Kissing. It's just the best. So intimate, and full of promise. If relationships promise a long, delightful and fruitful conversation, kissing would be the part where you are introduced. And yes kissing is also dangerous, it can be illicit, and it can be completely nonchalant and innocent. Even casual, and at its worst, false.



Perhaps because of its intimate status, kissing is a very varied subject in song. It can be a hint of something more, even a kind of metaphor for the relationship itself. But kissing could also stand for betrayal, as portrayed by the infamous Judas.



The tricky question for lovers is what song do you put on if you want to indulge if some heavy-weight couch rugby. A song about kissing could be a good thermometer for trying to assess if your partner wants to go a step further. And if you do want that, it better be a good song!



So what are the best songs referencing kissing, or songs about kissing, or songs involving kissing. Journalists and writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen have a wide sampling here. The collection helps illustrate why there is such a small distance between “kiss me” and “kiss off”.

Commentary and feedback ... and air kisses, to perfectsongfor@gmail.com The full versions of the songs here