"Valentine's Day" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Valentine’s Day (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

Overview

What do you score a sprawling Los Angeles rom-com with a dozen interlocking meet-cutes? A valentine to pop itself — country-pop sparkle, classic soul, cocktail standards, and a buoyant score that does the stitching.

The album leans into Big Machine’s early-2010 moment (Taylor Swift’s “Today Was a Fairytale,” Jewel’s “Stay Here Forever,” Steel Magnolia’s “Keep On Lovin’ You”) while surrounding them with evergreen romance cues (Willie Nelson crooning Lerner & Loewe, Maroon 5 taking on “The Way You Look Tonight”), retro soul (Ben E. King, Amy Winehouse), and a reggae-pop burst (“Say Hey (I Love You)”) that practically is confetti. John Debney’s orchestral score ties the ensemble together, gliding under proposals, airport dashes, and late-night realizations.

Phases & meanings: country-pop — small, earnest promises; classic standards — nostalgia and “movie magic”; 60s/70s soul — warmth and public joy; light electro/pop-rock — city bustle; Debney’s strings/woodwinds — connective tissue for criss-crossing stories.

How It Was Made

Score: John Debney wrote and recorded the score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony; a digital score album followed the film’s release and includes the Debney/Ballard song “Every Time You Smiled” performed by Carina Round. Soundtrack album: WaterTower Music partnered with Big Machine for the 18-track commercial soundtrack (Feb 9, 2010), spotlighting Swift (two songs), Jewel, and Steel Magnolia alongside soul, standards, and pop-rock.

Tracks & Scenes

“Say Hey (I Love You)” (Michael Franti & Spearhead feat. Cherine Anderson)

Where it plays:

Opening credits / city-in-motion montage. The beat ushers us through morning L.A. — florists loading vans, commuters spilling onto sidewalks, couples plotting the day. Non-diegetic; ~2–3 minutes of screen time.

Why it matters:

Instant sugar-rush mission statement: this movie is about public joy, not just private whispers.

“Today Was a Fairytale” (Taylor Swift)

Where it plays:

Used around the teen-romance thread (Felicia & Tyler) — montage beats and transitional bridges between their pep-rally world and the larger ensemble. Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

Swift’s brand of story-book pop mirrors the movie’s sweetest plotline and became the film’s breakout single.

“Stay Here Forever” (Jewel)

Where it plays:

Plays over a mid-film romantic interlude and promotional featurettes; also foregrounded in music videos cut with film footage. Non-diegetic in-film.

Why it matters:

Country-leaning warmth for adult couples — a tonal counterweight to the teen gloss.

“On the Street Where You Live” (Willie Nelson)

Where it plays:

Restaurant/valentine-date ambience and transition montage material, with croon and pedal-steel glow smoothing scene changes. Source-like placement (diegetic feel in restaurant), then non-diegetic over cuts.

Why it matters:

Reframes a Broadway chestnut as cozy, modern Americana; ideal for Marshall’s soft-focus romance.

“The Way You Look Tonight” (Maroon 5)

Where it plays:

Late-film slow-dance / montage cue and over credits in some versions. Non-diegetic; used as an “old standard, new suit” wink to the classics.

Why it matters:

Bridges generations of love-song language — swing romance dressed in 2010 radio sheen.

“Cupid” (Amy Winehouse)

Where it plays:

Heard as atmospheric source in party/retail spaces — a vintage-soul needle-drop sliding under chatter, then peeking forward as the scene breathes. Diegetic.

Why it matters:

Valentine’s Day with a sly grin — heartbreak and hope in one voice.

“For Once in My Life” (Stevie Wonder)

Where it plays:

Plays into a celebratory montage and over establishing shots that cut across storylines; non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

Universal, communal uplift — the movie’s ensemble ethos in a single hook.

“Every Time You Smiled” (Carina Round) — written by John Debney & Glen Ballard

Where it plays:

Heard in the score album and featured within the film’s softer connective passages; functions as a gentle thematic song-within-the-score. Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

Composer-penned tie-in that threads Debney’s harmonic palette into a lyrical moment.

“Keep On Lovin’ You” (Steel Magnolia)

Where it plays:

Diegetic radio / montage source during daytime L.A. beats; the country duet colors working-day romance.

Why it matters:

Gives the album its Nashville burst and nods to love that’s ordinary, not epic.

“Somebody to Love” (Leighton Meester)

Where it plays:

Briefly heard in media/backstage environments tied to the celeb-journalism subplot. Source; snuck under dialogue.

Why it matters:

Meta casting joke — a pop single by the film’s own cast member weaving through the tabloid thread.

Debney score highlights — “The Proposal / Trying to Tell Her” & “Arrival / Airport / Catching Julia”

Where it plays:

Opens with a bright, slightly nervous flourish for the early-morning proposal; later, a propulsive string figure powers the airport run and reveal. Non-diegetic.

Why it matters:

Shows how Debney maps tempo to plot complexity — gentle rubato for intimacy, light ostinato for farce.

Notes & Trivia

• The commercial album arrived February 9, 2010 via WaterTower/Big Machine — a rare co-branding of studio soundtrack and a Nashville powerhouse.
• John Debney’s separate Original Score album (digital) followed later in spring 2010 and adds his Debney/Ballard song “Every Time You Smiled.”
• “Say Hey (I Love You)” is the opening-credits burst — the track later turned up in several 2010s films and ads.
• Taylor Swift contributes two cuts: brand-new single “Today Was a Fairytale” and “Jump Then Fall” (from the Fearless Platinum Edition).
• Standards are deliberately “re-costumed”: Willie Nelson croons “On the Street Where You Live,” and Maroon 5 tackle “The Way You Look Tonight.”

Reception & Quotes

The album charted well for a rom-com compilation, buoyed by Swift’s single and the country-pop presence, while Debney’s score earned praise in fan circles for its airy, interlacing themes.

“Swift’s track leads the soundtrack and was the clear breakout.” Wikipedia summary of chart notes

“Digital score release adds Debney’s lyrical coda — a sweet extra for completists.” Film Music Reporter

Availability: Commercial soundtrack (digital/CD) released February 9, 2010; Debney’s Original Score released digitally late March/early April 2010.

Interesting Facts

• Radio to screen: “Say Hey (I Love You)” literally functions as the film’s curtain-raiser.
• Two Taylors, two roles: Swift appears on screen and on the album; her single peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 the week of release.
• Score song: Debney co-wrote “Every Time You Smiled” with Glen Ballard — a rare composer-penned pop cue for a rom-com score.
• Label tandem: WaterTower handled the film side; Big Machine delivered the country-pop A-list cuts.
• Deep bench: Beyond the album, the film features 30+ cues ranging from Stevie Wonder to Bollywood staples and 90s-2000s radio.

Technical Info

• Title: Valentine’s Day (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
• Year: 2010 (soundtrack February 9, 2010; film U.S. release February 12, 2010)
• Type: Film soundtrack — songs + original score (separate digital release)
• Composer: John Debney (score); score recorded with Hollywood Studio Symphony
• Labels: WaterTower Music & Big Machine Records
• Selected notable placements (in film): “Say Hey (I Love You)” — opening credits; “Today Was a Fairytale” — teen-romance thread; “Stay Here Forever” — romantic interlude/promo tie-ins; “On the Street Where You Live” — date ambience/montage; “The Way You Look Tonight” — late montage/credits usage; “For Once in My Life” — celebratory ensemble montage.
• Album performance: U.S. Billboard 200 peak No. 20; Top Soundtracks peak No. 2.
• Score album: Valentine’s Day (Original Score) — digital, ~39 minutes (15 tracks), includes “Every Time You Smiled.”

Questions & Answers

What song opens the movie?

Michael Franti & Spearhead’s “Say Hey (I Love You)” — it plays over the opening credits city montage.

Is Taylor Swift on the soundtrack and in the film?

Yes. She appears on screen and contributes two songs, including the single “Today Was a Fairytale.”

Was there a separate score release?

Yes — John Debney’s Original Score album released digitally in spring 2010 and includes the song “Every Time You Smiled.”

Who handles the standards on the album?

Willie Nelson covers “On the Street Where You Live,” while Maroon 5 perform “The Way You Look Tonight.”

Which label released the soundtrack?

WaterTower Music in partnership with Big Machine Records.

Key Contributors

Sources: Wikipedia (film & soundtrack pages); Apple Music & Spotify listings; Film Music Reporter; MusicRow; IMDb Soundtracks; Reelsoundtrack blog (full in-film song roll); “Say Hey (I Love You)” usage notes.

November, 20th 2025