Love songs don’t have to be mushy and chock-full of cliches. They can be dirty, weird, morbid, depressing, hyper-sexual, or just plain straightforward. The sentiment can come from both the heart AND the pants. It doesn’t matter how you say I love you, or I want you, or I want to die if you die—there are a lot of ways to tell bae you care. We put together a list of alternative love songs for you and your Valentine’s Day bae. As a bonus, we threw in some stuff for all of you out there who are trying to get over your ex. Maybe you can send them one of those songs after naming a cockroach after them at them at the Bronx zoo.
1. Slow- My Bloody Valentine
3. Big Dumb Sex- Soundgarden
4 . No One Loves Me and Neither Do I- Them Crooked Vultures
5. Laid- James
6. Anenome- Brian Jonestown Massacre
7. Shut Up Kiss Me- Angel Olsen
8. Bedroom Eyes- Dum Dum Girls
9. Bewitched- Beat Happening
11. Together Forever- Rick Astley
12. I’m Slowly Turning into You- The White Stripes
13. Girlfriend in a Coma- The Smiths
15. Babies-Pulp
16. Ava Adore- Smashing Pumpkins
17. Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon- Neil Diamond
19. I Will Follow You Into The Dark- Death Cab For Cutie
21. There is a Light That Never Goes Out- The Smiths
23. I Will Sing You Songs- My Morning Jacket
25. Tractor Rape Chain- Guided By Voices
26. Heartbeat- Childish Gambino
27. C is the Heavenly Option- Heavenly (Calvin Johnson + Co)
29. Hold Me Now- Thompson Twins
30. Bell Bottom Blues- Derek and the Dominos
31. Gravity Don’t Pull Me- ROSTAM
33. So. Central Rain- R.E.M.
35. Different Drum- The Stone Poneys
36. Don’t Wanna Know If You Are Lonely- Husker Du
37. Hello It’s Me- Todd Rundgren
39. You Think You’re a Man- The Vaselines