Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and whether you’re in a relationship or not, this is a time to share your love with other people you treasure in your life. And to bask in that love, we’ve put together a playlist of some popularly covered love songs to listen to all month.
10. “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” - Stevie Wonder
“You Are the Sunshine of My Life” was written by Stevie Wonder for then-wife Syreeta Wright. The song is a classic devotion of the undying love one has for their partner. There are over 350 versions of the song according to Secondhand Songs (Source). Some of the most popular covers of the song include versions by Frank Sinatra, Freddy Cole, Ella Fitzgerlad, and friend of Savage Content, Nicki Parrott. Check out Wonder’s version and a few beloved covers below.
The Original
Great Covers
9. “Love Me Tender” - Elvis Presley
While most know Elvis Presley’s version of “Love Me Tender” best, the song first became popular during the Civil War under the name “Aura Lee.” In 1956, the song was altered with new lyrics and recorded by Presley to pair with his first movie role in the film, Love Me Tender. Presley’s version became the most-covered version, being covered over 400 times as of 2023. (Source). “Love Me Tender” has been covered by many artists including Tony Bennett, Marty Robbins, and Frank Sinatra. Check out some great covers, and Elvis’ original, of course.
The “Original”
Great Covers
8.“And I Love Her” - The Beatles
The Beatles and their members make up 5 of the top 10 most-covered songs, so there was plenty to choose from. “And I Love Her” isn’t in the top 10 most covered songs, but it is in the top 10 of most-covered Beatles songs. It has been covered over 500 times since 2023 (Source), so it seemed a good fit to highlight this love song. Covers have come out from a multitude of artists including Bob Marley, Smokey Robinson, Sarah Vaughan, Barry Manilow, and Vince Gill. “And I Love Her” was written for Paul McCartney’s girlfriend at the time, Jane Asher. McCartney actually wrote the song in her parents’ music room while he was staying at their house. Check out some excellent covers below.
The Original
Notable Covers
7. “Can’t Help Falling in Love” - Elvis Presley
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss and featured in the 1961 Elvis movie Blue Hawaii. Interestingly enough, the movie producers and associates of Presley didn’t like the song, but Presley insisted on recording it, and that move paid off when the song sat at #1 on the US charts for 20 weeks (Source). The song has been covered over 550 times, but some of the most popular covers are by artists such as Doris Day, Bob Dylan, Ed Sheeran, and Twenty One Pilots. Check out some of the most popular versions below.
The Original
Great Covers
6. “Cheek to Cheek” - Fred Astaire
Written by Irving Berlin for the film Top Hat, “Cheek to Cheek” describes the euphoric feeling of dancing close to somebody you deeply care for. There are nearly 600 versions of the song out there, but some of the most popular versions aside from Astaire’s come from Louis Armstrong, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, and Frank Sinatra, and more recently, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga. Check out the various versions below.
The Original
Great Covers
5. “Honeysuckle Rose” - Fats Waller
Composed in 1929 by Fats Waller, “Honeysuckle Rose” was used for a “soft shoe” dance number in the off-Broadway revue, “Load of Coal.” The song mainly speaks to how sweet it is to be with the person one is in love with. This is one of the songs on this list with the highest number of versions, with over 800! As a standard listed in the Great American Songbook, it shouldn’t be too surprising. Some notable covers of “Honeysuckle Rose” come from Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, and John Pizzarelli. Check out some of those versions below.
The Original
Great Covers
4. “How High the Moon” - Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
“How High the Moon” is a jazz standard beloved by many. Written by Nancy Hamilton and Morgan Lewis in 1940 for the musical Two for the Show, the song was first recorded by Benny Goodman and His Orchestra. The song became popularized however by the 1951 recording by Les Paul and Mary Ford. There are over 500 versions of the song with some of Savage Content’s most beloved versions coming from Ella Fitzgerlad, Marvin Gaye, Karrin Allyson, and Miles Davis. If you’re separated from your loved ones, “How High the Moon” captures the love for someone who’s far away. Listen to some of the different covers below.
The Popularized Version
Great Covers
3. “Love Is Here to Stay” - Gene Kelly
Written by George Gershwin with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin, “Love is Here to Stay” is a standard that was written for the 1938 movie The Goldwyn Follies. It’s actually the last composition created by George Gershwin before he passed away, and his brother Ira wrote the lyrics after his death as a tribute to him. While “Love Is Here to Stay” got its start in the 1938 film, it gained popularity after it was performed by Gene Kelly in the 1951 film An American in Paris. Since then, it’s been used in a number of films, more recently appearing in the 1989 film When Harry Met Sally... with Harry Connick Jr. singing the classic. There are more than 750 versions of the song out in the world, but some of the most notable come from Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, and Rod Stewart. Another great version comes from The Anderson Brothers who have paid tribute to Gershwin’s iconic legacy many times. You can check out some great versions below including the one of The Anderson Brothers recorded for Savage Content.
The Original
Great Covers
2. “I Only Have Eyes for You” - Dick Powell
This romantic love song that is a revered standard part of The Great American Songbook was composed by Harry Warren for the film Dames. It was this version from the film sung by Dick Powell that helped it gain popularity. There are over 550 listed versions, but some of the most notable are by The Flamingos, Billie Holiday, Art Garfunkel, and more recently Michael Bublé and Boyz II Men. The doo-wop version by The Flamingos became more popular than the original, peaking at #3 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1959. One version that is worth highlighting is performed by Bob James and Howard Paul. Check out the different versions of this classic below.
The Original
Great Covers
1. “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” - Ray Noble
Is there no better way to keep warm than with love? This Irving Berlin composition often gets associated with Christmastime, but the lyrics actually have nothing to do with Christmas. It’s more of a winter track, and depending on where you are in the world, February is still pretty cold. “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” was first recorded by a number of artists right around the same January in 1937 (separate versions, not together). Those artists were Red Norvo, Billie Holiday, Howard Barrie, Ray Noble, and Mildred Bailey. There’s also a stunning version by Judy Garland. Despite how popular and beloved the song is, Secondhand Songs only lists about 300 existing versions of the song. I have a feeling there are more than that. One version that’s worth highlighting is by friends of Savage Content, The Konrad Paszkudzki Trio with Nicole Henry on vocals. There’s something truly magical about this version. Check it out and the other classics below.
The Original
Great Covers
Spin these love songs this Valentine’s Day. We hope this blog gave some insight into these iconic, popularly covered love songs. Thanks for reading!
Written by Kristen Petronio