The Top Love Songs of the Rock Era*: #80-71

Prepare to be wooed with ten more of the best romantic songs of the last 60 years:

 

 

 

 

#80:

"Pledging My Love"

Johnny Ace

This song has great lyrics, and were it more known, would probably rank higher.  Johnny Ace tells of the "desire to make his lover happy", and that he will "never part from her and her loving ways."

 

 

Forever my darling, our love will be true.

Always and forever, I'll love just you.

Just promise me darling, your love in return,

May this fire in my soul, dear, forever burn. 

My heart's at your command, dear,

To keep love and to hold.

Making you happy is my desire dear;
Keeping you is my goal.
 

I'll forever love you,

The rest of my days..

I'll never part from you

And your loving ways.
 

My heart's at your command, dear,

To keep love and to hold.

Making you happy is my desire, dear,

Loving you is my goal. 

I'll forever love you,

The rest of my days.

I'll never part from you

And your loving ways.

 

 

#79:

"Babe"

Styx

 

In this song, the protagonist is traveling out of town, and wants to reassure his lover that he loves her and will be "lonely without her".  Styx reached #1 with "Babe" in 1979.  

Babe, I'm leaving;
 I must be on my way.
 The time is drawing near...
 My train is going, I see it in your eyes,
 The love, the need, your tears.

 But I'll be lonely without you--
 And I'll need your love to see me through.
 Please believe me, my heart is in your hands,
 And I'll be missing you.

 You know it's you, Babe,
 Whenever I get weary and I've had enough,
 Feel like giving up...
 You know it's you, Babe,
 Giving me the courage and the strength I need,
 Please believe that it's true.
 Babe, I love you.

You know it's you, Babe,
 Whenever I get weary and I've had enough,
 Feel like giving up...
 You know it's you, Babe,
 Giving me the courage and the strength I need ,
Please believe that it's true.
 Babe, I love you.

Babe, I'm leaving,
 I'll say it once again .
Somehow try to smile.
 I know the feeling we're trying to forget,
 If only for a while.
 But I'll be lonely without you,
 And I'll need your love to see me through.
 Please believe me, my heart is in your hands,
And I'll be missing you.

 Babe, I love you.





 

 

 

#78:

"Stuck On You"

Lionel Richie

We have another traveler at #78, only this man is returning home.  He realizes that he is "stuck on her" and is "glad she stayed".

 

Stuck on you,
 I've got this feeling down deep in my soul,
 That I just can't lose.
 Guess, I'm on my way...

 Needed a friend,
 And the way I feel now, I guess I'll be with you till the end,
 Guess I'm on my way--
 Mighty glad you stayed.

 I'm stuck on you,
 Been a fool too long,
 guess It's time for me to come on home.
 Guess I'm on my way...

 So hard to see
 That a woman like you could wait
 Around for a man like me,
Guess I'm on my way--
 Mighty glad you stayed.


 Oh, I'm leaving on that midnight train,
 And I know just where I'm going.
 I've packed up my troubles and I've thrown them all away.
 Because this time little darlin', I'm coming home to stay.

 I'm stuck on you,
 I've got this feeling down deep in my soul
 that I just can't lose.
 Guess I'm on my way...

 Needed a friend,
 And the way I feel now, I guess I'll be with you till the end.
 Guess I'm on my way,
 I'm mighty glad you stayed .

 

 

#77:

"You've Made Me So Very Happy"

Blood, Sweat & Tears

 

The man in this song has been unlucky in love, but hit the jackpot this time.  He expresses that she "touched his very soul", and "thanks her every day of his life" for what she means to him.   

I lost at love before,
Got mad and closed the door.
But you said child, just once more...

I chose you for the one,
Now we're havin' so much fun.
You treated me so kind;
I'm about to lose my mind!

You made me so very happy,
I'm so glad you
Came into my life.

The others were untrue,
But when it came to lovin' you,
I'd spend my whole life with you.

'Cause you came and you took control,
You touch my very soul.
You always show me that
Lovin' you is where it's at.

You made me so very happy,
I'm so glad you
Came into my life .

Thank you, baby!

I love you so much, you see,
You're even in my dreams.
I can hear you!
Baby, I can hear you calling me.
I'm so in love with you--
All I ever want to do is
Thank you baby, thank you baby!

You made me so very happy,
I'm so glad you
Came into my life.

You made me so very happy.
You made me so, so very happy.
I'm so glad you
Came into my life.

Mmmm, I want to thank you, girl.
Every day of my life,
I wanna' thank you.
You made me so very happy .
Oh, I wanna spend my life thanking you.
Thank you baby, thank you baby.
Thank you baby thank you baby...

 

 

#76:

"A Moment Like This"

Kelly Clarkson

 

The woman in this song believes she and her lover are meant for each other.  She recognizes that a love like this is hard to find, and she wants "the dream to last forever."

 

 What if I told you
It was all meant to be?
Would you believe me?
Would you agree?
It's almost that feelin'
That we've met before.
So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy
When I tell you love has come and now...

A moment like this...
Some people wait a lifetime,
For a moment like this.
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss.
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me!
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this.

Everything changes,
But beauty remains.
Something so tender,
I can't explain,
Well I may be dreamin',
But 'till I awake,
Can we make this dream last forever?
And I'll cherish all the love we share...

For a moment like this,
Some people wait a lifetime.
For a moment like this,
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss.
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me!
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this.

Could this be the greatest love of all?
I wanna' know that you will catch me when I fall.
So let me tell you this...
Some people wait a lifetime...

For a moment like this.
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this.
Some people search forever
For that one special kiss.
Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me!
Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this.

Oh, like this, oh, I can't believe it's happening to me...

Some people wait a lifetime
For a moment like this.

Oh, like this. 

 

 

#75:

"Tonight I Celebrate My Love"

Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack

 

The two lovers here are about to celebrate an intimate night in which "they will leave the world behind them".  They will discover "how friends turn into lovers".     

 

Tonight, I celebrate my love for you.
It seems the natural thing to do.
Tonight, no one's gonna find us;
We'll leave the world behind us.
When I make love to you...

Tonight, I celebrate my love for you,
And hope that deep inside, you'll feel it too.
Tonight, our spirits will be climbing
To a sky filled up with diamonds.
When I make love to you, tonight...

Tonight, I celebrate my love for you,
And that midnight sun is gonna' come shining through.
Tonight, there'll be no distance between us,
What I want most to do is to get close to you, tonight.

Tonight, I celebrate my love for you,
And soon this old world will seem brand new.
Tonight, we will both discover
How friends turn into lovers.
When I make love to you...

Tonight, I celebrate my love for you,
And the midnight sun is gonna come shining through.
Tonight, there'll be no distance between us.
What I want most to do is to get close to you.

Tonight, I celebrate my love for you.
Tonight...

 

 

 

 

#74:

"Take My Breath Away"

Berlin

The protagonist her tells about the feeling she has with her man.  She is captivated by him, and he takes her breath away every time she is with him.  The two lovers "turn and return to some secret place inside". 

 

Watching every motion
In my foolish lover's game,
On this endless ocean,
 Finally, lovers know no shame.

Turning and returning
To some secret place inside ,
Watching in slow motion,
As you turn around and say...

 Take my breath away.
Take my breath away.
 Watching, I keep waiting,
Still anticipating love,
Never hesitating,
To become the fated ones.
Turning and returning,
To some secret place to find...

 Watching in slow motion,
 As you turn to me and say ...
My love,
 Take my breath away.

 Through the hourglass
 I saw you.
 In time you slipped away...
 When the mirror crashed,
 I called you,
 And turned to hear you say,
 If only for today,
 I am unafraid .
Take my breath away.
 Take my breath away .

Watching every motion
 In this foolish lover's game,
 Haunted by the notion,
Somewhere there's a love in flames.
 Turning and returning,
To some secret place inside,
Watching in slow motion,
As you turn my way and say,
 Take my breath away.
Take my breath away.

#73:

"Baby I'm-A-Want You"
Bread

This man had no direction before he met his lover and says "she is the only one he cares enough to hurt about".  She has been "a guiding light" in tough times, and he "can't live without her lovin' and affection".

Baby I'm-a want you,
Baby I'm-a need you.
You're the only one I care enough to hurt about.
Maybe I'm-a crazy,
But I just can't live without
your lovin' and affection--
Givin' me direction.

 Like a guiding light to help me through a darkest hour,
Lately I'm a-prayin',
That you'll always be a-stayin' beside me.

Used to be, my life was just emotions passing by,
Feeling all the while and never really knowing why.

Lately I'm a-prayin',
That you'll always be a-stayin' beside me.

Used to be, my life was just emotions passing by,
Then you came along and made me laugh and made me cry,
You taught me why.

Baby I'm-a want you,
Baby I'm-a need you.

Oh, it took so long to find you, baby.
Baby I'm-a want you,
Baby I'm-a need you .





 

 

 

 

 

#72:

"The Closer I Get To You"

Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway

 

The more this woman gets to know her man, the more she realizes that "his love has captured her".  They started out as friends, but both people realized that their feelings for each other were special.   

 

 

 

 The closer I get to you,
The more you make me see.
By giving me all you've got,
Your love has captured me.

Over and over again,
I try to tell myself that we
Could never be more than friends.
And all the while inside,
I knew it was real.

The way you make me feel,
Lying here next to you,
Time just seems to fly.
Needing you more and more...
Let's give love a try.

Sweeter and sweeter love grows,
And heaven's there for those
Who fool the tricks of time.
With hearts in love will find
True love
In a special way.
       
The closer I get to you,
The more you make me see,
By giving me what you've got.
Your love has captured me!

Over and over again,
I try to tell myself that we
Could never be more than friends.
And all the while inside,
I knew this was real (got to be real),
The way you make me feel (you know).

My baby, my baby, my baby, my love,
Come a little closer so we can see into the eyes of love.
Just a little a closer, let me speak to you.
I wanna tell you something.

Here I am-- I just want you to come closer,
Come a little closer let me whisper in your ear.
‘Cause I wanna tell you something...

Move a little a little closer, we can say for real
The way we feel about each other’s lovin’…

#71:

"When I Need You"
Leo Sayer

Of all the types of romantic relationships, long distance loving is the toughest (God bless the truckers, and the people who have to travel a lot!)  But the protagonist in this song points out that he won't be traveling forever, and in the meantime, he just closes his eyes and "he is with her".   

When I need you,
I just close my eyes and I'm with you.
And all that I so wanna' give you,
It's only a heartbeat away.

When I need love,
I hold out my hands and I touch love.
I never knew there was so much love,
Keeping me warm night and day.
Miles and miles of empty space in between us,
The telephone can't take the place of your smile.
But you know I won't be travelin' forever,
It's cold out, but hold out, and do I like I do.

When I need you,
I just close my eyes and I'm with you.
And all that I so wanna give you, babe,
It's only a heartbeat away.
It's not easy when the road is your driver.
Honey, that's a heavy load that we bear.
But you know I won't be traveling a lifetime,
It's cold out, but hold out, and do like I do.

Oh, I need you!

[Instrumental Interlude]

When I need love,
I hold out my hands and I touch love.
I never knew there was so much love
Keeping me warm night and day.

When I need you,
I just close my eyes.
And you're right here by my side,
Keeping me warm night and day.
I just hold out my hands,
I just hold out my hand,
And I'm with you darlin'.
Yes, I'm with you darlin'.
All I wanna give you
It's only a heartbeat away.

Oh, I need you darling...