Lovers Rock Reggae can be a mysterious puzzle. In theory, it's the ideal genre for hugs, snuggles, kisses and canoodling between loving couples. But in practice, using Lovers Rock music to create a romantic mood on Valentine's Day can present a brain-teasing challenge. Sure, every collector thinks he knows Lovers Rock, but when it comes time to prepare that special dinner-for-two: sparkling candlelight, flame-red roses, scarlet napkins and dark-chocolate desserts, you'll need the perfect Lovers Rock playlist to capture the stars in her eyes, and the excitement of her smile. So, how do we create the perfect playlist? Jamaican and British Lovers Rock artists offered a most enchanting answer. In their words, the key to a romantic Valentine's Day is to select music with vibes powerful enough to play the role of Cupid himself. Mythology teaches us that Cupid fell in love with a goddess named Psyche, and your mood music should do the same. It should pamper your lover's psyche like a surprise gift.
In the same way that your lover enjoys receiving diamond earrings, golden necklaces, and eloquent poetry, her soul will appreciate a tailor-made Lovers Rock playlist that suits her personality, and caresses her heart.
"When you talk about Valentine's Day, you're basically thinking about being romantic – it's about happy couples looking out for each other," said UK reggae producer Carlton "Dillie" McLeod, owner of London-based Stingray Records. "This is one day where (couples) are taking a special time. You get a lot of couples that are actually living together, but they're (often) apart – they might only get together over the weekend, or on (Valentine's Day) because of their work situation. So Valentine's Day is like being in love, and just showing and appreciating it."
1. Emotions Are Essential
When selecting mood music, imagine that you are painting a romantic picture. For your primary colors, consider three musical properties: tempo, vibes, and most important, the actual lyrics of the songs.
"If you are wanting to set a romantic mood, you would need to use songs with respectful, meaningful, and positive content from both sexes, and leave out the heartbreak songs," said UK reggae singer Adele Harley. "You could use content that covers unrequited love, as this is often a topic for Valentine's (greeting cards), with the card sender quite often remaining anonymous. (You should use) anything sung from the heart, with deep feelings that are believable!"
In the literary genre of romance, unrequited love represents the ultimate romantic trump card – it's a universal feeling that all people have experienced, but seldom discuss openly, and thus, it's a sure-fire method of eschewing worrisome logic, and opening the door to a warm, cozy safe-zone where an emotional connection can become plush and sacred.
And as you already know, ambience needs emotion.
"A mood has definitely got to be part of it," said McLeod. "You've got to adjust the mood to build up the whole thing about Valentine's Day, and to use gifts to show appreciation. All of these things should be wrapped into one, depending on how she is feeling, but love songs represent the whole thing about Valentine's Day, totally."
Her feelings are the key. It's important to fully understand your lover's desires, and to expend great effort in choosing music that conjures the most special milestones and treasures of your relationship. For this reason, it might sometimes help to think outside of the box, even if it means selecting songs that stray from the stereotype "love-song" format.
"You should do whatever makes you happy when you're making love to your woman," said Jamaican Lovers Rock producer Computer Paul. "Some people like to make love to dance music, some people like to make love to slow music. Whatever gets that thing going with your woman, that's it."
Of course, gift-giving requires a detailed memory. When selecting Lovers Rock, pick songs with lyrics tailored specifically to your lover's previous romantic habits. Recall her favorite choices of art, candles, curtains and vacations, and pick songs whose textures and storylines are likely to make her feel validated and special. Ultimately, you're in the drivers seat – and you're the only person who knows the true musical gateway to your lover's heart.
"I think it all depends on personality," said UK Lovers Rock singer Janet Kay. "It's mostly depending on the personality of the couple, or the personality of the person playing the songs for the other half. You've got to make sure the lyrics aren't saying anything that's going to upset a woman. It's got to stick to the subject, and not have any ulterior motives. Also, you've got to know the taste of the woman that you're playing the music to. That goes hand in hand with whether it's a fast tune, or a slower tune. It's about knowing the personality of the other half – that's what sets the mood."
2. Keep The Mood Innocent
In planning a Lovers Rock playlist, it's very important to remember that romance and passion are TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. Romance is an expression of love, whereas passion is the physical manifestation of attraction. Both are important, but each must be given its own time and space.
Being honest, we all "know" that passion will occur eventually during Valentine's Night, but the more important question is: How do we create a lingering romantic mood that cherishes the promise of undying love?
"Keep the mood gentle," said UK Lovers Rock singer Carroll Thompson. "Keep it sweet, and keep the sentiment of the songs romantic. Don't go for (lyrics that say things like) 'gyal lift up your leg,' – leave those songs out. (Don't go for) anything that's too rude and lewd, just play something that keeps the mood and the ambience right for that moment, because you're trying to capture a moment. You're not trying to be too obvious that you want to get her into bed, and what you want to do with her when you get her into bed, in very blatant ways. That comes later. Just make it very sensual and very seductive, with nice words and romantic feelings, and you guys will be fine."
Brisk riddims help to stimulate your spouse's youthful romantic energy, but slow songs can provide a gentler, more ethereal advantage. Slow rhythms and soft harmonies have a natural calming effect on the human brain, opening a couple's hearts to humanistic pursuits, and eliminating impatient anxieties.
"Definitely, slower songs (are effective)," said McLeod. "That's where the romantic vibes definitely are. Nice, soft, slow songs – songs of joy, songs (women) can sing along to, songs of happiness, songs about love – these are the things that (women) look for."
3. Make A Gift Compilation
Flowery love songs should be a key ingredient in preparing a comfortable Valentine's Day atmosphere for your lover. But be careful – before you download a bouquet of Lovers Rock records, understand that most studio albums contain a contradiction of vibes.
On the one hand, every Lovers Rock singer has recorded sweet, pirouetting love ballads that would complement any romantic occasion. The problem is, every singer also has recorded songs about the not-so-good side of love: songs about infidelity, sadness, and breakups, among a host of other tear-jerking topics.
In other words, the term "Lovers Rock" need not always mean "romantic reggae," – a fact that makes MP3 playlists far more romantically effective than the majority of available full-length Lovers Rock albums.
"Albums are very difficult, because you only find a lot of classic songs," said Thompson. "Not all artists have had the kind of albums that you can play from beginning to end. There's not many albums like that, but there are good songs. So I would suggest that you take the time, and cherry-pick some songs to show the woman that you're thinking about the moment, and the mood. Maybe that can be a Valentine's present in itself – a nice selection of romantic lovers rock tunes. Put your own compilation together."
In creating the perfect Lovers Rock playlist, you'll need to become acquainted with some of the most revered Lovers Rock singers:
•Beres Hammond – Adele Harley and Computer Paul both recommended Beres Hammond as their first choice for Valentine's Day mood music. "His vocals and melodies are always so easy on the ears, and his delivery on his well-known lovers tunes is almost untouchable," said Harley. "When you listen to Beres sing, it's like he sings everything from the heart, and it's so believable – full of feeling and soul – just what every woman would want to hear."
•Dennis Brown – Computer Paul also recommended Dennis Brown's love songs. Like Hammond, Brown has an elastic, emotionally-cogent lyrical style that helped shape the current state of Lovers Rock. If you build a Dennis Brown playlist, be sure to include "Little Green Apples," "Wildfire," and "Moonlight."
•John Holt – Carlton McLeod recommended John Holt's music – most notably, the love songs from his "1000 Volts of Holt" album. "When I'm relaxed and trying to get into a groove, I like to play a little John Holt – he definitely serenades the ladies a lot," said McLeod. "Of the songs that he has covered, he has covered them very well, and they're songs that everyone can relate to."
•Bitty McLean – McLeod described Bitty McLean's style as having a seductive effect on the female gender. Download some of the romantic reggae ballads from "Bond Street" and "Movin' On (especially, check out the track 'Daddy's Home')."
•Janet Kay – McLeod suggested Janet Kay's 1980s and 1990s-era love songs as a sure bet for Valentine's Day. Kay's masterpiece ballads, most of which were recorded on the Sony Japan label, are only available on compact disc. These albums are rare, so grab "Lovin' You," "Love You Always," and "For The Love of You," as soon as you can find them!
•Peter Hunnigale – McLeod also recommended Peter Hunnigale's music as a favorite among female reggae fans. Get his "Reggae Max Volume 1" and "Reggae Max Volume 2" albums, which contain his most definitive romantic hits, such as "Perfect Lady," and "Midnite Love."
•John McLean – I saved this recommendation for last, because it's probably the most intriguing. Janet Kay recommended John McLean's love ballad, "If I Gave My Heart To You," as the definitive love song for Valentine's Day. When you feel the romantic vibes of this song, you'll suddenly realize that a woman's perception of romantic reggae is much different from what a typical man would expect! With this in mind, you would be smart to make this song the cornerstone of your Valentine's Day playlist, and to use it as a model for any other love songs you might choose.
Written by Bakari Davis - LoversRockJamaica.net
