Comments on: Friday Random Ten – the Voluntary Homicide edition

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:02:44 +0000

I love that Mariah Carey is on your list too! Homegirl knows about heartbreak…

By: Sarah J

Sarah J — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:58:15 +0000

Oh, I have a huge breakup mix on my iPod.

The best and most heartwrenching of all time for me is still Tori Amos’s “Hey Jupiter.” Something about that song will reduce me to a whimpering mess in about 2.5 seconds. I literally have to fast-forward it if it comes up on shuffle at the wrong times.

Lily Allen and La Winehouse got me through a recent one–”Smile” and “Tears Dry On Their Own” respectively.

Lucero’s “It Gets The Worst At Night” is an absolute classic. (This is a live video, and the singer is such a fox.)

Lauryn Hill’s “Ex Factor” is another one that has associations with a very specific ex in my life, and will make me cry if it comes upon me unawares.

And of course Fiona Apple’s entire first album. And the other two. Basically, Fiona was made for breakups.

By: Pinko Punko

Pinko Punko — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 07:42:53 +0000

“Turn on Me”-The Shins

Here’s why:

Turn On Me

You can fake it for a while,
bite your tongue and smile,
like every mother does her ugly child.
But it starts to leaking out,
like spittle from a cloud,
amassed resentment pelting ounce and pound.

You entertaining any doubts,
’cause you had to know that I was fond of you. Fond of Y-O-U.
Though I knew you masked your disdain
I can see the change was just too hard for us,
you always had to hold the reigns,
but where I’m headed you just don’t know the way.

So affections fade away,
or do adults just learn to play,
the most ridiculous repulsive games?
All our favorite ruddy sons,
and their double-barrelled guns,
you’d better hurry rabbit, run, run, run!
‘Cause mincing you is fun,
and there’s a lot of hungry hatters in this world set on taking over.
But brittle thorny stems,
they break before they bend,
and neither one of us is one of them.

And the tears will never mend,
’cause you had it in for me so long ago.
I don’t know why and I don’t care, well hardly anymore.
If you’d only seen yourself hating me,
when I’d been so much more than fair.
But then you’d have to lay those feelings bare.
The one thing I know has still got you scared.
Yeah all that cold ire,
and never once aired on a dare!

(bridge)

You had to know know that I was fond of you.
Fond of Y-O-U. So I took your licks at the time.
A change like that is just so hard to do,
don’t let it whip-crack your life.
And I’ll bow out from the fight –
Those old pious sisters were right –
the worst part is over,
now get back on that horse and ride.

By: maggiemay

maggiemay — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:55:57 +0000

So Long So Wrong – Alison Krauss & Union Station – was perfect for my triumphant, victorious getaway from one bad relationship.

Deeper Than Crying – Alison Krauss and Union Station – was listening to that around the same time. Wasn’t a good fit for that situation, as no love did remain, but I can imagine it would be a good song to listen to.

Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam

Goodbye is Forever – Arcadia – for when you want to wallow in it.

White Flag – Dido – for when you REALLY want to wallow in it

By: Isabel

Isabel — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 01:42:19 +0000

“So Long to the Circus,” The World/Inferno Friendship Society–the guy who got me into them was also the guy who broke up with me a few months later, so this one hits double for me. But seriously, this is the best angry/hurt break-up song EVER. Say goodbye to the circus, and don’t cry/it was just another circus, it was just your first time/didn’t you what you were doing didn’t know what you missed/what did you get out of this/that love is real, unstoppable/actually a wild animal/self-interested, amorally cruel/and you got between it and food…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=hqVQJKIdpkg

Aaand on the total opposite end of the spectrum from cabaret punk… “Undiscovered,” Ashlee Simpson. Yeah, I know. Listen: this is a great total-desperation-loss-of-dignity song.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FwFjde8-JlY

Can I embarrass myself more after that? Can I? YES! YES I CAN! Canadian dramaInstant Star has a bunch of great break-up songs. My favorite right now is probably “Just Wanted Your Love,” which is catchy and upbeat and has great vocals.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bpcon_n6jmw

Also, I can’t believe after all the Ani love on this thread, no one has mentioned “Both Hands.” Come on, people. What kind of crunchy granola Birkenstocks-wearing hairy-legged feminists are you?? (Though, actually, my favorite Ani break-up song at the moment–gosh there are a lot of them–is probably “Hour Follows Hour.”)

This is a depressing list, mine and others’. I’m gonna close with a happier break-up song for all y’all who need to remember that maybe you are better off (“ooh! it! feels GOOD to be free” indeed)–Rilo Kiley’s “Breakin’ Up.”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wsnCf9SdSB0

By: roses

roses — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 23:58:50 +0000

I don’t really have a list, but during my last really big breakup I listened to Dido’s Life for Rent (which is about her breakup). I haven’t listened to it much since, because it mostly takes me back to the breakup.

By: hotrodgal

hotrodgal — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:50:49 +0000

Damn, internet, get out of my head. Too timely of a list this week, unfortunately, so I am happy to have new suggestions.

As of Wednesday, I have pretty much had Superstar by Sonic Youth on a continuous loop, so you know its bad…

Normally though, breakup songs include:

Susan by Aimee Mann
Haunted by The Pogues
I Fall to Pieces by Patsy Cline
Fade Into You by Mazzy Star
The Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning by Willie Nelson

This is obviously the wallowing version of this list. There’s a whole different list for the angry-bitter getting better phase, hoping for that soon.

By: EvilSlutopia

EvilSlutopia — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:36:04 +0000

The Ting Tings – Shut Up And Let Me Go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r23cm7bL9E
The Pierces – Ruin (Really the whole album Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge would work) http://www.myspace.com/thepierces
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals – Apologies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByUdhNhy9po
Hanson – One More
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYqGfIqdets
Kate Voegele – Chicago

By: miwome

miwome — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:04:57 +0000

Don’t Die in Me by Mirah: sad, acoustic, with both pain and affection. And uncertainty.
I Don’t Believe in the Sun by The Magnetic Fields: straight out, cliche-ridden moping.
Round We Go by Dizzee Rascal: Angry. And sarcastic. For that drama-laden relationship that got way too complicated and you should have ended it months ago.
Marlene on the Wall by Suzanne Vega: For that breakup where you’re convinced that you JUST DON’T KNOW WHO YOU ARE ANYMORE. Plus Suzanne Vega was the first music I ever used to listen to, in my dad’s car, and so it’s innately comforting.
Probably the entirety of Thom Yorke’s solo album. That’s what you listen to when you can’t or won’t get out of bed.

By: amapola

amapola — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:59:28 +0000

I have a pretty massive collection of break-up songs. It’s a thing. Even though I’m happily engaged and don’t much plan on being single or heartbroken again. A few in no particular order (and some are not exactly break-up songs, so much as “it’s crashing down on us” or “fuck, this just hurts so much”…)

Fuck Was I, Jenny Owens Young
School Night, Ani DiFranco (I know, but it’s fucking heartbreaking)
Good Woman, Cat Power
Let It Die, Feist
Love Ridden, Fiona Apple
How To Fight Loneliness, Wilco
Let Him Fly, Patty Griffin
Let’s Just Get Naked, Joan Osborne
Crazy Baby, Joan Osborne
The Reason The Night is Long, Rainer Maria
Maps, Yeah Yeah Yeahs