10 songs to avoid on Valentine's Day

Hello,

This year, Valentine's Day falls on the exact same day as the Chinese Valentine's Day. It is one of those things that happen once in a while. More than 240 couples have chosen to get married this 14th Feb in Singapore. Yes, it's sweet. But it'll also be very crowded at the Registry of Marriages. I heard there will be free ice-cream and pop-corn... When hubs and I got married 19 years ago (wah, so long), we deliberately chose a date that most people did not want. We do not like crowds. As such, there wasn't any free ice-cream and of course no pop-corn. The ice-cream would have been nice because as I recall, the day we got married was the hottest day in decades. (I almost want to say centuries but I know it's not possible)

Whether you buy into Valentine's Day or not, it's a day when many people choose to show quite visibly their love for their partners. The big bouquets of flowers, the nicely wrapped chocolates, the nice meals at a restaurant... Gosh, I'm feeling faint even as I type these words. So if you're not quite so happy in the love department, it's best you AVOID listening to certain songs on Valentine's Day. I've done the work for you and picked out the 10 songs I feel strongly you should avoid as these are guaranteed to make you weep. As for me, I won't be weeping because hubs has promised to get me a present. He said I told him to do it. Wow, somewhere in my previous timeline, a clever "past Jane" had the foresight to tell "future Jane" what to do to avoid a Valentine's Day catastrophe. I hope hubs has a clever "past hubs" who had the foresight to tell "future hubs" not to get his wife kitchenware, CD, DVD, stationery or books. These are stuff she can get herself, hello!

Well, without further hinting to hubs, let's look at the 10 songs to avoid on Valentine's Day.

1. 25 mins by Michael Learns to rock (Listen here)
Michael learns to rock was big in Singapore. I actually had a friend whose life mimicked 25mins, sort of. In the song, a guy took too long to realise the girl he had was THE ONE. He tried searching for her but was 25 mins too late as she had gotten married. I guess she really wanted the slow guy as well!

She looked so happy in her wedding dress
But she cried while she was saying this
Boy I missed your kisses all the time but
This is twenty five minutes too late

Now back to my friend. (I hope he doesn't read my blog) Anyhoos, a girl he knew had let him know one day before her wedding that she was into him and the implication is that if he was into her as well, he had the power to stop the wedding. And that was the dilemma. What should he do? Yes, he had feelings for her as well but is that enough reason to stop a wedding? My friend did the worst thing possible. He asked me for advice. I am the worst person to go to for relationships advice. I would never encourage a friend to break up someone's wedding. I know it's not all on me. My friend didn't have the courage to stop the wedding. The following day, while the wedding was taking place a short distance away from our office (yes, the Registry of Marriages was close to where we worked), and my friend was going through some terrible heartbreak, someone at the office played the song, 25 mins.

2. Don't fall in love with a dreamer by Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes. (Listen here)
I included this song not so much because it's a tear jerker but what the song says.

Don't fall in love with a dreamer
Because he'll always take you in
Just when you think
You've really changed him
He'll leave you again
Don't fall in love with a dreamer
Because he'll break you every time

So put out the light and just hold on
Before we say goodbye

Just when you think you've changed him, off he goes again. This is the kind of guy you want to avoid.

p.s. Don't you love it when Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes hemorrhage vocally together?

3. Chasing Pavements by Adele (Listen here)
Originally I had chosen Make you feel my love by Adele but between the two, I thought Chasing Pavements painted a woman far, far more pathetic in a relationship that was going nowhere.

Or should I give up
Or should I just keep chasin' pavements
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there

I think at one point or other in our lives, we've all chased pavements that led nowhere. The trick is to know when to stop chasing them. And the day you know you have to stop is going to be a really painful day.

4.  Sometimes love just ain't enough by Patty Smyth and Don Henley. (Listen here)

And there's a danger in loving somebody too much,
and it's sad when you know it's your heart they can't touch.
There's a reason why people don't stay who they are.
Baby, sometimes, love just ain't enough

It's true. Love isn't always enough. The Universe has to want you both together.

5. Down on my knees by Tricia Yearwood. (Listen here)

In this song, the woman hasn't lost her love yet. It's still good, I think. But she knows how much she loves her guy. So much that if she starts to lose her guy, she's willing to go down on her knees to beg him to stay.

Now this is a question my bff and I played when we were still single. Like if your guy wants to leave, what would you do? Would you keep your pride or would you beg?

No one matters more in my life
Or makes me feel like you make me feel inside
And I've come far enough to know
Love's worth never letting go of
And love is not a matter of pride

I'd be down on my knees
Ready to pray, darlin'
Down on my knees

Whatever it takes

I'd be begging you please
Don't take your love from me
I'd be down on my knees

 I think if a love is worth saving, I will beg.

6. Is it over yet by Wynonna (Listen here)

What's worse than a break-up is to watch your love leave the home you shared?

A taxi's waiting in the driveway for you
You call my name, I guess you're ready to leave
I'd like to help you with a suitcase or two
But I'm afraid I'm gonna wind up down on my knees
I should tell you that I want you to go
I really need to spend some time on my own
Smile and say goodbye
So you don't see me dying inside
Is it over yet, is it over yet?

 I'm tearing up as I listen to the song while I type. Is it over yet?

7. Let me let go by Faith Hill. (Listen here)

You know what isn't right? When the relationship is over, the guy has moved on and you are still holding on. Still pining. Still hooked.

I talked to you the other day
Looks like you made your escape
You put us behind, no matter how I try
I can't do the same

Let me let go, baby
Let me let go
It just isn't right
I've been two thousand miles
Down a dead-end road

8. I will always love you by Whitney Houston. (Listen here)

It's the way she sang it.

9. What's she doing now by Garth Brooks. (Listen here)

Ever wonder what your old love is doing, years later? Ever google an old boyfriend's name? Ever facebook stalk him?

Well, this song was written before the internet became mainstream and facebook was still not invented. Back in the days, you could only wonder wistfully and wonder and maybe dial his phone number and not say anything.

'Cause what she's doin' now is tearin' me apart
Fillin' up my mind and emptyin' my heart
I can hear her call each time the cold wind blows
And I wonder if she knows...what she's doin' now

10. Angel by Sarah McLachlan (Listen here)

Don't listen to this song. Ever. You will end up crying not just the regular amount of crying but ugly, ugly crying. Snot flying, nose blocked up, face puffy. And you don't even have to suffer from heartbreak to be affected. Even if you feel just a little down, it'll get you.