'Just the Way You Are' is a romantic song from Billy Joel's 1977 pop rock album, 'The Stranger.' It was written as a birthday gift to Joel's first wife Elizabeth Weber. The song won the 1978 Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Joel rarely performs it, but does do it as a duet with Elton John on their Face-to-Face tour.
King had written the song for The Drifters, who passed on the opportunity. He used leftover studio time to record it himself and didn't release the song on an album until it had been out as a single for two years. The romantic standard has been covered by many artists including John Lennon and Otis Reading.
First appearing in the 1983 romantic flick 'A Night in Heaven,' the track was later, and at the last minute, included on Adams' 1984 album 'Reckless.' Adams' rustic vocals work well with this tune -- especially in his unplugged version -- as he sings: "And love is all that I need / And I found it there in your heart / It isn't too hard to see / We're in heaven."
'At Last' was originally composed for the 1942 musical film 'Orchestra Wives,' which featured vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday, as well as composer Glenn Miller and his orchestra. It wasn't until 1960 did we get the honor of hearing the serene and favored version by Etta James, which was featured on her debut album. The song has been covered by a slew of artists ranging from Joni Mitchell to Beyonce.
Widely recognized from the the cult classic 'Top Gun,' this romantic song was the band's most well-known hit, but also their last. It won both an Academy Award and and a Golden Globe in 1987 for best song. Jessica Simpson and Diana Ross both covered this tune.
'Wonderful Tonight' was included on Clapton's 1977 album, 'Slowhand,' and was released as a single the following year. Clapton wrote the song about his former wife, Pattie Boyd, while waiting for her to get ready for a party they were to attend later in the evening. He sings: "I feel wonderful because I see / The love light in your eyes / And the wonder of it all / Is that you just don't realize how much I love you."
The romantic song has been covered 78 times by a variety of artists, ranging from the Pet Shop Boys to Lauryn Hill. Written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio, the 1967 song was one of Valli's biggest hits, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard 100. Countless films and TV shows have featured the tune, notably '10 Things I Hate About You' and 'The Deer Hunter.'
'I Will Always Love You' was originally written by Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974. The 1992 version by Whitney Houston became one of the best-selling singles of all time, mainly due to its debut on the flick 'The Bodyguard.'
The extremely popular power ballad was the second single from their album 'Frontiers.' The romantic song tells the story of a "music man" on the road and his difficulties raising a family and maintaining a relationship with his wife. The issue of staying faithful while touring is a re-occurring theme for most rock musicians, however the song reveals a positive spin from the suggestive lifestyle: "Two strangers learn to fall in love again / I get the joy of rediscovering you / Oh, girl, you stand by me / I'm forever yours."
'Unchained Melody' was first used in 1955 as the theme song for the obscure prison film 'Unchained.' 10 years later the tune was recorded by the Righteous Brothers and became a jukebox standard. Even thought there are over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages, the Righteous Brothers' version remains a favorite, reaffirming its popularity after being featured in the 1990 film 'Ghost.' The doo-wop serenade with poetic lyrics make any woman's knees week as the duo sing about their long distance love: "To the open arms of the sea / Lonely rivers sigh 'wait for me, wait for me' / I'll be coming home wait for me."
What Romantic Songs Set the Mood for You?
Be sure to tell us what your favorite romantic songs are in the comments section below. Also be sure to check out our list of the 10 Best Love Songs and, on the flip side, the 10 Best Break Up Songs.
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Posted at 11:40AM on Feb 11th 2010 by Juan Camilo