Yeah, it's Saint Valentine's Day. He isn't a saint any longer, you know; nothing lasts forever, not even beatific meditations on love. Now it's a purely commercial holiday, beloved of card-makers, florists, confectioners, and restaurateurs. Such is the eventual fate of all romance, or so it seems on the darker days.

But it isn't all darkness; sometimes it's questions. Romantic sentiments aside, there remains considerable debate as to the essential nature of love. Is it all that we need, besides the air that we breathe? Does it keep us together, or tear us apart? More importantly, is everything full of love, or are we just full of it? Perhaps, though, it isn't you, it's me. That's usually the way it works out.

If I could answer any one of these questions I would be a wealthy, wealthy man. Given my current state, though, put me with the rest of the battle-scarred veterans, shattered hearts repaired with duct tape, picking our way through the blasted landscape of modern life and vainly aspiring to the ideals evangelized by our media. Prosperity and creature comforts provide solace, to be sure, but love — or the possibility of love — gives us a reason to get up in the morning. Without it we slide inexorably into malaise and ennui, and no good can come of that (unless you are a critic).

So, since — with apologies to the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers — love will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no love, let me spread a little love to you via a special Hidden City Valentine's Day playlist. The songs are provided from my collection, and only have on thing in common — the word "love" in the title. Some are happy, some are melancholy, some are sappy, some are bitter, and some will are strange enough to help you understand why I live alone. Note, however, that the songs will only be available until Thursday night, though, so if you are interested in hearing them, act quickly. As we all know far too well, love's a fickle and fleeting thing.