The most romantic lyrics

In honor of Valentine's Day + one week

Have you ever thought to yourself: What if I wrote a Valentine’s Day newsletter a whole week after Valentine’s Day? Well due to the state of the world and my life, that’s what we’re working with today.

This had to happen, because a nod to Valentine’s Day is essential to New Crush—Crush is in the name! We gotta talk about love. And crushes, which I firmly believe you should always have three of.

I have no idea what this was advertising

Last Valentine’s Day I wrote about the definition of a love song. It was right after Lucy Dacus’s “Best Guess” came out. Does a love song have to be all in on love? Or can it have fears and questions? If the person you love is your “best guess” at the future, does that make it any less real than swearing your love is 100% true and forever? I’ve linked that post below if you want to read it.

Everyone defines a love song a little bit differently. What’s romantic to one person might not make another person feel anything at all. A combination of our romantic pasts, our ambitions and our tastes will make one song more impactful, embodying our own version of love. It’s why I enjoy finding out what a couple considers “their song,” or what they chose as the first dance at their wedding.

When I consider what I believe to be the most romantic lyrics of all time, Elton John’s “Your Song” always comes to mind, specifically the last four lines of the chorus. I think the simplicity is what gets me. He’s able to describe so succinctly that the love he feels is indescribable. And there’s a tinge of vulnerability and embarrassment (“I hope you don’t mind!”) around him putting himself out there, which I appreciate:

I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind

That I put down in words

How wonderful life is

While you’re in the world

Anyway! I reached out to a bunch of FONCs¹ before Valentine’s Day to find out what they consider to be the most romantic lyrics of all time. I wanted the specific lines. Some people thought about it a lot, and some people answered with the first ones that came into their heads. I’m including them all below!

Pitchfork wants to be me so bad…

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“Sailor Song” by Gigi Perez

“The kind of thing that makes you proud

That nothing else had ever

Worked out”

—Regina

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“Somewhere Only We Know” by Keane

“And if you have a minute, why don’t we go

Talk about it somewhere only we know?

This could be the end of everything

So, why don’t we go somewhere only we know?”

— Raeltin

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“Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Mein”

“Kabhi kabhi mere dil mein kayal aata hai. Kai jehse tujko bulaya gaya hai mere liye. Tu abse pehle sitaro mein bas rahi ti kahi. Tujhe zameen pe bulaya gaya hai mere liye.”

Hindi to English translation:

“Sometimes in my heart a feeling emerges that you were made just for me. Until now you were living among the stars. You’ve been called down to the earth just for me.”

—Mehar (She provided the lyrics and the translation because she is the best!)

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“Sara” by Fleetwood Mac

“Drowning in the sea of love, where everyone would love to drown”

and

“Sara, you’re the poet in my heart, never change, never stop”

—Kaileigh

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“Chateau Lobby #4 (In C for Two Virgins)” by Father John Misty

“First time you let me stay the night despite your own rules

You took off early to go cheat your way through film school

You left a note in your perfect script

‘Stay as long as you want’

And I haven’t left your bed since”

—Sadie

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“New Year’s Day” by Taylor Swift

“You squeeze my hand three times in the back of the taxi

I can tell that it’s gonna be a long road

I’ll be there if you’re the toast of the town, babe

Or if you strike out and you’re crawling home

Don’t read the last page

But I stay when it’s hard, or it’s wrong, or we’re making mistakes”

—Lydia

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“Nothing Even Matters” by Lauryn Hill and D’Angelo

“Now the skies could fall

Not even if my boss should call

The world it seems so very small

Cause nothing even matters”

—Raymond

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“This Must Be the Place” by Talking Heads

“I can’t tell one from another

Did I find you, or you find me?

There was a time before we were born

If someone asks, this is where I’ll be, where I’ll be

Hi yo, we drift in and out

Hi yo, sing into my mouth”

—Jordan

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“Crystallized” by Young the Giant

“When the beat of my drum

Meets the beat of your heart

You know I couldn’t love any other, any other

This is where I come from

This is where I belong

With the beat of your drum

Not any other”

—Olivia

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“The Luckiest” by Ben Folds

I don’t get many things right the first time

In fact, I am told that a lot

Now I know all the wrong turns

The stumbles, and falls brought me here

And where was I before the day

That I first saw your lovely face?

Now I see it everyday

And I know that I am

I am, I am the luckiest

—Claudia (my mom lol)

You can listen to all of these songs in a playlist here.

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Las Culturistas ends every episode with a song. I end every newsletter with a song in their honor.

1. For the uninitiated: Friends Of New Crush. And if you’re reading this, congrats! You’re a FONC now too.