Local Love: We asked Snacktime to curate our Valentine’s Day playlist

This Valentine’s Day, we’re giving you one less thing to worry about — your playlist.

For the guys at Snacktime — Philly’s beloved brass band that got its start organizing live music and menu pairings with some of the city’s top chefs — a holiday that combines sexiness and food is basically their Super Bowl.

» READ MORE: Party band Snacktime is playing all over Philly

This year, to commemorate V-Day, Snacktime is selling special “Snacktime is 4 Luvrs” merch packages: which includes a Valentine’s themed tote bag, a wine key, a card and hand-painted bonbons from Fiore Fine Foods for $55.

But for Free.99, you can listen to our special Inquirer-Snacktime collab.

We asked the band to compile a list of love songs by their favorite artists with local ties and to explain their picks. The result is Luvr’s Lane (Songs to Snuggle Up With).

All 14 tracks were hand-selected by three of Snacktime’s core members, Yesseh Furaha-Ali (vocals and sax), Ben Stocker (sax), and Sam Gellerstein (sousaphone).

To lead off our sultry and sexy list, I present to you Tipbucket Luvr, a song about the early days of our group and the lovely ladies who would share their numbers with us, in our bright orange bucket, with the hope of a potential luv connection. — Sam Gellerstein

Let us not forget that the love for what moves us is just as important as the love we have for our significant others. Philly OGs, The Roots, remind us that. The love of their lives: HIP-HOP. — SG

An important and integral part of a healthy and long-lasting relationship is being able to admit when you are wrong. In this song by Max Swan, we can remember that even if we slip, our love can stay strong and true. — SG

Is there a more iconic song about nights between the sheets? Hey everyone, make sure you take notes on this song for giving your lover a nice evening, performed by these local legends. — SG

Philadelphia soul legends The Delfonics penned this song in 1970, and even still today in 2023, when we can’t find the right words, “La-La” means I love you. — SG

Brother of another Philly area rising star Devon Gilfillian, Ryan has made a name for himself in the past year, and in his debut single, he tells the story about a new love healing the hurt from an old broken heart. — SG

Philly-based genre alchemists Great Time perfectly detail what it’s like to have your brain full of that special someone. Ironically enough, my song is always stayin’ alllll in my mind. — SG

Simon Martinez, guitarist behind Flanafi, creates music reminiscent of your favorite Matisse paintings blended with the bold and strong style of Basquiat. These almost conflicting emotional palettes are not unlike the feelings of missing a lover when they are gone. In this song, it begs the question, “what’s up with tomorrow?” — SG

Illustrious Philly songstress Taylor Kelly brings you the perfect funky dance song to put on while you dream about running away to California together with your lover. — Ben Stocker

An honest, whimsical, and beautiful song about young love and careless summer days, sneaking out and making out in a park. As Suzanne puts it, it’s a big declaration of love that a 17-year-old can relate to, as well as a 70-year-old. — SG

The smoothest of the smooth. The power, the conviction, the message. If this song doesn’t scream love, I don’t know what love is. Teddy was a master a conveying a love message. — Yesseh Furaha-Ali

Patti LaBelle exemplifies the purest messages of love and affection, in sultry, sensual ways that leave the listener gravitated and CONVINCED that true love exists. — YFA

Philadelphia alt-pop favorite Japanese Breakfast has a perfect, quaint, and absolutely sweet banger about sharing a bed in the morning. — SG

In this sprawling 11-minute song by The War on Drugs, we are taken to the first glimpse of the narrator’s true love and the haunting thoughts that he had until he realizes that she was the answer to what he was looking for. — SG