & the Knights. Groovy, Lovey Dovey goodness. If you are looking at old stuff, Second That Emotion/Smokey Robinson is a goodie as is 'my girl' or 'the way you do the things you do' by the temptations.

Here are a few I particularly like:

$1000 Wedding * Gram Parson
We've Only Just Begun * Grant Lee Buffalo (from If I Were a Carpenter)
C'est La Vie * Emmy Lou Harris (from her Anthology CD set)
When I Fall In Love * The Carpenters
Anyone Else But You * Michael Cera & Ellen Page (from the Juno soundtrack)
Dearest * Buddy Holly
Heavenly Day * Patty Griffin
True Companion * Marc Cohn
Hallelujah * Rufus Wainwright

Good luck!

Whether they are the greatest of all time I cannot say, but we were pressed for time to get some songs for my daughter's wedding reception last fall. We chose some instrumentals but also played an album downloaded from iTunes, The Jazz Wedding Album: First Dances, which included 11 songs like At Last, Etta James; Love is Here to Stay, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald; As Time Goes By, Billie Holiday, etc.. It may be that I am just getting older, or it may be that these old songs have a timeless appeal, but I enjoyed the collection.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! Please keep them rolling in!

how about 'Brown Eyed Girl' - Van Morrison...

(if the bride has brown eyes, that is... )


or 'Still The One' - Orleans

Yep, you gotta love those early 70's tunes! Those two made me think of Thunder Island by Jay Ferguson. Sha la la-la...

Is anyone doing stuff like this today?

hmm... maybe...

try Lets Go Sailing. Midlake is like the old 'America', bland melodic poppy candy. The Postmarks.

Oooh Ohh!... how About Brett Dennon? 'bye and bye', 'just like the moon', 'so long sweet misery'.. good lovey muzak.

Alexi Murdoch - All of my days, Orange Sky.

Duhks - 'Love is the seventh wave'...a good remake.

Fionn Reagan - Abacus.

Antje Duvekot - 'Dandilion', 'daimond on your hand', 'dianas Song'

Deb Talen - 'Comfort'

Kalai - On my Mind

Van Morrison - Days Like This - (I love this song)

Kris Delmhorst - Words fail you , Since you went away

Ray LaMontane - 'hold you in my arms', 'forever my friend',

Sonya Kitchell - No Matter What

Tina Dico - In the Red

Weepies - Gotta Have you

Colin Hay - Beautiful World (alternate version)

Amos Lee - Sweet Pea

a few of those should get you out of the 'old guy who only likes stuff from the 70s' issue.

"All I want is you" U2
"All the Right Reasons" Jayhawks
"The Princess Wants to Spend Her Time With Me" Jonathan Rundman
"Beautiful Girl" Pete Droge
"Never Tear Us Apart" INXS
"Sweet Child O Mine" Guns n Roses

"I Could Not Ask for More," Sara Evans