February 13, 2026 • 10 mins
In honor of Valentine's Day tomorrow, In Service Of host Steve Baltin shares some of the greatest rock love songs ever. And for those of you not feeling the holiday this year, fear not, he has you covered with some of the greatest anti-love songs as well.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hey have gone into Steve often, and this is in
service side, and you know, it's looking for a topic
for this week for the mini episode. And then I remember, oh,
this weekend is Valentine's Day, so we're gonna be cliche,
which I normally hate the fucking deal, but you know,
it's good excuse to talk about both the best love
(00:24):
songs and for those who aren't feeling Valentine's Day, which
are sure are plenty of people, the best anti love songs,
you know. I mean, you see lots of lists of
the best love songs, and they usually very trite and
shit like Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You, which
(00:45):
of course is actually written by Dolly Parton. And of
course there's some love songs that cannot be denied, like
The Righteous Brothers, Unchane Melody or Elvis Presley's version who
Can't Help Falling in Love with You? But there are
a lot of great ones as well that don't always
get talked about. You know, many people will tell you
in the rock world the greatest love song of all
(01:05):
time is Van Morrison to Blow Honey, a song that
you know, Let's had that Bob Dylan said could have
only come from God. Now that wasn't the exact quote,
but the sentiment is there. It is a song that
is so brilliant, so profound, so moving, it does feel
like it came from a higher power, like the Caves
(01:27):
into My Arms, which is another one of those love songs.
Let's see. I always love le Zeppelin Thank You as
one of the love songs of all time too. Of course,
Joni Mitchell Case of Ill. I would argue that your
greatest write love songs of all time in rock are
Jonie's a Case of Ill and Tom Waite to take
it with me. I mean, there's so many great ones Springsteen,
(01:51):
My Beautiful Reward and Book of Dreams. I would also
venture to say there are a lot of Jackson Brown
great ones like hold On. Hold Out is one I've
always loved as well. You know what makes a great
love song authenticity, a song that makes you feel it
hollering Sarah smile. When I did the book Anthems We Love,
(02:14):
I spoke with Daryl Hall about the song and about
those written for one woman. Millions of people love that song.
Why because they want the feeling of that song. They
want to live in that song, they want to be
in love in that song. It's the same with Graham
nash Our House, which he and I talked about, which,
(02:35):
of course he famously wrote for Jenny Mitchell. Doesn't matter
everybody in the world that is written for Jenny Mitchell.
Millions of people still love that song because they want
to be in that song. Let's see. I mean, Lusk
goes on and on forever Band Morrisons. Have I told
(02:56):
you lately? I love you, reach out, I'll be there.
I love that song. Four Tops to me was one
of the most underrated motown bands. So great, you know,
always kind of played second fiddles with the Temptations. We're
a phenomenal band. But four Tops, that's some of the
best songs of all time, greatest pop song of all time.
(03:18):
And I will fight you to the death on this
Brian Wilson, God only knows the Beach Boys And the
reason I've almost freudanly said Paul McCartney is famously is
Paul McCarty's favorite song. So I don't care what you
think of my opinion. If you're gonna say that Paul
McCarty doesn't know the greatest pop song ever written, you're
(03:38):
a fucking idiot. What else. I mean, there's so many.
You know, it's a great underrated love song. John Hyatt
have a Little Faith in Me wonderful song, and it's
just a beautiful, sincere love song. I mean, I feel
like I can go on forever. There have been so
(03:59):
many great love songs written. But you know, let's move
on for a second to the anti love songs. And
you know Dylan, of course, who also wrote, by the way,
one of the greatest love songs of all time, if
You See Your Salo and to make You Feel My Love,
which was done by Adele, done by Garth Brooks, done
(04:19):
by I don't know a million people, because everybody wants
to sing that song, everybody wants to feel that song.
So Dylan is a master of the love song, but
he's equally a master at the fuck you song, like
Don't Think Twice I'm all Right, which is one of
the greatest breakup songs of all time. By the way,
do YouTube search for John Mayer's version of it, because
(04:42):
he does a killer version of it. And John Mayer
has another great breakup song, slow building, burning rhythm, that's
a beautiful fuck you song. I would say I'll Systenia
Connor's brilliant the last days of our acquaintance, But you
know it's what always get to me. The Commodore Salon
(05:04):
Lono Richie was a bad motherfucker. People don't realize it
because he was so smooth, but listen to it easy
and I mean, sale On is one of those songs
that is like the fucking nastiest song, but it's so
beautiful you think it's a love song. And then he's like,
I'm tired of being used. I'm throwing away my blues,
(05:26):
giving you back your name. I mean that is just
stay like you're gone, bitch good to hell, I'm moving on,
and it's done in this like beautiful Sunday morning kind
of way. Lono Richie is a badass songwriter. Stilla is
one of the great songwriters of all time. I mean,
you can go on and all with both love songs
and anti love songs. Whatever moods you're in this weekend,
(05:50):
there are great songs for it. And I would advise
you to go out and you know, if you're doing
Google search of best love songs, best breakup songs, go dee,
don't just look for the you know, oh okay, The
National Slow show is an incredible love song, and that's
generally recognized as one of the best loved songs. Beautiful,
(06:13):
beautiful song. But as I say, look at something like
John Hyatt have a Little Faith in Me. That is
a magnificent song that not that many people know anymore.
But it's a great song. And by the way, he
will be on tour later this year will I love It,
And that is a brilliant singer songwriter tour. Sorry I'm
using the word brilliant way too much. Today it's early
(06:33):
in the morning here in La and that song the
word that's stuck in my head. But John Hyatt and
Lia Love Together is one of those tours that you're like,
that sounds kind of cool. Then you go out and
see you realize you know every song. It's freaking amazing.
You know my personally always doing this outside of my head.
(07:00):
When I'm done, there's gonna be a million songs I
forget and I'm gonna be like, got shit. But you
get the jitsch of it, and I recommend both. You know,
some great love songs, some great anti love songs. Embraced
the spirit this weekend, whatever you're in the mood for,
dig deep I went with the rock ones because so
there's the one those farther, as I told you, is
(07:21):
fucking early here to La. Those are the ones I
know best. But you know, of course, whatever you want.
There's great country love songs, great rap love songs, great
Spanish love songs. You know, you cannot go wrong with
putting on John Coultern or Miles Davis. Both of them
turn one hundred this year, and you know, if you're
(07:45):
in the mood for love, you're gonna get it with
both of those artists. I mean, and I cannot recommend
highly enough. I think one of the greatest songs ever
is Miles live version of My Funny Valentine. That is
an incredible version, so wonderful. Also the twenty five minute
(08:06):
live version of Culture and My Favorite Things. I know,
the love song I Love is You Two? All I
Want is yell you know it's funny. Bono is always
recognized for his songwriting, but he has some incredible lines.
There's one line in particular in the song as of
Violence that's been sticking out to me lately, where he
(08:28):
talks about the silence in the house. He goes, I
guess that's a price of love. I know it's not cheap.
It's such a great line. As I mentioned you too,
All I want is yeal. People really gravitate to YouTube
with or without you. Not my favorite love song from
them at all. By the way, stay farther fuck away
(08:50):
from the police every breath you take, because it's a
fucking soccer song. Similarly to death Gap for Keating, I
Will Possess You. That's what the creepiest songs that were made. Man,
it's not a love song. So but anyway, now I'm
just kind of digressing because of course, when you're talking
about love songs and anti love songs, you can go
(09:12):
on forever because there are so many great ones. So
to recap though, I would say best rock love songs
Van Morris that you blow Honey Dylan if you see
her Salo led Zeppelin thank you. Of course, it's just timeless.
I've seen so many people get married to that song,
and for good reason. Jerdy Mitchell kse you Tom Waite
(09:34):
to take it with me. Anti love songs, I'm going
with some Dylan stuff and Lionel Richie Saleon, which is
if you're looking to get out of a relationship, no
one is ever gonna say it better than the line
will do it in that one cool. I hope you
enjoy your Valentine's Day, whichever you're in in the love
(09:56):
song or ante I love song mood, have fun with it,
embrace it, enjoy it, and enjoy some great music this weekend.
(10:18):
HM
Hey have gone into Steve often, and this is in
service side, and you know, it's looking for a topic
for this week for the mini episode. And then I remember, oh,
this weekend is Valentine's Day, so we're gonna be cliche,
which I normally hate the fucking deal, but you know,
it's good excuse to talk about both the best love
(00:24):
songs and for those who aren't feeling Valentine's Day, which
are sure are plenty of people, the best anti love songs,
you know. I mean, you see lots of lists of
the best love songs, and they usually very trite and
shit like Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You, which
(00:45):
of course is actually written by Dolly Parton. And of
course there's some love songs that cannot be denied, like
The Righteous Brothers, Unchane Melody or Elvis Presley's version who
Can't Help Falling in Love with You? But there are
a lot of great ones as well that don't always
get talked about. You know, many people will tell you
in the rock world the greatest love song of all
(01:05):
time is Van Morrison to Blow Honey, a song that
you know, Let's had that Bob Dylan said could have
only come from God. Now that wasn't the exact quote,
but the sentiment is there. It is a song that
is so brilliant, so profound, so moving, it does feel
like it came from a higher power, like the Caves
(01:27):
into My Arms, which is another one of those love songs.
Let's see. I always love le Zeppelin Thank You as
one of the love songs of all time too. Of course,
Joni Mitchell Case of Ill. I would argue that your
greatest write love songs of all time in rock are
Jonie's a Case of Ill and Tom Waite to take
it with me. I mean, there's so many great ones Springsteen,
(01:51):
My Beautiful Reward and Book of Dreams. I would also
venture to say there are a lot of Jackson Brown
great ones like hold On. Hold Out is one I've
always loved as well. You know what makes a great
love song authenticity, a song that makes you feel it
hollering Sarah smile. When I did the book Anthems We Love,
(02:14):
I spoke with Daryl Hall about the song and about
those written for one woman. Millions of people love that song.
Why because they want the feeling of that song. They
want to live in that song, they want to be
in love in that song. It's the same with Graham
nash Our House, which he and I talked about, which,
(02:35):
of course he famously wrote for Jenny Mitchell. Doesn't matter
everybody in the world that is written for Jenny Mitchell.
Millions of people still love that song because they want
to be in that song. Let's see. I mean, Lusk
goes on and on forever Band Morrisons. Have I told
(02:56):
you lately? I love you, reach out, I'll be there.
I love that song. Four Tops to me was one
of the most underrated motown bands. So great, you know,
always kind of played second fiddles with the Temptations. We're
a phenomenal band. But four Tops, that's some of the
best songs of all time, greatest pop song of all time.
(03:18):
And I will fight you to the death on this
Brian Wilson, God only knows the Beach Boys And the
reason I've almost freudanly said Paul McCartney is famously is
Paul McCarty's favorite song. So I don't care what you
think of my opinion. If you're gonna say that Paul
McCarty doesn't know the greatest pop song ever written, you're
(03:38):
a fucking idiot. What else. I mean, there's so many.
You know, it's a great underrated love song. John Hyatt
have a Little Faith in Me wonderful song, and it's
just a beautiful, sincere love song. I mean, I feel
like I can go on forever. There have been so
(03:59):
many great love songs written. But you know, let's move
on for a second to the anti love songs. And
you know Dylan, of course, who also wrote, by the way,
one of the greatest love songs of all time, if
You See Your Salo and to make You Feel My Love,
which was done by Adele, done by Garth Brooks, done
(04:19):
by I don't know a million people, because everybody wants
to sing that song, everybody wants to feel that song.
So Dylan is a master of the love song, but
he's equally a master at the fuck you song, like
Don't Think Twice I'm all Right, which is one of
the greatest breakup songs of all time. By the way,
do YouTube search for John Mayer's version of it, because
(04:42):
he does a killer version of it. And John Mayer
has another great breakup song, slow building, burning rhythm, that's
a beautiful fuck you song. I would say I'll Systenia
Connor's brilliant the last days of our acquaintance, But you
know it's what always get to me. The Commodore Salon
(05:04):
Lono Richie was a bad motherfucker. People don't realize it
because he was so smooth, but listen to it easy
and I mean, sale On is one of those songs
that is like the fucking nastiest song, but it's so
beautiful you think it's a love song. And then he's like,
I'm tired of being used. I'm throwing away my blues,
(05:26):
giving you back your name. I mean that is just
stay like you're gone, bitch good to hell, I'm moving on,
and it's done in this like beautiful Sunday morning kind
of way. Lono Richie is a badass songwriter. Stilla is
one of the great songwriters of all time. I mean,
you can go on and all with both love songs
and anti love songs. Whatever moods you're in this weekend,
(05:50):
there are great songs for it. And I would advise
you to go out and you know, if you're doing
Google search of best love songs, best breakup songs, go dee,
don't just look for the you know, oh okay, The
National Slow show is an incredible love song, and that's
generally recognized as one of the best loved songs. Beautiful,
(06:13):
beautiful song. But as I say, look at something like
John Hyatt have a Little Faith in Me. That is
a magnificent song that not that many people know anymore.
But it's a great song. And by the way, he
will be on tour later this year will I love It,
And that is a brilliant singer songwriter tour. Sorry I'm
using the word brilliant way too much. Today it's early
(06:33):
in the morning here in La and that song the
word that's stuck in my head. But John Hyatt and
Lia Love Together is one of those tours that you're like,
that sounds kind of cool. Then you go out and
see you realize you know every song. It's freaking amazing.
You know my personally always doing this outside of my head.
(07:00):
When I'm done, there's gonna be a million songs I
forget and I'm gonna be like, got shit. But you
get the jitsch of it, and I recommend both. You know,
some great love songs, some great anti love songs. Embraced
the spirit this weekend, whatever you're in the mood for,
dig deep I went with the rock ones because so
there's the one those farther, as I told you, is
(07:21):
fucking early here to La. Those are the ones I
know best. But you know, of course, whatever you want.
There's great country love songs, great rap love songs, great
Spanish love songs. You know, you cannot go wrong with
putting on John Coultern or Miles Davis. Both of them
turn one hundred this year, and you know, if you're
(07:45):
in the mood for love, you're gonna get it with
both of those artists. I mean, and I cannot recommend
highly enough. I think one of the greatest songs ever
is Miles live version of My Funny Valentine. That is
an incredible version, so wonderful. Also the twenty five minute
(08:06):
live version of Culture and My Favorite Things. I know,
the love song I Love is You Two? All I
Want is yell you know it's funny. Bono is always
recognized for his songwriting, but he has some incredible lines.
There's one line in particular in the song as of
Violence that's been sticking out to me lately, where he
(08:28):
talks about the silence in the house. He goes, I
guess that's a price of love. I know it's not cheap.
It's such a great line. As I mentioned you too,
All I want is yeal. People really gravitate to YouTube
with or without you. Not my favorite love song from
them at all. By the way, stay farther fuck away
(08:50):
from the police every breath you take, because it's a
fucking soccer song. Similarly to death Gap for Keating, I
Will Possess You. That's what the creepiest songs that were made. Man,
it's not a love song. So but anyway, now I'm
just kind of digressing because of course, when you're talking
about love songs and anti love songs, you can go
(09:12):
on forever because there are so many great ones. So
to recap though, I would say best rock love songs
Van Morris that you blow Honey Dylan if you see
her Salo led Zeppelin thank you. Of course, it's just timeless.
I've seen so many people get married to that song,
and for good reason. Jerdy Mitchell kse you Tom Waite
(09:34):
to take it with me. Anti love songs, I'm going
with some Dylan stuff and Lionel Richie Saleon, which is
if you're looking to get out of a relationship, no
one is ever gonna say it better than the line
will do it in that one cool. I hope you
enjoy your Valentine's Day, whichever you're in in the love
(09:56):
song or ante I love song mood, have fun with it,
embrace it, enjoy it, and enjoy some great music this weekend.
(10:18):
HM
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