Thursday 17 February 2011

Songs that make me weak at the knees.

Some melodies seem to have a powerful effect on our emotional triggers, here is a list of tunes that do exactly that to me. Call it love if you wish…

Just like a women - Bob Dylan

She takes just like a woman, yes, she does
She makes love just like a woman, yes, she does
And she aches just like a woman
But she breaks just like a little girl"


Great tunes from one of Dylan’s best album: Blonde on Blonde. This was Dylan’s first album backed by an electric band. Some overwhelmed early folk Dylan fans booed him during his 66 UK tour and branded him as a “traitor to Folk”. It turned out to be a blueprint for hundreds of singer-songwriters.

Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones

“I know I dreamed you a sin and a lie
I have my freedom, but I don't have much time
Faith has been broken, tears must be cried
Let's do some living after love dies
Wild horses couldn't drag me away
Wild, wild horses, we'll ride them someday “




A beautiful melodic lullaby written by Richards & Jagger. The lyrics were
apparently re-written by Mick for Marian Faithfull when she was slipping down the rabbit hole. The lyrics “Wild horses couldn't drag me away “were supposedly the words uttered by Marian when she awoke from a drug related coma in 1969.


Je t’aime… moi non plus – Serge Gainsbourg
“- Je t’aime je t’aime
Oh oui je t’aime
- Moi non plus
- Oh mon amour
- Comme la vague irrésolue
Je vais, je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins
Je vais et je viens
Entre tes reins Et je me retiens”


This sexually explicit song was written by Gainsbourg for Brigit Bardot in 1967, the French icon sang on the original version but refused to release the track because she was married at the time and wanted to keep her love affair with Serge secret. The song was rerecorded with Jane Birkin in 1968.

I Got You Babe – Sonny and Cher

They say our love won't pay the rent
Before it's earned our money's all been spent
I guess that's so we don't have a plot
But at least I'm sure of all the things we got... babe
I got you babe, I got you babe”




Memorable song that gained a second life after being featured in 90s classic film Groundhog Day. Sony and Cher formed a prolific duo during the 60’s and 70, they even had a TV show on CBS in the 70. Sonny abandoned his musical career to go into politics and Cher, well Cher is the aging diva that she is.

Wish you were here – Pink Floyd

How I wish, how I wish you were here. 
We're just two lost souls 
Swimming in a fish bowl, 
Year after year, 
Running over the same old ground. 
What have we found? 
The same old fears. 
Wish you were here.”




Wish you were here was written for Sid Barrett in 1975. For optimised listening you have to be in a long distance relationships with a half empty bottle of red wine in your hand.

I want you (she’s so heavy) – The Beatles

“I want you
I want you so bad
I want you,
I want you so bad
It’s driving me mad, it’s driving me ...
She’s so heavy heavy, heavy, heavy”


Lennon wrote this hypnotic song for Yoko Ono in 1969. It was apparently influenced by a one worded poem wrote by Ono in 64 called “eau”. I want you only has 14 words in it.