ben folds-the luckiest. it's super cheese, but it's really sweet.

song that make me feel mushy:
love- victoria williams
just like heaven- the cure
sometimes- james
blue moon- chris isaak
tuesday morning- the pogues
500 miles- down by law
time after time- cyndi lauper
baby i'm yours- barbara lewis
million bucks- all
makes me wanna die- tricky

bjork: hyper-ballad
yo la tengo: our way to fall

try stuff by emo bands- they're not mainstream and they are frequently about love. oh, and how about something by lisa germano? she's great and she has some beautiful love songs.

try out some rainer maria, blondie, LISA LOEB!!, rocking horse winner, denali...these are the best girl singers around on the underground music scene. make sure and decorate the tape it makes the music twice as good. sweet. good luck girl...-sarah

new partner by bonnie prince billy
love machine by blonde redhead
pagan poetry by bjork.
um....i cant think of any more. but seriously anything by bonnie prince billy's newest cd ease on down the road would be fantastic on it

um, I'm not sure this is lovey enough, but "Angel of the Morning" by Joan Jett?

-Janis Joplin's "Another Piece of My Heart"
-Lauryn Hill's cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You"
-if you're into Macy Gray, "Sweet Baby" or "I Try" or something (kinda mainstream, but whatever)

That's all I've got...good idea, though!
-Aimée

oh farce, new partner is the greatest palace song!

i reccomend:
foolish love-rufus wainwright, it's a great smooshy crush song.
into my arms-nick cave, sublimely beautiful
want-jawbreaker, "i-yay-yay-i-yay-yay-i want you"
"green buckets"-clutch, maybe the only love song about recycling and beer

all gender neutral, i think, and none too mainstream.

oh, man, you guys have given me soooooo many great ideas, my husband wants a hockey game for his gamecube for the holidays...i'm thinking he's gonna get a sweet smushy CD, too:)

oooo mixed tapes for boys *SIGH*

Ain't no mountain high enough (but only use this song if you really honestly believe that.. a boy put that on a tape for me once, and after he told me something that made it impossible for us to be together, I'd get very bitter whenever I'd hear that song.....but I'm almost over it now)
Beach boys - God Only Knows
Soties - The Best Days (or anything, really aw)
Wedding Present - yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
The Runaways - You drive me wild


hmmm....there should be more.. I'm in the midst of making a tape for a boy I like, but I'm not sure he likes me back... so stressful!!

good luck!

Some of the suggestions on this thread are seriously amazing! I wish I had something cool to add, but I am a little musically challenged! I think a lot of S.O's are going to be getting non-traditional, awesom mix tapes/CDs this holiday!

guess who else's boyfriend is gonna get a gooshy mix cd soon!!

love song- the cure
hell yeah- ani difranco
joga- bjork
the ship song- nick cave (i don't know, my boyfriend REALLY likes it)
dance with me- dan bern
throw your arms around me- pearl jam
beautiful face(?)- neautral milk hotel
fall at your feet- neil finn

and i very much feel 'there is a light that never goes out' by the smiths