Making A Great Valentines Day Playlist

When I was younger, making a mixtape was one of the best gifts to give a girl on Valentine’s Day. It was thoughtful, required timing, creativity, and hours of planning. Days were spent waiting for a particular song to play on the radio to add it in your “perfect” collection of music. Today’s world of iTunes and pre-made Valentine’s Day Playlists has diluted the art of a “mixtape.” I believe it’s a great Valentine’s Day gift, if done right. It requires some thought, effort, and a willingness to be a bit cheesy.

Avoid using someone else’s playlist! She’ll only find it, and then yell at you. Most of them are generic and use either popular or overused songs. Your mixtape should be catered to her. Start with some of her favorite tracks that are appropriate for the mood. If this means you have to buy an MP3, what’s ninety-nine cents? Sprinkle them around in the playlist, don’t load them all upfront or at the end. Try placing one in the beginning, a few in the middle, and one in the end.

Wrap her favorite songs with a few of your favorites. The catch is, you need to be sure she’ll like your favorites. If she’s not much of hard rock fan, and you love Metallica’s “Loverman”, you may not want to avoid the song. Try finding alternatives, like the original by Nick Cave or the use the Depeche Mode cover. You may also luck out with a better song, with the same title. Billie Holiday, Shabba Ranks, and Robin Thicke have all released different songs, titled “Loverman” and may fit better towards the project.

Have fun with the music selection. I’m not suggesting you should include the Peanut Butter and Jelly Song, but a song that can be an inside joke between the two of you would work well. A Valentine’s Day mixtape is supposed to be romantic, but it should have some humor. For instance, a date and I had a joke about the song “Baby Got Back”. If I were making her a Valentine’s Day mixtape, I would include that song, but maybe towards the end.

Lastly, work within a theme. Don’t just include a series of romantic songs, work from an idea that helps frame your track listing. Something like “The Things I Love About You” where you choose songs about your favorite qualities in her, or “All The Guys Think You’re Also Cute” where you choose romantic songs about a woman, all sang by guys shows you’re creative, thoughtful, and have put thought into the process.

Photo by Leah Tihia™