An occasional pop-up where we share the songs that make the readers of The Crush Letter want to bang. Got one? Send it to me at Dish@PrimeCrush.com.
Submitted by Crush Reader Tabitha* (pseudonym! It’s tasty, right?)
When I Get My Hands On You By The New Basement Tapes with Lyrics by Bob Dylan & Lead Vocals by Marcus Mumford (Mumford & Sons).
First off, you do you but I don’t like the loud thumping songs for fucking. Don’t you want to hear all your partner’s sighs and moans? I do. Every. Single. One. So it has to be soft. It has to be ambient. We have to be able to hear each other if we’re whispering dirty things. And I want us to be whispering dirty things. So all of you with the tunes that culminate in the loud climax, not to be judgy, but what’s going on with that?
What about this song musically does it for you?
It is the right mix of lyrics that express wanting, longing with a quiet, rhythmic beat to make love to. The music reminds me of a metronome that you can thrust (or suck, or what have you) rhythmically to.
“When I get my hands on you
Gonna make you carry me”
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
Not yet. Hopefully soon.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
Being undressed.
Anything else…?
Thanks, Dish!
Submitted by Crush Reader Sem Christopher*
Slow Love by Prince
What about this song musically does it for you?
The throbbing start. The variation from tenor to falsetto, which makes you feel the motion (if you know what I mean). The conscientious build.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I saw Prince live in London in the 90’s with my then-girlfriend, now-wife. It was that night that I deeply understood that I'd be a fool not to try to make her a long-term part of my life. So for a lot of reasons, some having to do with my date and some with the performance itself, it was quite a memorable evening. I go right back to that night and looking over at her when I hear this song.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
My wife over and over. After 20-something years. God am I a lucky man.
Anything else…?
“Tonight is the night for making slow love …”
Submitted by Crush Reader Evelyn*
Talk By Khalid
What about this song musically does it for you?
The whole idea of just getting close to somebody by talking to them — really talking, as in sharing important things and listening closely is so sexy. Why is this such an astonishing concept? It shouldn’t be, but it is.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I have fallen in love with somebody simply through sharing the emotional intimacy of really good, close and vulnerable conversations, yes.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
His name is James. I met him over a decade ago, and before we got started physically (romantically) he learned he was moving across country, so we reversed course into a friendship and each continued our romantic journeys separately. I haven't seen him in a decade, but we're still in touch – both happily married! – and and I still love James and the friendship we built from talking.
Anything else...?
The lyrics to this song: “Can’t we just talk? Talk about where we’re going / Before we get lost / Let me out first / Can’t get what we want without knowing”. This song is a celebration of the slow build-up, and falling in love with the whole human being in front of you.
Submitted by Crush Reader " MusicGeek77"
The Pink Room by Angelo Badalamenti
What about this song musically does it for you?
I am always a sucker for a sleazy, creepy, sexy blues song. This instrumental is hypnotic with its beat and pedal steel guitar.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I am divorced, and my girlfriend asked me to create a playlist of dark moody songs to play in the background while we have fun. This song comes up often and gets me in the right headspace.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
In the scene in the very rated-R movie in which this song plays, the main character, Laura Palmer, is at a scummy bar back room engaging with the men there in particular ways that would never be shown on network television.
Anything else...?
I watched the show "Twin Peaks" when it originally aired at probably too young age to fully understand how much the show was wiring my brain sexually. I am pretty sure I actively hit puberty the moment I saw the character of Audrey Horne tie a cherry stem into a knot using only her tongue. That and that whole schoolgirl outfit aesthetic remains etched into my memory.
Popsicle Toes by Michael Franks
Submitted by Crush Reader "John Doe"
What about this song musically does it for you? It’s mostly about the lyrics, but the music is laid down by some prominent jazz musicians of the 1970s who subtly flash their brilliance without stealing the show. Mostly they are content to establish a light but insistent groove.
The lyrics are near and dear. The second verse is built around the word pulchritude, which rhymes nicely with nude. There isn’t anything I like more than the pleasant rhythm of feminine pulchritude.
The third verse then uses the shape of the Americas to describe the figure of his lover. Sexually, I am motivated almost solely by her external physique. I like prominent secondary characteristics, a mountainous North America and a well-rounded Brazil. I’m into the topography of the continents and am less concerned with Panama, though I do like to visit.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I first heard this song in 1976 or 1977, and though I had a college sweetheart, there are no specific memories from back then. A few weeks ago I thought of it, and felt it would be an ideal candidate for the PrimeCrush series of sexy songs.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
Mostly I think about how fun and swinging this old song is. Other than that, it reminds me of my very favorite explorations.
The Comfort Zone by Vanessa Williams
Submitted by Crush Reader Nathan Dawg
What about this song musically does it for you?
It has a great beat and sultry lyrics!
Who/what do you think of when you listen to this song? (A period of time / an ex / just a feeling?)
I go back to thinking about really great sexual experiences I have had with my ex-wife and new girlfriend
Anything you want to add about the song or artist or why you especially love it?
The lyrics and Vanessa’s voice - just ‘hits the spot’!
Criminal by Fiona Apple
Submitted by Crush Reader Hailey H.
What about this song musically does it for you?
Striptease lyrics like “I’ve been a bad, bad girl” and “save me from these evil deeds before I get them done” sung to a hip grinding back beat with suggestive key board and flute notes that can dance me right into the bedroom.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
Driving in the car thinking about my date later that evening.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
Yummy deliciousness waiting on the other side of dinner and drinks.
Anything else...?
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin. But that’s another story altogether.
Closer by Nine Inch Nails
Submitted by CRUSH Reader Kate Porter, the force behind Burning Desire Shop. Check out her store to purchase magical, custom candles, and read her Hook Ups interview from last fall here.
What about this song musically does it for you?
Everything. The lyrics, the beat, it’s just sexy and raw.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
Reminds me of being young and free.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
Brad Pitt. (Just kidding.) No one in particular, but it is a great song to bang to.
Have A Little Faith In Me By John Hiatt
Submitted by CRUSH Reader Cynthia Besteman, the force behind Violets Are Blue Skincare. Check out her store to purchase consciously-produced products, and read her Hook Ups interview here.
What about this song musically does it for you?
What DOESN'T Do it for me? The piano, the sound of his voice, the beat, the lyrics. the LYRICS!!! This is a song you want to play with someone you want to be long term with, not a "good time Charlie" situation, but for the one you want to lock it down with, this is 100% the one!
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I grew up very sexually demure, saved myself for someone I loved and all that, but felt I was too demure and was missing out somehow. When I moved to NYC as an actor, leaving my waspy world and into the land of artists, my world opened up and I learned being free didn't necessarily mean being a slut. I lived with musicians and music was a constant in our apt. I was connecting with music as I was connecting with my sexuality. This was one of those songs I discovered in that time.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
Different people throughout the years but overall a certain someone from my youth. (And I'll never tell.)
Anything else...?
I think I've spilled enough about me and am borderline horrified!!! Trying to play cool with all of this, and the WASP in me is freaking out!
Sex with Me By Rihanna
Submitted by CRUSH Reader Elizabeth. Elizabeth is the creator of the romance app Amorus, an iOS app for couples to get sexier together (games and chat and privacy tools).
What about this song musically does it for you?
I love how powerful this song is. The pulsing synth just makes my hips want to rotate. And it’s an anthem to great sex. It reminds me that “Sex with me” is “so amazing”.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
This was a favorite song for me in my pole dance classes, so I have a lot of body memories of twisting hips, sliding along the floor, and slow grinds.
What are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
This song makes me feel sunk into my body, surrounded by sensation. When I hear it, I remember my favorite sensual experiences – the hours long sensual massages, the getaways where the whole world is the hotel room, when you just can’t stop touching.
Anything else...?
Sharing sexy music favorites is a really fun convo starter (and a great part of PrimeCrush!). So keep it in mind for fun with a sexy chat partner(s). It’s personal, but not too intimate, so perfect as a first step in getting sexier together….
Elizabeth is the creator of the romance app Amorus, an iOS app for couples to get sexier together (games and chat and privacy tools).
The Cantata “Alexander Nevsky” composed by Sergei Prokofiev
Submitted by CRUSH Reader "Andy," a choral conductor who has been singing in choruses for over forty years.
The fifth (central) movement of the cantata “Alexander Nevsky,” composed by Sergei Prokofiev in 1938 for the Eisenstein cinematic thriller of the same name. This URL links to a very authentic and passionate performance from 2000 featuring the Kirov Orchestra and Chorus from St. Petersburg. The cantata evokes many moods, but (with apologies for finding this scene evocative of f*ck music) this movement depicts a battle on an ice-covered lake.
What about this song musically does it for you?
Much of the piece is VERY ominous and martial, but the part that turns me on is the extremely gradual acceleration of the same eight-beat pattern that begins at 1:40 (in the performance linked to above). Usually, this acceleration takes only a few seconds to achieve, but here the conductor manages to keep the orchestra in check, speeding up ever so agonizingly, bit by bit, for more than two full minutes, until the piece reaches its full speed around 3:43. Listen here
So the analogy to a good (but long; whew!) start of a f*ck session is fairly obvious—resist the temptation to speed up too much too soon, and having reached the tempo sought for, then take turns “having the melody” but always (at least for this encounter) with intensity and “oomph.” There are arguably several "climaxes" in the piece—not sure which might be "his" and which "hers"—but certainly by 11:50 everything calms down to a lovely slumber.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I’m a choral conductor and have been singing in choral groups for more than 40 years. I was privileged to be able to sing this piece with the National Symphony Orchestra in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1993, two years after the dissolution of the USSR and in a period of serious turmoil but great hope there. I was *not* thinking of sex during either concert; that association came later.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
One fascinating thing—and maybe it’s to me only?—but in this movement, the chorus (which is sung in Russian for the entire rest of the one-hour work) sings in Latin and is ultimately asked to scream out one Latin sentence without any pitches, but the words mean nothing in context (there have been articles written trying to make sense of the words, with the newest theory that the composer was throwing veiled shade at his rival Stravinsky). To me, that is another metaphor for passion: blurting out stuff that could mean anything, only the tone and emotion matter. And (of course) the need for that scream of release.
Anything else...?
If you are interested in learning more about the cantata, here is a link on Spotify to a discussion of Prokofiev and Alexander Nevsky between Marjolaine Fournier, who says that Prokofiev is her favorite composer, and Jean-Jacques van Vlasselaer. (Episode 23 of Explore the Symphony). There’s a lovely choral excerpt at 18:53, and they discuss movement #5 at minute 26:00.
Dead of Night By Orville Peck
Submitted by CRUSH Reader Christian Pan, the writer and force behind Christian Pan Erotica. You can subscribe to his newsletter, and get erotic fstories (and more) in your inbox, here.
What about the song musically does it for you?
Orville's voice is smooth and sexy like brand new leather. He doesn't sing, but seduces, and his croons are rich and textured like the best of Roy Orbison and Elvis, only more mysterious and queer. There's a vastness to the musical space of “Dead of Night”, and when I listen to it I feel like I'm driving through those vast open landscapes in the Southwest. The lyrics seem simple at first, but are filled with subtle but distinctive double-entendres. Altogether, the song and how Orville
sings it is utterly sensual and sexy, like your lover whispering directly into your ear while you try to keep your eyes on the road behind the wheel of your car while speeding through the darkness sometime before midnight.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
It reminds me of the first time I met my lover, who introduced me to the song and this artist, and who spent childhood summers in Wyoming.
Who/What are you thinking of when you hear this song?
This song always reminds me of kissing my kinky librarian. :)
Anything else…?
I'm road-tripping to Pittsburgh next month to hear Orville live at the Roxian Theatre. I can't wait to see him and hear him in person!
#1 Crush” By Garbage
Submitted by CRUSH Reader Sarah Vespermann, a classically trained artist whose gorgeous, evocative paintings and drawings you can find here. Follow her on insta @sarahbvespermann.
What about this song musically does it for you?
Where to start? The whole song is very sexual, from the moaning in the background, the hypnotic beat (which lends itself to hips moving in sync) to Shirley Manson’s deep, expressive voice. Then the lyrics. A wee bit dark and obsessive, but the raw sexuality pervades throughout.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
I first heard this song in the ‘90s, watching Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet. I loved this modern reimagining of a 400-year-old story. The song absolutely compliments the movie.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
This song reminds me of a youthful desire that feels endless and impossible to satiate. Currently, it makes me want to be naked with my man.
Anything else...?
“#1 Crush” is kinda fitting for The Crush Letter, no?
I Hate Myself for Loving You By Joan Jett
Submitted by CRUSH Reader Evie Arnaud.
What about this song musically does it for you?
I confess—I debated whether or not to choose this song or Joan’s cover of “Crimson and Clover”, but because the category is “Songs That Make You Wanna F*ck” and not “Songs That Make You Wanna Have Steamy, Sultry Lovemaking To”, I chose this one. There’s simply something relatable about hating yourself for loving someone, because, let’s face it, the feeling generally comes from a place a white-hot passion.
Is there a memory you attach to this song?
Hmmm…nothing I can think of, only the deep—very deep—desire to find someone to grind with whenever I hear it.
Who/what are you thinking of when you listen to this song?
Something hard and satisfying.
Anything else...?
The absolute truth is: Anything Joan sings becomes an anthem for sex. Because it’s Joan Jett, and she’s the sexiest woman in rock ‘n roll.
You May Also Be Interested In:
F*ck Songs. Three Best Jazz Albums for a Sexy Night In, from a Jazz Vocalist. By Lisa Ellex
The Crush Letter
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