Songs For Your Long-Distance Love

As you've probably guessed, I love music. There's just something about hearing what you're thinking put to a tune that makes you feel 'understood'. In addition to the romantic and mother-child love songs I've mentioned before, I thought I'd share some of my favorite 'long-distance love songs'.

What's a 'long distance love song'? I'm defining it as a song that you can dedicate/send to your partner when s/he is far away. Also, a 'long-distance love song' can help you feel better during those nights when you notice their absence the most. I'm sure we can all relate.


I first heard this Blue October song in the grocery store, of all places! It's such an upbeat song that it can make you smile and tear up at the same time. Here's the lead up and chorus:

 Expect me to be calling you to see/if you're okay when I'm not around
Asking if you love me/I love the way you make it sound
...
And I will keep calling you to see
If you're sleeping, are you dreaming/if you're dreaming, are you dreaming of me
I can't believe/you actually picked me

You can read and hear the rest here: http://www.lyrics.com/calling-you-lyrics-blue-october.html#
The video makes it look like it's from a father to a child, but I think it works or romantic love as well. One lady said her boyfriend sent her this song while he was in Iraq. Very sweet!


When my husband and I started dating, he lived over 400 miles away. During the times I drove to see him, this song from Three Doors Down helped me a lot.

I'm here without you, baby/but you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you, baby/and I dream about you all the time
I'm here without you, baby/but you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight, it's only you and me


I think it's pretty obvious why I liked it. :) You can read and hear the rest here: http://www.lyrics.com/here-without-you-lyrics-3-doors-down.html#

Anyone who listened to 'hair metal' 'Hair Metal' in the 80s (wow, dating myself here!) can agree that Mötley Crüe isn't exactly known for their love ballads. That's part of what makes their song, 'Home Sweet Home' stand out-


I know I'm a dreamer/ but my heart's of gold
I've had to run away high/so I wouldn't come home low
'Just when things went right'/doesn't mean they're always wrong
Just take this song and you'll never feel left all alone
Take me to your heart/Baby in your bones
Just one more night and I'm comin' off this long winding road


You can hear and read the rest here: http://www.lyrics.com/home-sweet-home-lyrics-mtley-cre.html#
Even if you're not a fan of the group, it's worth a listen.


To put another twist on the 'I miss you' tip, here's an R&B song by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. I like this one because it's a duet, so it speaks from both sides. This one doesn't appear to be about a long-distance relationship so much as a breakup that was brought on because one person had to go away, but I could be wrong.  Here's part of the chorus:

Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
It's how I feel whenever you ain't there
It's no air, no air


You can hear and read the rest here:
http://www.lyrics.com/no-air-lyrics-jordin-sparks.html#


Are there any songs that are particularly meaningful to you?

Love Songs That Even The Lovelorn Can Enjoy

If you're like me, few things elicit more emotion than a love song.  Even when I'm dealing with a breakup and don't want to listen to all the, 'I'll love you forever' on the radio, a well-written and well-performed love song just stirs up something in me that makes me appreciate the sentiment being expressed. I'm sure you have your own list, but I've found several songs that are very inspirational to me regardless of my mood. Hopefully they can inspire you too.

One song that I find to be particularly beautiful is called 'The Story'. It was originally performed by Brandi Carlile, but I first heard it when Sara Ramirez ('Callie Torres') sang it on a musical episode of 'Grey's Anatomy'.  No matter who is singing it, it's a beautiful song. It's hard for me to pick my favorite parts, so here is the first verse:

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
If you've got no one to tell them to
It's true, I was made for you

You can read the rest of the lyrics here-http://www.songlyrics.com/brandi-carlile/the-story-lyrics/

I don't know if you were a fan of 'Ally McBeal' when it was airing, but there's an episode where Josh Groban plays a lovesick teenager who sings to the girl he loves at the prom. The song starts off like this:

Through the darkness
I can see your light
And you will always shine
And I can feel your heart in mine
Your face I've memorized
I idolize just you

Just reading the words makes me tear up. His voice is *incredible*, so here are the words with a video:
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/josh+groban/youre+still+you_10153938.html

To change the beat up a bit, here's a very upbeat selection from a jazz (?) singer named Mama Cass Elliot. It's been 'covered' many times; If you're a child of the 80s, you might remember hearing it in the Corey Feldman/Corey Haim movie 'Dream a Little Dream'. The chorus goes like this:

Stars fading, but I linger on, dear
Still craving your kiss
I'm longing to linger 'til dawn, dear
Just sayin' this.

It's got a really fun beat, no matter who's singing it. You can hear it and find the words here: http://www.lyricstime.com/mama-cass-elliot-dream-a-little-dream-of-me-lyrics.html.

Of course, no list of beautiful love songs would be complete without the song, 'Hallelujah'. It's been covered many times, but the original is from a Jewish singer named Leonard Cohen. Here's a completely random fact: Orthodox Jews believe that many men in the family line 'Cohen' are directly descended from Aaron, Moses' brother and the first high priest! Even if he himself isn't of this line, he's still pretty impressive. One verse:

There was a time you let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me, do you?
And remember when I moved in you
The holy dove was moving too
And every breath we drew was Hallelujah

The rest of the song is here:
http://www.a-z-music-lyrics.com/song/?lyrics=Hallelujah&artist=Leonard%20Cohen

I hope you find yourself inspired (or moved) by these songs. Like I said before, they can be enjoyed for their poetic and musical merit alone. The fact that they would make great dedications to a partner is just icing on the cake!