Day 5: Countdown of my favorite love songs (non-romantic love)

Welcome to day five of my ten-day series of Valentine’s Day-inspired blog posts. Yesterday, I wrote about my favorite love/hate songs. Today’s featured songs are about non-romantic love.

This can be love for your friends, love for your parents, love for your children, or love for other family members. It’s a sweet and often unconditional love in its purest form.

The first song on the list is my favorite song. I used to sing it to my daughter, Meredith, every night when she was a baby and toddler. It was the only one that calmed her down.

1.”Landslide” performed by Fleetwood Mac (1975), written by Stevie Nicks.
As stated above, I adore this song. I feel like this song is about love for a parent. Stevie dedicates this song to her daddy at the beginning of the live recording in the video above. This version of the song is the one I fell in love with back in 1997, on their live album, “The Dance.”

I love all the lyrics, but I can’t just list out the whole songs. The opening lyrics speak to me.

I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow-covered hills
‘Til the landslide brought it down

She took a journey away from her comfort zone—home—until everything came crashing down. It’s as if the floor’s fallen out from under her. What next?

Well, I’ve been afraid of changin’
‘Cause I’ve built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older

She’s afraid of change because she misses the comfort. Time passes and helps with her courage. She acknowledges that children eventually grow up. She’s growing up and getting older.

I love Stevie’s raspy and heartfelt vocals. I love the simple guitar music backing it up. It will take something truly outstanding to drop this song out of the #1 slot on my favorite song list.

2. “I’ll Let You Go” written and performed by Jessica Allossery (2016).
Allossery wrote this song as a commissioned piece for a man during his father-daughter dance at her wedding. I’m so glad he did. While this was written with girls in mind, I immediately associated it with my son when I first heard it. It came on Sirius XM’s CoffeeHouse station as I pulled into a parking lot one day. I stayed in the car until the song ended because it was so beautiful and perfect.

The day has come, to let you go
Only happiness, I will show
I’ll always be here for you, you know
Nothing takes away my love and it shows 

This is the story of a parent saying goodbye to their child. It’s bittersweet because they know their child is prepared but still want them to know they are loved.

You’ve grown up now, things have changed
Grew some wings now, you’re flying away 

Based on an old saying of children leaving the nest, the middle lyrics feature the parent acknowledging the change in their child, who is now an adult.

You’re my baby
Always will be

No matter how old the child gets, they will always be their parents’ baby.

3. “In My Arms” performed by Plumb (Tiffany Arbuckle Lee), written by Lee, Matt Bronleewe, and Jeremy Bose (2007).
I don’t typically listen to Christian music, but this particular song felt more mainstream to me. I associate it with my daughter. It’s another bittersweet song about a mother wanting to protect her child at all costs.

Your baby blues
So full of wonder

No matter what their eye color, all babies seem to be full of wonder when you gaze into their little eyes. The way they look up at you like they know all the secrets in the universe and can’t yet communicate them with you. By the time they’re old enough to talk, all that knowledge of the universe seems lost, as they are innocent in every way.

My heart is torn just in knowing
You’ll someday see the truth from lies

The mother fears the day her child will lose the innocence they possess as a young child.

Knowing clouds will raise up
Storms will race in
But you will be safe in my arms

No matter what life throws, this child will be safe in his or her mother’s arms. This song makes my eyes well with tears every time I hear it.

Honorable mentions (listed alphabetically):

• “Beautiful Boy” John Lennon
• “I Hope You Dance” Lee Ann Womack
• “My Baby” Edie Brickell and Steve Martin
• “Thankful” Kelly Clarkson
• “Tears in Heaven” Eric Clapton
• “The Circle Game” Joni Mitchell
• “Zoey Jane” Staind

Be sure to look for the next post tomorrow featuring songs in which the singers pour their hearts out.

Thank you for reading. What’s your favorite non-romantic love song?

-Brandi Easterling Collins