Valentine's Day playlist: British Columbians share songs and relationship stories

What song best describes your relationship?

Not your wedding song, not the most romantic tune on your playlist. The one that represents your relationship the good, the bad and the extraordinarily ordinary.

CBC Radio One's The Early Edition put out the call ahead of Valentine's Day and this is how seven listeners answered.

In some cases, only first names were provided by those who wrote in with songs and stories.

Piece by Piece Kelly Clarkson
(Winner of The Early Edition's song contest)

But piece by piece, he collected me up
Off the ground, where you abandoned things
Piece by piece he filled the holes that you burned in me

(Written by Clarkson and Greg Kurstin)

"Before my husband, I was engaged to an abusive man. I never thought I'd meet a man, trust someoneor feel vulnerable to love anyone.

Amidst all the emotional pain, I battled ovarian cysts that required large surgeries and I lost my right ovary.

I met my husband and he was such a gentleman. He made reservations, dressed up in a suitand planned our date so thoughtfully.

When I told him I may have fertility issues, he never cared. We are seven months into being married, and I was informed I needed surgery to remove two ovarian cysts.

I had the surgery two weeks ago, and my husband has been supporting me:he comes to every doctor's appointment, cleans my incisions and took days off to cook, cleanand care for me.

Throughout all our dating and marriage, he has been patient, never raising his voice,and being understanding of the trauma I've experienced.

I never thought I would ever meet a man who would treat me this way." Sarah Robinson

If I Should Fall Behind Bruce Springsteen

Now everyone dreams of love lasting and true
Oh, but you and I know what this world can do
So let's make our steps clear that the other may see
I'll wait for you
And if I should fall behind
Wait for me

(Written by Springsteen)

"My husband and I met in 1981 when I was 18 and he was 25. We married in 1985.

Bruce Springsteen is my husband's all-time favourite musician.

As my husband deals with health challenges that are increasingly shrinking his life and his abilities, this song has taken on a very special poignancy for the two of us." - Julia.

Only Yesterday Carpenters

Hope was all I had until you came
Maybe you can't see how much you mean to me
You were the dawn breaking the night
The promise of mornin' light
Filling the world, surrounding me

(Written by John Bettis and Richard Carpenter)

"My fianc and I met in high school in a small town. We had a few classes together, and I'd always had a crush on her but never had the courage to tell her before she moved to Vancouver to attend another school.

Over ten years later, we bumped into each other in a parking lot in Richmond.

As we got to know each other a decade later, we realized that we'd both gone through tough times during this period of our lives. My father hadpassed due to cancer halfway through high school, and she'dbeen battling mental illness on her own for a number of years.

This song came on the radio during one of these heavier conversations, earlier in our relationship. It was so fitting at the time that it brought the two of us to tears when we heard it in the car together, and it still rings true for us." - Wes

You and I -Ingrid Michaelson

Oh, let's get rich and buy our parents
Homes in the south of France
Let's get rich and give everybody nice sweaters
And teach them how to dance
Let's get rich and build our house on a mountain
Making everybody look like ants
From way up there, you and I, you and I

(Written by Michaelson)

"It hasweirdly translated into some of the things that we're doing right now. We were just listening to this song on the side of a mountain in the back of Mission. It's such a cute song that my wife and I are enjoying." - Paul

Lay Down Beside Me -Don Williams

So lay down beside me
Love me and hide me
Kiss all the hurtin' of this world away
Hold me so close that I feel your heartbeat
And don't ever wander away

(Written by Williams)

"My husband and I have been married for 48 years. We met in 1965 at UBC and have always been best friends through the challenges of our lives.

We are now facing our biggest challenge as he is slowly slipping away into the unbelievable sadness of Alzheimer's disease.

I recently joined a local ukulele group and one ofthe songs on our playlist is Lay Down Beside Me.

I would find myself weeping and unable to play along.

Watching this brilliant gentleman battle the sadness and confusion of Alzheimer's is like watching him wander away, lost a little more each day.

Also, Feb.14will be his 72nd birthday." - Lynne Kaempffer

I'm Free The Who

If I told you what it takes
To reach the highest high
You'd laugh and say 'nothing's that simple'
But you've been told many times before
Messiahs pointed to the door
And no one had the guts to leave the temple

(Written by Pete Townshend)

"My husband and I were married in 1980, raised three kids, bought a house, started a consulting business.

Our marriage wasn't easy.After trying and trying, we separated in 2006and got around to a divorce 10years later.

While our marriage was fraught with problems, we worked hard at continuing to co-parentand, strangely enough, we are now, almost 40 years later, friends.

This song speaks of the value of relationships, and in particular, the relationship I have with my ex." -Edy Govorchin

Danny's Song - Kenny Loggins

And even though we ain't got money
I'm so in love with you, honey
And everything will bring a chain of love
And in the morning, when I rise
You bring a tear of joy to my eyes
And tell me everything is gonna be all right.

(Written by Loggins)

"My husband and I have been married for fiveyears and, let's be honest, we're doing our best to make it all work with two young kiddos in one of the most costly (albeit gorgeous) cities in our country.

We certainly didn't set ourselves up for a life of luxury, both being drawn to the rewardingbut penny-pinchingfields of education and non-profit youth work.

So much of this timeless classic speaks to our lives right now and how we try to frame the world for our kiddos." - Alex Anderson

The listener-submitted answers have been edited for clarity and length.