15+ First Dance Songs That Aren't Totally Cliche
I first published this post in 2014, and since then (of course) I’ve had many more thoughts on first dance songs that don’t fall in the sweet-but-basic category. A little bit of backstory:
I can't even remember how many times my Google skills failed me when my partner and I were looking for a good first dance song that hasn't been played to death. Sure, I love At Last as much as any other warm-blooded human, but I wanted something with a little more personality. Searches for "Cool First Dance Songs", "Non-cheesy First Dance Songs" and "First Dance Songs That Are Actually Unique" didn't turn up much. Finally, we settled on a less-coupley, more universally optimistic option: Put A Little Love in Your Heart (by Jackie DeShannon, but performed by our dear friends The Significant Others). Key lyrics: Put a little love in your heart / and the world will be a better place. True of many things, including relationships.
Now it’s 2019 and I’m happy to let you know that we’ve added a bunch of new contenders to this list — and it’s now available on Spotify. Happy listening, friends :)
PLAYLIST HIGHLIGHTS (with favorite lyrics)
"The Book of Love" by the Magnetic Fields: The book of love has music in it / In fact that's where music comes from / Some of it is just transcendental / Some of it is just really dumb but / I / I love it when you sing to me and / You / You can sing me anything.
"At My Most Beautiful" by REM: You always listen carefully / to awkward rhymes. / You always say your name / like I wouldn't know it's you / at your most beautiful.
"You and I" by Ingrid Michaelson: So I will help you read those books / If you will soothe my worried looks / And we will put the lonesome on the shelf.
"She Keeps Me Warm" by Mary Lambert: She says I smell like safety and home / I named both of her eyes “Forever” and “Please don’t go".
"Prime Time" by Janelle Monae (featuring Miguel): Cause baby it's a prime time for our love / Ain't nobody peekin' but the stars above / It's a prime time for our love / And heaven is betting on us.
"Songbird" by Fleetwood Mac: To you, I'll give the world / to you, I'll never be cold / 'Cause I feel that when I'm with you, / It's alright, I know it's right.
"Question" by Old 97s: Someday somebody's gonna ask you / A question that you should say yes to / Once in your life.
"I Love How You Love Me" cover by Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel: I love the way your kiss is always heavenly / But darling, most of all / I love how you love me.
"You Make Me Smile" by Aloe Blacc: I'm beaming like the sun now how can that be / see the answer to the query is very simple / I'm always grinning from dimple to dimple / because you love me unconditionally.
"Riches and Wonders" by The Mountain Goats: We are filled with riches and wonders / Our loves keeps the things it finds / and we dance like drunken sailors / lost at sea, out of our minds.
"Set My Soul on Fire" by The War and Treaty: I said that I would never ever love again / But you set my soul on fire / I said no kind of love would ever pull me in
But you set my soul on fire
"One of My Kind" by Marie Danielle: I wanna know if you need a ride home / I wanna go, but not alone / I left the rest behind / honey you’re one of my kind.
"I Belong To You" by Brandi Carlile: I know I could be spending a little too much time with you / But time and too much don't belong together like we do / If I had all my yesterdays I'd give 'em to you too / I belong to you now / I belong to you
"When U Love Somebody" by Fruit Bats: When you love somebody it's hard to think about anything but to breathe.
"Dreaming of You" by Selena: Late at night when all the world is sleeping / I stay up and think of you / And I still can't believe / That you came up to me and said I love you / I love you too