It's Valentine's Day, fellas ...

and so it's time for my top five Romantic albums to help your lady feel loved. Since this is my blog, these are my choices. Feel free to disagree or to make your own suggestions. But these are my top five love albums for Valentine's Day.

Number 1: Diana Krall, Love Scenes.Say what you want about jazz purism, Krall has got the piano chops and a voice that goes down as smooth as a glass of Fonseca Bin 29. This one is good if you want to put it on in the background while you and your lady curl up for some conversation. Check it out.

Number 2: Anita Baker. Anything the Songstress has put on CD should be in your quiver of Cupid's arrows. I don't think I have ever heard a bad song from this lady since I first heard her in the 1980s. Her latest is My Everything, released in 2004, but my favorites are Rapture and Giving You the Best That I Got. Again, this is my blog so feel free to disagree.

Now here's number three... Christopher Parkening, specifically his recording of Rodrigo. There's a version of Ravel's Bolero on this CD that would make Bo Derek cry. This album goes really well with candles, a massage, maybe even a bubble bath or a hot tub for your lady. The guitar work is some of the best in the world, (classical guitar always sets an intimate mood, it's such an intimate instrument). So listen for yourself.

Number four: Andrea Bocelli. You can't have Valentine's Day without Andrea Bocelli, Songo. This dude might not be Pavarotti, but he's got pipes. This is another good one for background, especially during an Italian dinner. Try cooking for your lady, get a good wine and don't forget the candles. Follow up with a nice lemon ice to cleanse the palate and then relax with a little Andrea on the box. A chocolate dessert with some strong coffee would probably be a great follow up, too.

And number five: Michael Feinstein, Forever. Good piano chops, and a crooner that provides the right mix of rapture and melancholy. This CD came out about 10 years ago, and it still plays great. I would avoid a couple of the tracks if you just broke up with your lady, because they might make the loneliness worse. Judge for yourself.

And one that you should have in your collection regardless of who you are, and where you live, it's Barry White, the Ultimate Collection. Nobody sets the mood like the late, great Barry. If you have a bad Valentine's Day, don't blame him, or me. Later guys. David