12 quirky love songs that have no business being as great as they are

I don’t have any statistics to prove it, but it seems like a lot of pop songs are about love. Music just naturally lends itself to expressing deep feelings and being open and honest about them.

Love songs, whether grand and orchestral or just a voice with a guitar or piano, have a unique ability to touch our emotions. They can be powerfully sad, like Tom Jones’ “Delilah,” or gently optimistic, like the Plain White T’s’ “Hey There Delilah.” Ultimately, if you have someone special to write about, you have the foundation for a truly moving love song.

Musicians often use unexpected approaches to connect with listeners. While many popular love songs are heartfelt, some artists choose humor, sarcasm, or even a playful, childlike style to express deeper emotions. Others might deliberately challenge expectations to make a powerful impact.

Quirky love songs from the world of pop and rock

I’m not going to get into country songs right now, but honestly, country music has given us some really fun and unique examples! Think about John Prine’s “In Spite of Ourselves” or the classic Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty duet, “You’re the Reason Our Kids are Ugly” – they both playfully point out each other’s flaws, but it’s clear they’re still deeply connected. It’s a sweet way of showing love, really!

As a music lover, I’ve been thinking about songs that really get to the heart of things, but aren’t necessarily the usual suspects. I’ve put together a list of twelve tracks that take a slightly different approach to love and emotion. They might not be as famous as classics like “I Will Always Love You” or songs about Delilah, but trust me, they’re just as powerful and moving – sometimes in the music itself, sometimes in the lyrics, and often in both!

“I’m Sticking With You” by The Velvet Underground (1970)

Normally, I order songs by their release date, but I’m making an exception in this case. Although “I’m Sticking With You” didn’t appear on an album until the 1985 compilation VU, long after the Velvet Underground disbanded, I’m placing it with the recording sessions for their last studio album, Loaded, which happened in 1970.

Drummer Maureen Tucker had previously recorded a unique song called “After Hours” for The Velvet Underground’s 1969 debut album. Her distinctive New York accent and playful vocal style shone even brighter on this simple, almost childlike, song about faith, and it later became highly influential in the lo-fi music scene of the late 1980s and 1990s.

“Lola” by the Kinks (1970)

Ray Davies proves his songwriting talent with this fantastic rock song, a standout from an era when rock and roll truly dominated music. Despite being generally traditional in his views, Davies had a remarkable ability to anticipate future trends and write songs that boldly challenged conventions.

No poem was more powerful or memorable than this one, which beautifully and sensually explored the complexities of sexual identity. Surprisingly, when Davies released it in 1970, he faced more criticism for mentioning “Coca Cola” in the lyrics than for singing about Lola – a character who blurred traditional gender lines with her uniquely androgynous presence.

“Ben” by Michael Jackson (1972)

It seems unbelievable that a strange, sweet love song could become a huge hit – but that’s exactly what happened with Michael Jackson! When he was just 13, his group with his brothers was losing momentum, so he started a solo career. Surprisingly, his first big success was a song about a boy’s affection for his pet rat.

This wasn’t a figurative rat, but a real one named Ben – the star of the movie Ben, which followed the 1971 film Willard. It’s not unusual for songs to be written to things that aren’t people. Rod Stewart famously sang about soccer, and Roger Taylor wrote a song about his car. Animals, of course, have often been the subject of love songs.

The song feels reminiscent of Paul McCartney singing to his sheepdog, Martha, in the Beatles’ song of the same name. It’s the kind of heartfelt ballad that, perhaps, only Michael Jackson could convincingly perform about a rat.

“Ariel” by Dean Friedman (1977)

The song wasn’t a major success, and neither was anything else by Friedman. Still, I find myself wanting to hear this silly, flower-power love song every year. It’s partly Friedman’s endearingly whiny voice, but mostly his clever lyrics that keep me coming back.

Near the waterfall in Paramus Park, she worked with the Friends of B.A.I., gathering quarters in a paper cup. Both she and I were looking for spare change.

I wish I wrote that.

“Our Secret” by Beat Happening (1985)

The same year the song “I’m Sticking With You” was released, its connection to Calvin Johnson’s band, Beat Happening, became clear. Beat Happening emerged from the developing music scene in Washington state during the 1980s and eventually gained worldwide popularity in the following decade.

Johnson, along with his bandmates Heather Lewis and Brent Lunsford, sounded very different from popular bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Their music was straightforward, unpretentious, and had a playful quality that their fans found captivating.

The song “Our Secret” was the first released from the band’s first album. Vocalist Johnson’s calm, understated voice demonstrated how simplicity and sincerity could make a love song particularly effective – a technique many independent musicians still use today.

“She’s an Angel” by They Might be Giants (1986)

If Michael Jackson could serenade a rat with a love song, then the uniquely eccentric band They Might Be Giants could certainly write one about falling for an angel. While their early work, like on their first album, included fairly typical new wave love songs such as “Don’t Let’s Start” and “Ana Ng,” they always managed to inject their signature quirkiness into everything they did.

As in:

We confessed our love for each other. The Shriners generously let us borrow cars, and we spent what felt like forever racing up and down the sidewalk. It’s a bit of a strange story, but somehow, it all feels right.

“Punk Rock Girl” by the Dead Milkmen (1988)

This is the quintessential emo-punk love song. It starts with a visit to the iconic Philadelphia music venue Zipperhead and then celebrates quirky figures like Minnie Pearl and Mojo Nixon, alongside the thrill of car theft.

Originally dismissed as lighthearted satire, this track from the group’s 1980s album, Beelzebubba, is now recognized as an important influence on the counterculture of the time and a precursor to the musical trends of the 1990s.

“I Kissed a Girl” by Jill Sobule (1985)

I enjoy Katy Perry’s song “I Kissed a Girl,” but I much prefer the earlier version by Jill Sobule. While Perry’s feels serious and a bit heavy, Sobule’s song is lighthearted, catchy, and full of youthful charm. I definitely like Sobule’s version a lot more!

Even fifteen years after Ray Davies’ song “Lola,” most radio stations weren’t prepared to play a song about a young woman developing feelings for a female friend. However, it was likely the line describing her boyfriend as “dumb as a box of hammers” that really bothered them. Sobule was known for her unique style, and her recent passing is a great loss to music.

“Dirt Track Date” by Southern Culture on the Skids (1985)

The Dead Milkmen could pull off a country music parody, despite being a punk band from Philadelphia. SCOTS is a genuine satirist, similar to the Beat Farmers, and blends rockabilly with a clever, ironic edge.

The scene opens with a hopeful, playful anticipation of romance at a dirt track race, immediately followed by someone declaring they’ll get very drunk. The rest of the scene – over five minutes – is just the sound of cars racing. It’s an unusual choice, but it definitely stands out.

“The Bad Touch” by Bloodhound Gang (1995)

By the mid-1990s, musical boundaries had completely disappeared. The mainstream popularity of gangsta rap had broken down any sense of what was considered appropriate in popular music, paving the way for acts like Jimmy Pop and Bloodhound Gang. While known for outrageous lyrics, “The Bad Touch” is actually one of their more restrained songs. Considering they once wrote a love song to porn star Chasey Lain and created the shockingly tasteless track “A Lap Dance is So Much Better When the Stripper is Crying,” “The Bad Touch” almost feels…sweet.

Okay, so it’s definitely a bit raunchy and silly – seriously, super immature! But if I’m being honest, if you’re trying to pick someone up at a bar and need a ridiculous line, I might actually try saying something like, ‘Hey, you and I are just mammals, so let’s act like it – Discovery Channel style!’ It’s so bad, it might just work, right?

“Anyone Else But You” by The Moldy Peaches (2000)

After the intensity of Bloodhound Gang, Moldy Peaches offers a welcome return to simple, charming music. Kimya Dawson and Adam Green have a playfully awkward appeal, reminiscent of bands like Beat Happening and the drumming style of Maureen Tucker from the Velvet Underground.

In 2007, Dawson’s songs were featured in the unexpectedly popular film Juno, introducing her music to a wider audience. One memorable line from her songs – “sure are cute for two ugly people” – is arguably her most unique and quirky lyric.

“Hey Thanks” by The Wonder Years (2010)

This song offers one last visit to the charming and upbeat side of love. It starts with Dan Campbell playing the ukulele, and he’s quickly joined by singer Rachel Minton. Adding to the unusual sound, Matt Belanger from We Are the Union plays the trombone.

By the end, it actually morphs into a real rock and roll shouter. But it never stops being quirky.

I’m ending my list with songs from 2010 because I’ve already chosen my twelve favorites. But don’t think that fun, unusual love songs are no longer being made! Check out “Struttin’” by Thumpasaurus – it’s guaranteed to make you want to dance.

2025-11-27 14:01