This is a list of love songs from a seasoned expat to fellow foreigners who might want a glimpse into what sort of music tickles the heart of the Turks. When it comes to love songs, and well even loving, the Turks have it down and they love to sing about it in many romantic and gripping songs. While there are many genres and eras to choose from, I present to you a list of songs from around the turn of the 21st century that remain part of a now classic repertoire to draw from when evoking the spirit of love in Turkey.

Senden Daha Güzel

"Senden Daha Güzel," which translates into "More Beautiful than You," has to be my favorite song by the Turkish rock group, Duman. The song starts off with the lyrics: "I have never met someone as beautiful as you, I have never met someone as special as you ..." and continues in the same vein adding the heart wrenching lyric "How did I ever come across you, I became the loser ... but I saved myself for you and didn’t care what others think." While the lyrics may sound desolate, the energy in the song is one of hope and inspiration and can be directed at anything beautiful. The music video for the song was a first in Turkey as Duman switched the cameras from focusing on themselves to showing their own perspective of the audience as they perform.

But, another video produced for this song literally brings viewers to tears as the Anadolu Efes basketball team was filmed as an entire audience sang the song to the players as a surprise and accompanied by a spectacular orchestra performance. While Duman launched the song and performed it with vigor; a rendition performed by Evrencan Gündüz, when he was just an up-and-coming musician, playing a solo at Hangart that has truly captured my heart.

Bekle Dedi Gitti

"Bekle Dedi Gitti" is a heartbreaking ballad written by Duman vocalist Kaan Tangöze. However, Evrencan Gündüz delivered a lighter version of this song, making the lyrics somewhat easier to digest as the lyrics read: "She said wait and then left. I didn’t wait and she didn’t come. Something like death happened, but no one died." Still my all-time favorite rendition was performed by Evrencan Gündüz and Bilal Karaman in a video filmed at the beach. Both are skilled musicians as Gündüz, who has already made a name for himself as a singer-songwriter, is the son of Asim Can Gündüz aka Awesome John, who is one of Turkey's most revered blues and rock guitarists, while Bilal Karaman is a present-day virtuoso and arguably the best guitar player in the country right now.

Bile Bile

"Bile Bile" meaning "Knowingly" has to be hands down the most gut-wrenching love song I have heard to date. Originally performed by Aşkın Nur Yengi and Harun Kolçak and later by the songster herself Sezen Aksu and Levent Yüksel, either version will stir your heart. Just listen and trust me. Though hailing from the 90’s, this is such a beloved song that contestants on Turkey’s TV singing competitions continue to unsuccessfully insist on trying to sing the ballad alone. I remember bringing a recording of it back to Los Angeles and everyone who listened to it, whether they understood it or not, were teary-eyed.

Güllerin Içinden

"Güllerin Içinden," which means "From Within the Roses" is a song by the classic rock-pop band MFÖ that has mesmerizing guitar playing interspersed with the repeated verse "Come to me running my darling from within the roses." To put it simply, it is one of those songs that you want to be played at your wedding.

Bağdat

"Bağdat" is a beautiful song written by Ayla Çelik, who is joined by actor and talk show host Beyazıt Öztürk in an evoking duet that propelled her to fame. The song starts with the lyric, "Once again, I did nothing but love you today. I didn’t answer my phone or read the news, but you won’t believe how many kisses there have been as I calculated our love today." Çelik recalls the great love stories of Turkish lore such as Leyla and Mecnun and says, "I don’t know about them, but I could find Baghdad with both my eyes closed."

Deme Bana Yokum

"Deme Bana Yokum," which means "Don’t tell me 'I am out,'" is a song by the young and exceptional pop vocalist Yalın that has a deep meaning hidden behind its upbeat dance rhythm. "If you come close to my shoulders, your dreams will become mine ... Don’t tell me 'I am out,' anything lacking does not suit us. Tell me 'I am your last' and my name will be written with yours ..."

Bu Şarkı Aşka Yazıldı

"Bu Şarkı Aşka Yazıldı" means "This Song was Written for Love" and it is written and performed by the truly amazing Cem Adrian. Known for having vocal cords three times the average length, Adrian is revered for his ability to sing from bass to soprano. This beautiful slow love ballad is part of the now-prolific singer’s debut release, entitled "Ben Bu Şarkıyı Sana Yazdım" (I wrote this song for you). The entire album is one of the most romantic ever written and was self-produced by Adrian in his hometown of Edirne during the years 1997-2003. The song begins with the verse: "Something inside me is burning. I won’t put it out, you lit it."

Her Şeyi Yak

"Her Şeyi Yak" (Burn Everything) is another one of those songs that will tear you up inside. Calling on the dark side of passion, the words are: "We are both going to burn in the fire. Look, I’m ready. Just one spark is enough. Love is worth dying for as that is when it is love." Then, the powerful vocals repeatedly chant the phrase "I am walking into fire." The song was originally performed by its lyricist Sezen Aksu, but its heavy rock rendition by Duman bars no comparison. The powerful music behind the poetic mantra to infinite love was written by Greek composer and politician Thanos Mikroutsikos. Greek vocalist Haris Alexiou recorded a slow version of the ballad sung in Greek.

Yağmurlar

"Yağmurlar," which means "The Rains" is definitely one of the most beautifully evoked songs by a female vocalist there ever was as performed by the singing prowess Şebnem Ferah. This song is so spectacular that it is on her Kadın album twice, with the latter version serving as an instrumental bonus track. A beautiful tale of heartbreak and hope, Ferah sings, "If you don’t love me, love the rain. The clouds can cry and you can smile and let the sun come out again. Love the rain and let the rain drop over my face."

Ben Böyleyim

"Ben Böyleyim" – "This is How I am" – is admittedly not a typical love song. But I beg to argue the difference as it is a love ballad to oneself. A Turkish interpretation of the Frank Sinatra ballad "My Way," the chorus in this upbeat rendition by Turkish ska-punk band and former Eurovision contenders Athena repeats: "Life is mine, as I live every moment, I tend to love it. I never mind the rains. I have some beautiful mistakes, but never once did I veer from my own road."