Lemondrop

It's the third (okay, okay, second) date, and he's invited you back for a "nightcap." The lights go down, you're settling into the couch and slipping off your cardigan, he heads to the stereo and puts on something to set the mood ... Hootie and the Blowfish?!

Boom, your hormones come crashing back to earth.

Never underestimate the power of choosing the right soundtrack for your real-life love scene. After all, Barry White had a career for a reason.

A Sour Note
Of course, you and Loverboy may not see eye to eye. For him, hearing Thom Yorke's maudlin mewing may be Viagraesque; for you, it's a one-way ticket to Hand-Me-a-Noose-ville.

Case in point: I once dated a bartender who, one night after closing time, popped a fistful of quarters into the bar's jukebox and hit play on every Nine Inch Nails and Metallica song on offer. I had to beg him to unplug the machine so I could think straight.

Click here to read more horror stories -- and a killer playlist for any amorous occasion.

Another guy played a CD containing a dozen covers of "The Girl from Ipanema." On repeat.

Rachael from Indianapolis has a do-not-play list. "My boyfriend and I sometimes take turns picking a song from my music library and having a little slow-dance in the living room," she says. "One time, Josh chose The Black Crowes' 'She Talks to Angels.' Um, isn't that song about a crazy girl who pretends her parents are dead?! Needless to say, pouting ensued."

Choose a Winner
So what are some tried-and-true tunes guaranteed to turn up the heat? For me, it's Depeche Mode's "Songs of Faith and Devotion" (particularly "I Feel You") and Tricky -- sultry, edgy and without a whiff of sappiness.

R&B also seems to do the trick. Jana of Provo, Utah, says that she and her husband consider "Year of the Gentleman," by Ne-Yo, "baby-making music. I guess it worked -- we're preggo!"

"In college, my entire dorm floor knew not to knock on my door if they heard Janet Jackson's "Velvet Rope" playing," admits writer Brenda Della Casa.

Nicole from Atlanta gives a thumbs-up to singer Jill Scott ("She just oozes sexy!"), while Anne in Washington has rave reviews for "Like You'll Never See Me Again" by Alicia Keyes.

Suzanne from Colorado prefers something a little more yacht-rock: "Groovy Kind of Love" by Phil Collins. "The title is playful and a bit outdated," she says. "But the song says it all! This is my favorite snuggle song."

Your Professionally Chosen Playlist
"When you're sexing up someone, you really want to have something that is both powerful and sensual all at once, which is exactly what every make-out/sex-out should be," says DJ/writer Sarah Lewitinn of Ultragrrrl fame.

"Songs that have intense peaks and relaxing valleys are key in setting the pace and making sure that your tonsil hockey is varied and exciting. You also want the sort of playful and light songs like 'God Only Knows' to keep things light."

To help her readers whom she feared "were making out to really terrible emo bands that are fronted by boys with no balls and no idea how to sing about a woman," Sarah created a no-brainer make-out playlist. Her picks, worth downloading immediately:

Band of Horses: "The Funeral"
The Beach Boys: "God Only Knows"
Jeff Buckley: "Hallelujah"
Cocteau Twins: "Lorelei"
Decemberists: "We Both Go Down Together"
Duffy: "Rockferry"
Echo & The Bunnymen: "The Killing Moon"
Interpol: "Take You on a Cruise"
Glasvegas: "Geraldine"
Radiohead: "Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was"
The Cure: "Close to Me"

Prepare to Skip
If your date suddenly freezes up when your favorite do-me go-to comes on, it may not be something you did wrong. Some songs may have unexpected and unwanted connotations -- his and his ex's "song," for instance. Don't over-analyze -- just skip the song and get back to business.

A co-worker of musician Jeff Gold failed to consider this when he brought home Gold's new CD.

"I have banned your CD from my house," the friend told Gold a few days later. His reason? "My wife listens to your CD over and over. The last straw was when she wanted to listen to it when we went to bed last night. The whole time, all I could see was you!"

Tell us! What songs get you all hot and bothered? And what tunes have totally ruined the mood for you?

Erin Donnelly is a frequent Lemondrop contributor.