• “Take It Easy (Love Nothing)” by Bright Eyes
• “Black” by Pearl Jam
• “Half Your Age” by Kid Rock
• “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera
• “Cry Me a River” by Justin Timberlake
• “Picture To Burn” by Taylor Swift
• “Dammit” by Blink-182
• “Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)” by Mötley Crüe
• “Heartless” by Kanye West
• “Gives You Hell” by the All-American Rejects
Music writer Kevin Coffey tells why he likes these songs on his blog, Rock Candy.
As the song goes, breaking up is hard to do.
And on a day like today, when all of those happy couples are celebrating the wonder of their love, the dumped need something to help turn the tide of their pain.
Many turn to music.
The world of popular song is rife with tunes about broken hearts, lost love and bad romance.
To all of you with hurting hearts: Stop clutching that photo of your ex, put down the chocolate, take away the tissues and put on your headphones.
These are some of the best breakup songs we could find, dealing with everything from recalling the hurting to moving on and even finding new love.
“It's Cool, We Can Still Be Friends” by Bright Eyes (2000)
Wow, this song is harsh. The tune basically recounts all the stuff that you go through with a girl after the relationship ends, from still getting a kiss (but on the cheek) to pouring a tall glass of whiskey to going to dinner (but not holding hands). Conor Oberst sounds angry, like maybe it actually happened to him.
Favorite line: “Yeah, we still go to dinner sometimes, but we don't sneak a kiss/When the waitress turns around”
“Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis sings about being lonely. Oh, so lonely. And when he sang this tune back in the day, every woman in the crowd screamed to let him know that they could help him be lonely no more. Maybe then he wouldn't feel “so lonely I could die.”
Favorite line: “Well, the bellhop's tears keep flowin'/And the desk clerk's dressed in black”
“Song For the Dumped” by Ben Folds Five (1997)
Folds sings about getting dumped on the front porch after he takes the girlfriend to dinner. Oh, and he wants that black T-shirt back, too. This is a collection of lines that every dumpee has wanted to scream at the dumper since people have been getting dumped.
Favorite line: “And don't forget to give me back my black T-shirt”
“Your Cheatin' Heart” by Hank Williams (1953)
Released after the country star's death, this whiskey-soaked tune aims to tell an unfaithful partner how bad she'll feel when it all soaks in. It's also considered one of the best country songs ever and made Rolling Stone's list of the 500 best songs of all time.
Favorite line: “The time will come when you'll be blue/Your cheatin' heart will tell on you.”
“Since U Been Gone” By Kelly Clarkson (2004)
Instead of dwelling on the pain and hurt, this tune focuses on how great it is that he left and how amazing it is to be moving on. Clarkson's emotional delivery of the goodbye-and-leave-me-alone lyrics combined with the rocking, danceable music made her many fans.
Favorite line: “You had your chance, you blew it/Out of sight, out of mind”
“You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette (1995)
Alanis Morissette cemented herself as an artist with this song, which also helped her sell more than 30 million copies of the album “Jagged Little Pill.” On this track, she sounds so legitimately angry that you know she's telling the truth about the other woman and her old relationship. The fact that it's supposedly about comedian Dave Coulier (of “Full House” fame) is just icing on the cake.
Favorite line: “Does she know how you told me you'd hold me until you died, 'til you died/But you're still alive”
“Train in Vain” by The Clash (1979)
The first verse cuts right to the core: “You love me and that's a fact/Then you left me, said you felt trapped.” Who hasn't been there? Also of note: This song features one of the best uses of a harmonica in a rock song.
Favorite line: “Did you stand by me?/No, not at all./You didn't stand by me./No way.”
“Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” By Neil Sedaka (1962)
The classic. It was released in 1962, but it rings as true today as it did then. Not to mention that it's one of the most well-constructed pop songs, from the harmonies to the simple melody to the repetition of “Down doo bee doo down down.”
Favorite line: “Don't say that this is the end/Instead of breaking up I wish that we were making up again.”
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor (1978)
Another classic, this anthem tells the ex that it's great to be without him, even if, in the interim, it was incredibly difficult to get through the breakup.
Favorite line: “Now I'm saving all my loving for someone who's loving me”
“It's Over” by Roy Orbison (1964)
It takes less than three minutes for Roy to dress you down and tell you that it's over. No more rainbows and sunshine. No more “tender nights.” Give it up, dude. It's done for.
Favorite line: “Oh, what will you do, when she says to you/There's someone new. We're through, we're through?”
“After The Love Has Gone” by Earth, Wind & Fire (1979)
These fellas slow down the funk to talk about how the good old days of true love have passed. Black is white, up is down and “what used to be right is wrong.” And to top it all off, they leave us with a burning question for the ages: “Can love that's lost be found?”
Favorite line: “What used to be happy was sad./Somethin' happened along the way/And yesterday was all we had.”
Contact the writer:
444-1557, kevin.coffey@owh.com
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