Dark Age of Love: Romantic Songs You Won’t Hear on the Radio
What comes to your mind when you think of romantic music? Some cheery tunes from RomComs? Maybe a classical composition, possibly from an opera? Since most of the music is in some way about love, the choice is hard to name the best song. But that doesn’t mean one can’t try it.
If you’d ask me, I associate romanticism with the artistic movement rather than the happily-ever-after vision that Western pop culture serves us. I like a bit of mystery, a bit of melancholy, maybe even more than a bit of drama. Reflective poetry looking for some deeper meaning. Life is no fairy tale, and love is also much more complicated. It can either flourish and grow or end in break-up or… suicide. Sometimes it’s one-sided.
Artists of the romantic era rarely liked their love to be straightforward. What was cherished was the wild love, the painful love, the suicidal love. And my selection of the most romantic songs reflect these ideas as well. Most of them are danceable and they will definitely make an impression when listened to by the candlelight. So if you like to get a bit more philosophical about love, digging beyond the usual sugar and spice, I hope you enjoy this ride!
And if you’d rather just listen to the essensce of the music I present it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Bh-G9whv4&list=PLKeRd8WBPGwBueo_PHlW-2snn4-PKGggn
Morrissey & Siouxsie “Interlude”
Time is like a dream
And now, for a time, you are mine
Let’s hold fast to the dream
That tastes and sparkles like wine
This is not the original performance. But this is probably my all-time favorite. Let’s just start with the fact that two great British voices of the 80s alternative movement joined forces for this one time to sing together. Two very important and very distinct voices. Morrissey of The Smiths and Siouxsie Sioux known from her career with Siouxsie and the Banshees. They complement each other perfectly.
But what I like the most about this song is the uncertainty. We know that what we are witnessing is some kind of flirtation. But is it real? Maybe this is love, maybe just a game two people play. Nobody can tell.
If you wanted to know this one is a cover, the original came from the movie “Interlude” (1968).
Edith Piaf “Les Amants d’un jour” (Lovers for a Day)
We found them next day, the way they had planned
So quiet, so cold, but still hand in hand
The sunshine of love was all they possessed
And so in the sunshine we laid them to rest
They sleep by side two children alone
But I’m sure they’ve found a place of their own
I like the English version, but you can check out French as well. They’re both great! This one is about the dramatic love. The love ending in suicide of the two lovers. Like with the previous song we don't know much about what happened. We can only guess. All we hear is an account of the chambermaid (or maybe waitress) working in a cafe that also rents rooms.
The chambermaid (or waitress, who am I to care?) is too busy minding her business to take any interest in a loving couple. We see a person that is calm in the face of tragedy. It’s nothing more than another such event in her life. But somehow the memory keeps haunting her. So maybe she is not as cold as she claims?
Also great: covered by Sex Gang Children!
VNV Nation “Beloved”
My beloved, do you know
How many times I stared at clouds
Thinking that I saw you there
These are feelings that do not pass so easily
I can’t forget what we claimed was ours
Despite the winter theme, this is actually a pretty warm song. Surely it’s about a loss, but a loss without despair, a loss without sorrow, a loss without grieve or judgment. Better yet, it focuses on hope and pride about the past. This mindful approach might stem from the band’s name which stands for “Victory Not Vengeance”.
The Sisters of Mercy “Some Kind of Stranger”
And all I know for sure, all I know for real
Is knowing doesn’t mean so much
When placed against the feeling, the heat inside
When bodies meet, when fingers touch
Honestly, I can’t say much about this one. It comes from Sisters of Mercy’s first studio album and it just has this vibe. As with many other tracks on this list, a great voice is what makes an impression here. Andrew Eldritch’s echoing “Come here, I think you’re beautiful” is a masterpiece on its own. Paired with over six minutes of building up drama, it’s simply stunning!
Also great: covered by Unwoman!
Clan of Xymox “Back Door”
I am tired of tears and laughter
Or what may come hereafter
I’m weary of days and hours
Desires, dreams and powers
Although it makes me weep
It’s you
I wanna keep
It’s funny how in the ’80s almost every band in the 4AD lineup was iconic and genre-defining. Same was with Clan of Xymox. Both of their albums from that era still cease to amaze. The track we have here closes the second album “Medusa”. It gives me chills every time I listen to it. Especially on the dancefloor.
Ultravox “Dancing With Tears in My Eyes”
It’s late and I’m with my love alone
We drink to forget the coming storm
We love to the sound of our favourite song
Over and over
What would you do if you were aware of the imminent nuclear explosion? You could panic trying to escape it. You could pray. You could meditate upon your life and count your blessings and your regrets. Or you could forget about the surrounding world and just dance with your loved one. And that’s what this song is about.
Queen “Love of My Life”
Love of my life, you’ve hurt me,
You’ve broken my heart and now you leave me.
Love of my life can’t you see,
Bring it back, bring it back,
Don’t take it away from me because you don’t know what it means to me.
A stadium anthem from the band specializing in stadium anthems. An accidental anthem, surely, but still a fan favorite. With the recent launch of the “Bohemian Rhapsody” movie it will probably find some new listeners. Like with some other tracks from this list, words won’t do it justice.
Dead Can Dance “In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated”
The way lies through our love;
There can be no other means to the end,
Or keys to my heart…
You will never find.
You will never find!
At this point, I think I may have a weakness for powerful male voices. Morrissey, Ronan Harris, Andrew Eldritch, Freddie Mercury, now Brendan Perry. Listening to the lyrics we are not sure if we’re witnessing a possible reunion or a tragedy. Dead Can Dance likes to play with the concept of duality.
Also great: covered by The Gathering!
This Mortal Coil “We Never Danced”
Hope it’s not too late
We were more than friends
I can hardly wait
’til we meet again.
Yup, 4AD once more. This one released pretty recently, in 2011. It gathered some dust being recorded for release in 1992. It’s a cover of Neil Young’s (and Martha Davis) and it features paraphrase from “Alice in Wonderland”. For me, this suffices as a recommendation.
Coil “Tainted Love”
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I’ll run from you
This tainted love you’ve given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that’s not nearly all
You probably know this from Soft Cell. Or maybe Marilyn Manson. If you’re into music you might have even heard the original by Gloria Jones (produced by Marc Bolan of T.Rex fame). But I wanted you to focus on this particular version. Both the unique arrangement and the powerful video make a great impression. Contrary to the pop cultural vision of love, we observe an AIDS victim spending his last days in the hospital.
In the video, we see a cameo of Marc Almond, who performed the Soft Cell’s rendition of this song.
Fun fact: this video has been purchased by Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Deine Lakaien “Love Me to the End”
This night forever
No morning will come
Love me,
Love me to the end
A radio anchor once said that Alexander Veljanov has the saddest voice in the world. And there’s a lot of truth in that. But I wouldn’t call it sadness. No, I think melancholy would be much more fitting. The other part of Deine Lakaien is Ernst Horn who is responsible for the dramatic piano. These powers combined make up one of the greatest songs in the dark wave genre.
Coil “Dark Age of Love”
The language of love is the language of liars
The flames of all love become funeral pyres
Smoke gets in your eyes and grown men cry
I see young men led to an early
Grave and old men pray to die
You’ve noticed, haven’t you? I ‘ve shamelessly stolen the title of this song for my article.
This one here is a collaboration between Coil, which we have met before and Marc Almond who cameoed in the music video for Coil’s “Tainted Love”. And sang “Tainted Love” as Soft Cell. There is some anxiety in music and there is a lot of disappointment in lyrics. A lot like life.
Clan of Xymox “There’s no Tomorrow”
I gave you all my love, where did you follow?
I see no light in dark, there’s no tomorrow
I see the way ahead where love lies fallow
I lost you on the way, all seems hollow
Since I repeated myself with Coil I might as well do the same with Clan of Xymox.
This track starts with a sample from “Bitter Moon”, a 1992 Roman Polanski movie. The sample emphasizes the bitterness that might come with love when it wears out. And it often does. As one of the protagonists puts it “Sure, but…things never do [last forever].”
Once again we’re dealing with loss. Possibly a painful break-up. This moment when our hopes for the better future are shattered. I believe Ronny Moorings’ voice works the best with such topics. Hear for yourself.
And what is it that you play to get into the romantic mood? Are there any songs I missed?
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