Valentine's Day

Album: Never Die Young (1988)
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Songfacts®:

  • A gentle James Taylor song called "Valentine's Day" seems like a great addition to that mixtape you're putting together for that special someone on the Hallmark holiday, but we'd advise against it. It starts off whimsical, with "fishy love," but then we start hearing about Al Capone, Bugs Moran, gin, and porkpie hats. Indeed, the song is about the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, when seven Chicago gangsters were gunned down. Belying the melody, this is a rather dark song about it.

    Taylor told the story behind the song in 1997 on his second episode of VH1 Storytellers.

Comments: 1

  • Brad Broenen from Hopkins, MnAlthough the song mentions the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, it does so metaphorically. If you listen to the WHOLE SONG, it is obviously about a couple arguing and consequently breaking up on Valentine's Day.
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