Struggling for that something special to give on February 14? Here’s one of the cheapest but most thoughtful gifts going: a playlist! You can burn it to a CD to hand off with a smooch or email it to a loved one across the world.

So no “heart” or “valentine” here: It’s going to be “love” and only “love” for this one. If you want to play along at home, open up your iTunes (or preferred digital music player) and search the word “love.” Look at what you’ve got in front of you, maybe download some others, and you can have your own playlist of “love” songs to share.

Sifting through 1,900+ tracks with “love” in the title or tags, here is what I’ve come up with:

Bessie Smith, “Careless Love”

One of the most enduring songs of the blues by one of the music’s greatest voices and true innovators, Smith’s wrings every bit of heartbreak, pathos, and torture that can be mustered. As was her way, Miss Bessie sings about something so bad sounds so good.

AA Bondy, “Lovers’ Waltz”

From the 2007 debut by this raspy troubadour, “Lovers’ Waltz” is a simple but charming and hopelessly romantic ballad.

Terrence Howard, “Loves Make You Beautiful”

While actor Terrence Howard’s 2008 is more likely to be remembered for his role in the blockuster Iron Man than for his musical debut—the album Shine Through It—he did shows himself to be a man of many talents. The proof is in this soul epic.

Leonard Cohen, “True Love Leaves No Traces”

For 1977’s Death of a Ladies Man, singer/songwriter Leonard Cohen teamed with feted writer/producer/arranger Phil Spector and the results—depending on who you talk to—either ended with the greatest or most befuddling album of Cohen’s career to date. Only those fanatical for Cohen’s stark and unfettered style could hate this duet with Ronee Blakley, which with Spector’s widescreen orchestral backdrop finds a place of saccharine perfection.

Wilco, “I’m Always in Love”

From their third album, 1999’s Summerteeth, Jeff Tweedy and Wilco made the clean break from country rock with a collection sheening experimental pop. This stellar “love” song that celebrates the joy and everydayness of life’s relationships is from it.

The Kinks, “Love Me Till the Sun Shines”

An overlooked rave-up gem by Dave Davies—the B-side to his Kinks single, 1967’s “Death of a Clown”—finds him not worried about what his baby does apart from showing that obligatory affection. Treated with handclaps, infectious organ, and scruffy charm, Dave shows brother Ray it doesn’t always have to be about all day and all through the night.”

Raphael Saadiq, “Love That Girl”

It’s sweet soul music that sounds like a long lost Motown single from 1965 but is actually from 2008, a testament to Raphael Saadiq’s time-machine-like knack for doing it old school.

Usher, featuring Beyoncé and Lil Wayne, “Love in This Club, Part II”

The reigning king of R&B dance floor killers takes a little of his own magic and pops it with the regality of Beyoncé and the raunch of Lil Wayne for something special.

Bap Kennedy, “I’ve Fallen in Love”

This criminally underrated Belfast-born singer/songwriter channels Van Morrison and Hank Williams and gets a name-check of Irish folk perennial “Danny Boy” for this is drunken love song.

New Order, “”Love Vigilantes”

While not a love song in the usual sense, it’s still a terribly romantic, albeit terribly sad, song. A soldier tells the story firsthand of a homecoming to his family who he’s missed so much. The twist is—he’s dead. While it sounds more likely the fodder for a tearjerker country 45, the Manchester maestros add their usual warm and exuberant to edge to it. it’s the kind of sharp art—in both synth-pop craft and rich story—that made New Order so great. Find it on the recently reissued/remastered version of the band’s full-length Low-Life.

Primal Scream, “The Glory of Love”

Bobby Gillespie and company have always been stylistic chameleons, jumping from garage punk to Stones-imbibed gutter blues to dub and techno experimentation, and every stop along the way has been great to listen to. Of late, it seems they’re aiming at the aforementioned New Order’s crown for dancey post new wave hits. This 2008 single—a kicky mix of shiney harmonies, guitars, analog gurgles, and completely un-ironic—does little to dissuade that notion.

TV on the Radio, “Lover’s Day”

Singer Tunde Adebimpe begs, “Call of work, let’s lay/Call it Lovers Day!” Here’s some modern, abstracted prog-funk as only this Brooklyn band can do it. This lusty call to arms to “Stop!/Laugh and scream!/And have the neighbors call the cops!” from 2008’s Dear Science gets it right about getting it on.

Adele, “To Make You Feel My Love”

This 2008 breakout Brit soul/folk chanteuse borrows a latter-era Dylan classic and makes it her own with a marvelously sublime arrangement of piano and strings that highlights her powerhouse voice and her gift for phrasing.

Queen, “Somebody to Love”

With full-on rock pomp and bombast turned up to the max, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor turn a simple plea into a layered masterpiece of massed vocals, mountain-leveling drums and searing guitar.

The Clash, “Lover’s Rock”

If you believe in a punk rock heaven, this has gotta be the song the angels sing when St. Joe Strummer comes out to the gates to meet you. Effortlessly cool and the catchiest thing this side of a “Train in Vain,” this London Calling winner has the late, great Strummer singing lead with Mick Jones coming in behind him on the falsetto.