Music for Valentine’s Day

Happy Valentine’s Day by Trina Belamide: "To a lonely heart, how does one say Happy Valentine’s Day?" asked singer-songwriter Trina Belamide in a song titled Happy Valentine’s Day that she wrote in 1999. Well, it looked like a lot of people were able to relate to the theme of the song and its pretty melody that they gave Trina the Overall Second Prize in the USA Songwriting Competition over 31,000 entries from over 50 countries.

For some reason or another that song was never recorded and released. Maybe Trina chose not to entrust it to another artist as she had with her other works. She is the composer of the World Youth Day Theme Tell the World of His Love, Now That I Have You by the Company, You’ve Made Me Stronger by Regine Velasquez and others. But somehow, few copies of Happy Valentine’s Day made it to some radio stations. DJs chose to play it for those alone and lonely during Valentine’s Day and elicited positive feedback from listeners.

Now, three years later, the award-winning song is finally available on CDs in a special compilation that Trina produced and where she also sings in commemoration of her 10th year in the music business. Happy Valentine’s Day is the title track and the album also contains four more tunes. These are What’s It Gonna Take, His Angel and Learning, which have never been recorded before and This Little Child, originally by Joey Albert which was Trina’s first recorded composition.

Romantic albums

Love songs abound year in and year out but I have to admit that they become more meaningful when Valentine’s Day comes around. Okay, it sounds kitschy, kitschy and tacky but why has My Funny Valentine endured and why does My Valentine get better every year? And if being corny means candy and flowers and a great date, then by all means, let’s celebrate. So here now are three new albums with songs that are most appropriate for this period for lovers.

Everlasting Hits, Unforgettable Love Moments by Various Artists: This should be your best buy this season as far as hit compilation albums are concerned. The contents of this two-volume, 21 track CD release include romantic pop hits from the past 30 years as recorded by the original artists. There are no covers here so when the credits say It Might Be You, what you will get is the Stephen Bishop recording used in the soundtrack of the motion picture Tootsie. When you want I’ve Never Been to Me, what you will hear will be Charlene Duncan’s. And I am sure that many of you will be glad to find out that there are some oldies here that will be available in a legit, non-pirated compilation for the first time.

Check out the rest of the contents: Emotion by Samantha Sang; Cherish by Kool & the Gang; Casablanca by Bertie Higgins; Just When I Needed You Most by Randy Vanwarmer; Because I Love You by Shakin’ Stevens, Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill; My On My by Slade; Leader of the Band by Dan Fogelberg; Everybody’s Got to Learn Sometime by The Korgis; You’re My Everything by Santa Esmeralda; Words by F.R. David; Secret Lovers by Atlantic Starr; Kiss and Say Goodbye by The Manhattans; Lady, Lady, Lady by Joe Bean Esposito; Knife by Rockwell; Amanda by Boston; Love Song by Paper Lace; Angel Queen by Dara Sedaka; and The Temple of the King by Rainbow.

Boyzone Ballads

Boyzone Ballads: The Ultimate Love Songs Collection by Boyzone: The famous Irish boy band has compiled its slow tempo hits from 1993 to 2001 in one enchanting album. I know, Stephen Gately has long ago admitted that he is gay but he still sings like a dream, No Matter What, and so does Ronan Keating, I Love the Way You Love Me. Besides, this collection is a first of its kind for these guys and you have to admit that they did record more romantic songs than any other male group around.

The other songs included are And I, Your Song, Everyday I Love You, Baby Can I Hold You, Words, Mystical Experience, All That I Need, Coming Home Now, Father and Son, Ben, Love Me for a Reason, Isn’t It a Wonder, Paradise, You Needed Me, Don’t Stop Looking for Love and Key to My Life. Every CD comes with a free VCD containing videos of five of the songs plus a 1998 interview of the Boyzone.