Haunted by Psyche

In Greek mythology, Psyche was described as the most beautiful woman in the world who attracted the amorous attention of the god Eros. Psyche became the lover of a mysterious paramour who would not reveal himself; she of course turned on the lights one night and found out Eros was in fact her lover. For some reason that was the end of the relationship, until a series of tasks assigned to Psyche were completed (editorial aside: religious mythology does not have to make sense, it just has to attract and hold your attention). So Eros is seen begging assistance of a pantheon of goddesses to help Psyche complete her tasks, and as a reward at the end Zeus grants her immortality, and she and Eros live happily ever after forever.

At least until Freud gets hold of the story at the beginning of the last century. He ends up describing a permanent conflict between Id, Super Id and Psyche in the human condition, and poor Psyche becomes a neurosis (which, when you think about it, is sort of a god-like condition for the 20th century).

So here is a playlist to explore what we believe about love and relationships in the late 20th and early 21st century. I think the ladies approach the topic quite differently from the gentlemen, so the voices are separate in the listing.

Adi Braun - Hymme A L'Amour
Julie London - Two Sleepy People
Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson - How Long Has This Been Going On
Ethel Waters - Maybe Not At All
Katie Melua - The Closest Thing to Crazy
Sarah Noni Metzner - Constant
Sophie Milman - Something in the Air Between Us
Katie Melua - If You Were a Sailboat

Teddy Thompson - Shine So Bright
Patrick Park - Stay with Me Tomorrow
Paolo Nutini - White Lies
Jamie Cullum - Photograph
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Love, Why Did You Go Away?
Vargas Blues Band - I Need Your Love So Bad
Ryan Adams - The Sun Also Sets
Jeremy Fisher - Shooting Star (In Spite of It All)
Paolo Nutini - Autumn
Jason Danieley - You Walk with Me

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