Heard it in a Love Song

Yesterday, on my Facebook author page, I solicited love songs to be included in my current work in progress, Greed at the Happy Valley Motor Inn and Resort. Since copyright laws prevent me from using much more than just the title, I suggested that the song be easily recognizable and might be enough to bring out all sorts of lovey dovey emotions.

I gave participants a lot of leeway when it came to the era in which the song was released. I’ve kept the timeline for the Happy Valley series fairly vague so as not to have to deal with politics or COVID or any other unpleasant topics. These are primarily feel good books. With occasional crimes. Maybe a murder in the one I’m working on. 😳

When suggestions began pouring in, I was delighted. So many great song titles! And a few odd ones—Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys, for one. Spoiler: It didn’t win.

In the end, I picked two song titles because I couldn’t decide on just one: Amazed by LoneStar and I Love How You Love Me by Bobby Darrin. The names of those who submitted these suggestions will be featured in the Acknowledgements section of Greed and I’ll send them a signed copy of the book.

I’ve held similar contests for my previous books, and never been disappointed in the results. Thank goodness for my little army of devoted readers.

Peace, people!

Heard it in a Love Song

What’s the first song that comes to mind when you think about love songs? Do you have a favorite? Do you and your significant other have your own song?

Studly Doright isn’t much of a music person, so any romanticizing of a song for the two of us has always fallen to me. In the early days of our marriage, Afternoon Delight by the Starland Vocal Band was “our” song. It was a playful look at sex, and Studly liked that, but it didn’t really focus on love.

During the 80’s I gravitated towards Stuck With You by Huey Lewis and the News. Still not a terribly romantic song, but it seemed to fit what we were going through as a young couple with two young children. Stuck, but happy.

Aerosmith’s I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing came along in the 90’s, and I couldn’t stop singing it (badly). That’s how I felt about our relationship. No matter what we’d gone through, and we’d gone through plenty, I still didn’t want to miss the stuff to come.

I could name dozens of other love songs that meant something to me: Maybe I’m Amazed by Paul McCartney, This Kiss by Faith Hill, Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You, I’ll Make Love to You by Boyz 2 Men and on and on. If I had to pick just one song to choose as “ours,” though, it’d likely be this one by Vince Gill.

Look at Us

https://youtu.be/uSfjp1ky4Mw

Yes, it’s sappy, but it fits. Maybe I should tell Studly it’s our song. He’s still fond of Afternoon Delight, though. Some things never change.

Peace, people.