19 and 0, Love Songs for the Record (Playlist)

The last thing I created as a truly innocent, naive person was a mixtape I made on Valentine’s Day, 1997. I was about a month into my freshman year of college at The University of New Hampshire. (I’d deferred a semester while trying to work out the financial aid situation with NYU, where I had been set to attend. Didn’t work out, went to UNH for their excellent journalism program.)

I turned 18 a couple months before starting college. I had a religious upbringing and hadn’t been allowed to date in high school. I was a virgin, had never drank or anything like that. So, on Valentine’s Day weekend, I made a mix called “19 and 0, Love Songs for the Record” to commemorate 19 Valentine’s Days alive and single. I had a feeling future Valentine’s Days wouldn’t be so simple.

Original "Cover Art," circa 1997.

A couple of days after I made the tape, something horrible happened to me. I’ve mentioned it a couple of places on this site, but suffice it to say my memories and nostalgia around Valentine’s Day are tied up with some violent heartache as well.

I just found the tape and put it together as a playlist for you, in case you’re looking for some sexy, sad, naive, yearning kind of musical background for whatever you find yourself up to this weekend.

Here’s the playlist.

Here’s the track listing.
Side A
1. Crash Into Me – Dave Matthews Band
2. Putting the Damage On – Tori Amos
3. Kissing You – Des’ree
4. Fields of Gold – Sting
5. Possession – Sarah McLaughlan
6. Superstar – The Carpenters
7. You – R.E.M.
8. Pale September – Fiona Apple
9. New Orleans Instrumental #1 – R.E.M.
10. Romeo & Juliet – Indigo Girls

Side B
11. Say Goodbye – Dave Matthews Band
12. Let You Down – Dave Matthews Band
13. Glory Box – Portishead
14. Throwing Fire at the Sun – Heather Nova
15. Heart of Gold – Neil Young
16. Sandalwood – Lisa Loeb
17. Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
18. Am I the Only One? – Barenaked Ladies
19. Bizarre Love Triangle – Frente!
20. Down By the River – – Indigo Girls

There are two tracks missing from the online playlist. The tracks that were originally #2 and #20 on the tape are by a New Hampshire band called Thanks To Gravity. The tracks were “Infinity Christmas,” and “Truest Song.” To this day, their disc “Sonata Brutalle,” is one of my favorite CDs of all time. If you love lush tunes and heart-wrenching, poetic lyrics, then I recommend snagging a copy on Amazon.

Happy Valentine’s Day, wherever it may find you.