EAR FARM's "Easy Cheesy" Valentine's Day Mix

What you will find here: EAR FARM's Valentine's Day 2006 Mix.
Why: This was put together with care by EAR FARM so that you can download and have a nice Valentine's gift to give to your sweetheart, or a wonderful soundtrack to enjoy together. Also, if you're without sweetheart, this mix (put on a CD) would make for a great thing to destroy given how over-the-top lovey dovey all of the songs are.

There are a bunch of other places you can find indie love song or anti-love song mixes (try marathonpacks, Muzzle of Bees, Clever Titles or YANP and tell me of any others in the comments!) - but if you're looking for something different, some top notch CHEESE, you've found the right place.

EAR FARM's "Easy Cheesy" Valentine's Day Mix

1. "More Than I Can Say" by Leo Sayer - BUY the album
You might think: quite the odd opening track given the mention of 'sorrow' and crying in the lyrics. But I'll tell you what, this is some fabulous AM radio cheese, one of my favorites. And the lasting impression by the end of the song when you've heard the words "I love you more than I can say" about 500 times, is that this guys loves someone a TON. Sweet.

2. "High On You" by Survivor - BUY the album
He sings - "I can't stop thinking 'bout you girl".
I think - I can't stop thinking about "Burning Heart" from Rocky IV (by this band) when I hear this song, that's really weird. Man, Survivor really kicks out the jams. Nice mini guitar solo in this song too, I have a feeling it won't be the last such solo in this list. Also, nothing is more romantic than this lyric: "let me tell you 'bout the girl I HAD last night". Oh, do tell. Tell me about the cheeseburger you had, then tell me about the girl.

3. "Faithfully" by Journey - BUY the album
All I ever hear when people discuss Journey is how good Steve Perry's voice is, like they need SOMEthing to say about the band and that's all they can come up with. Me...I'm still not convinced that Steve Perry isn't the result of some gene splicing science experiment that combined the two guys from Aerosmith. Oh oh, heads up - sweet guitar solo at about 3:36.

4. "Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon - BUY the album
Did your sweetheart cheat on you? Hurt you? But you're going to keep on loving that person, even if it means losing sleep AND you meant it when you said that you'd love them forever? Then this song is for you. There's some nice snake-in-the-grass imagery in the first verse and, of course, a little guitar solo to make you feel just right.

5. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Bonnie Tyler - BUY the album
I love the version of this song that's in The Wedding Singer Old School (uhh...oops) because underneath the vocals the whole time in Bonnie Tyler's original you can tell she totally has the desire to just rip into shit and start swearing like a sailor. This song is actually the Beowulf of the 80's - it's a total epic and may even be taught as such to high school students one day. No guitar solo to speak of but dig that minute long slow-fade at the end. And these lines (sigh), are classic: "Once upon a time I was falling in love, but now I'm only falling apart. There's nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart".

6. "I Want To Know What Love Is" by Foreigner - BUY the album
This song reminds me of being a 7 year old kid and listening to my AM radio in bed. I think I used to hear it just about every night. Listen to the song and imagine that scene... Hmm, if I had a psychiatrist I bet he/she could spend many many sessions examining this fact of my life.

7. "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All" by Air Supply - BUY the album
Making love out of nothing at all...is this the arranged marriage theme song? Gosh I've always hated Air Supply. Hated. But you know, these lyrics are pretty sweet until the dope singing starts making sports analogies at about 3:14. Sheesh, it almost makes me forget the guitar solo that happens right before that.

8. "The Flame" by Cheap Trick - BUY the album
From the first notes you can smell the cheese. Newsflash - he does NOT say "you were the first to be the last", he actually says "you were the first you'll be the last". Guess I never took the time to realize that until now, nor did I realize that this is a pretty sweet song. Subdued little guitar solo included.

9. "Invisible Touch" by Genesis - BUY the album
I love Genesis, it's like loving Cheetos. In fact, I think that Phil Collins is the closest thing to Cheez Whiz you'll find anywhere in Pop music. Insincere and delicious. Huh? And this song wreaks of pop insincerity, which is something we all need a little more of on holidays like these.

10. "Babe" by Styx - BUY the album
"Tomo arigato, you know it's you babe". There are some songs by Styx that I honestly love and this is one. This song should be taught in college music programs around the world as THE example of an honest, cheesy, love song. If it doesn't make you smile, barf, or sway from side to side, you might need to check your pulse.

11. "Broken Wings" by Mr. Mister - BUY the album
This song starts out sounding like a steam train. A really delicate steam train and it makes me think of a teddy bear crying. Why? Nobody knows except Mr. Mister.

12. "How Deep Is Your Love" by The Bee Gees - BUY the album
Three words to describe this song? Mellow, groovy, syrupy, harmonious, ethereal electric piano...was that three or seven words? I lost count drifting away listening to this song. Paying attention just now to the words I remember how priceless this one line is - "We belong to you and me". Yes.

13. "Just the Way You Are" by Billy Joel - BUY the album
Speaking of electric piano... I don't know what it is that everyone seems to hate so much about Billy Joel. Sure his noggin has grown to Head from So I married an Axe Murderer proportions and he can't seem to not drive drunk, but this song is pure gold. If you're looking for the sweetest love song, one that won't confuse you with fancy poetic lyrics, look no further. Honestly, who wouldn't want to hear someone else tell them "I love you just the way you are".

14. "Islands in the Stream" by Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers - BUY the album
In my personal dictionary, this song is filed under the entry for duet. It's the song that first made me aware that such mystical pairings as Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers could, and did, happen. "Baby, when I met you there was peace unknown, I set out to get you with a fine tooth comb"...what??

15. "The Glory of Love" by Peter Cetera - BUY the album
This is the theme from Karate Kid II. Which kicks less ass, the song or the movie it's from? People are still debating this question some twenty years later. And still, when I consider cheesy love songs, this one always comes to mind.

16. "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie And Diana Ross - BUY the album
Another song that could be used as an educational tool. This one for vocalists who want to learn how to whisper sing and phrase and pause properly when they sing. The sugar sweet strings really build to quite a climax by the end of the song. "My........endless love".

17. "Lost in Your Eyes" by Debbie Gibson - BUY the album
Who else has slow danced to this song? Don't be shy, it's okay. That's what it reminds me of to this day...slow dancing as a 14 year old and the smell of Pantene Pro-V in my dancing partner's hair.

18. "I Honestly Love You" by Olivia Newton John - BUY the album
This is the perfect end to the big Valentine's day ball of cheese that is this mix. I hope you enjoy it for many years, months, or minutes and that your Valentine's Day is filled with either a bunch of nice cheesy love or the desire to make fun of it.


Download the entire mix as a .zip HERE