Happy Monday and happy early Valentine’s Day! Let’s celebrate by being martyred to Christ, just for fun, and maybe listening to this list of songs while we do that.

1. Aaron Neville, “Everybody Plays The Fool”: If this song doesn’t get your significant other in the mood for a little somethin’ somethin’, check their pulse. They might be dead.
2. ABBA, “Take A Chance On Me”: So upbeat. How could you not take a chance on one of these Swedish sirens?
3. ZZ Top, “Gimme All Your Lovin'”: The power of the beards compels you. And the blooze.
4. Young Dubliners, “Last House On The Street”: I heard my uncle’s band, The Regular Joes, play this one throughout college and grad school. It’s still an endearing, sweet little song.
5. Frank Turner, “The Way I Tend To Be”: True love takes you as you are and helps you want to be better.
6. David Gray, “You’re The World To Me”: There’s something about the heavy-handed strumming at the end of the chorus on this one that just digs into my brain and won’t go away.
7. The Magnetic Fields, “Epitaph For My Love”: I think this is probably my wife’s favorite song by the Magnetic Fields, who are one of her favorite bands. It’s a little dour.
8. Ricky Nelson, “Hello Mary Lou (Goodbye Heart)”: CCR did a cover of this song
9. Van Morrison, “I Wanna Roo You (Scottish Derivative)”:
10. Old 97s, “Valentine”: