The most heart wrenching break up songs

blazer · Post by **blazer** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 3:50 pm

I guess we all know about it, have been through it or saw it happen to somebody else. A break up is always painful, seeing the feelings you've had for a person vanish in front of your face, knowing that you have to let that person with who'm you've shared so much go.

That topic is so familiar that plenty of artists have written songs about it. Let's name and talk about the ones that are the most heart wrenching, the ones that remind you of the pain. The ones that really hit home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kbToh_S37s
The Eagles - "Wasted time"
How many of of that have gone through a break up have wondered if that relationship was nothing but a waste of time? So many things you did together and what did it all mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8bmK8O44BA
Kiss - "I still love you"
This one takes the perspective of a guy arriving home and hearing from his partner that she's leaving him. And he sees his whole world falling apart. But he still wants to prove his love for her before she goes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRVlfHWpX24
Abba - "One of us"
Abba have plenty of songs about painful break ups inspired by personal experiences. Songs like "Knowing me, knowing you", "The winner takes it all" and "The day before you came" all tell tear jacking stories about how love turns sour, how persons grow apart and trying to pick up their lives again. "One of us" is about that last situation, someone who regrets leaving her partner and knows that she can't go back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YmwJpnor6o
Guns N Roses - "Estranged"
This song talks about one of the most painful aspects of a break up: the realisation that the feeling is gone, and the dilemma of how to tell your partner. How on earth can you put such a thing in words, when you're about to lose everything?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTwqWi-ebtI
Blur - "Tender"
This song was written after singer Daimon Albarn and his then wife Justine broke up. It speaks of gratitute, a "thank you" for all the good times they've had, no hard feelings and also the pain because he knows she's no longer there.

winston · Post by **winston** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:42 pm

Wouter,

One more for your list.

Not only is Separate Ways by Gary Moore a heart wrenching and beautiful song but it truly demonstrates the cold reality and powerful feelings invoked by a sense of loss.

Although the lyrics are only part of the song Gary Moore places the listener at the very crossroads that people sometimes find themselves on and he describes and invokes those feelings better than any one else.........at least in my view.

Gary Moore - Separate Ways Lyrics

What is it that you want from me?
I really wish I knew.
I try so hard to do my best,
but it's not good enough for you.
Over and over again
we will make the same mistakes.
Over and over again
there's a feelin' I just can't shake.

Is it time to go our separate ways?
Is it time to go our separate ways?

You know I need your love so bad.
Can't you see what you do to me?
I try so hard to understand,
but the truth's never plain to see.

Is it time to go our separate ways?
Is it time to go our separate ways?

Time after time we will try to understand.
I don't know where we went wrong,
but there's no use in holdin' on.

Over and over again
we will make the same mistakes.
Over and over again
and it's more than a man can take.

Is it time to go our separate ways?
Is it time to go our separate ways?

Is it time to go our separate ways?
Is it time to go our separate ways?

Oh and I must mention my second favourite song in this category: Bonny Raitt's "I Can’t Make You Love Me"

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 5:12 pm

For me, it doesn't get better/worse than all of "Blood On The Tracks" by Dylan.

steve_hershberger · Post by **steve_hershberger** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:27 am

Excellent choice John! I'll add a few off the top of my head:

"Why Must I Plead?" by Richard Thompson
"Accidently Like a Martyr" by Warren Zevon
"Bell Bottom Blues" by Derek & the Dominoes

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:36 am

Ah, yes...Bell Bottom Blues.

The song requested by a street drunk at an outdoor gig from a surf instrumental band...we acted deaf. Easy to do with a backline of vintage Dual Showmans.

For me, NOTHING beats "Warmth of the Sun" by the Beach Boys. But, then I'm a generation older than many of youse guys.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 7:01 am

We absolutely must not omit Harry Nilsson:

You're breakin' my heart
You're tearin' it apart
So f**k you
All I want to do
Is have a good time
Now I'm blue
You wanna boogaloo
Run down to Tramps
Have a dance or two--ooh!
You're breaking my heart
You're tearin' it apart
But f**k you
You're breakin' my heart
You're tearin' it apart
Ooh!--ooh!--
You stepped on my ***
You're breaking my glasses too
You wanna drive my car
Buy a lot of stuff
I've had enough
Of you--ooh!
I'm goin' insane
There's no one to blame
So f**k you
You've gotta have your way
There's nothin' left to say
There's nothin' left to do--ooh!
You're breakin' my heart
You're tearin' it apart
So f**k you
You've gotta have your way
There's nothin' left to say
There's nothin' left to do--ooh!
You're breakin' my heart
You're tearin' it apart
But I love you
(Do-do-doots)

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:21 am

With lyrics:
Buffalo Springfield - "Expecting to Fly"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dngnyRBpafM

Without lyrics:
Jeff Beck - "Declan"
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PI5CCEwnkE8

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:23 am

Bonnie Raitt - I Can't Make You Love Me

Jewel - You Were Meant For Me

Phil Collins - Do You Remember?

vito · Post by **vito** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:28 am

Elvis Costello - Almost Blue

Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:40 am

"Later That Night" (Ruben and the Jets).

You surely must be trying
To break this heart of mine
I thought you knew I loved you
And we'd share a love so fine

But later that night
You threw a padlock on my door
My clothes out on the street
'Cause you don't want my love no more

And I cried, I cried
I-I-I-I-I cried my heart out
Cried my heart out
Later that night

(spoken)
Don't go baby, don't put me out on the
street. Your threw my best sharkskin
suit out on the lawn, right on top of
some dog waste
(I hold in my hand three letters from
the stages of your fine, fine, super-
fine career...*) and my best white
shirts with the Mr. B collar all
over the front lawn. Where's my cuff
links? Lemme back in dere. Dere?

"Huffa puffa, Huffa puffa
There's no room to breathe in here"

"That's alright honey. You can come
out of the closet now..."

*ref: "The Glory of Love" by The Velvetones

(The Mr. B. collar refers to shirts patented by Billy Eckstine, bandleader, ballader and trumpeter, who devised a method of buttoning that would give his nexk room to swell (a necessity for trumpet-players) without popping the top button.)

lyle_from_minneapolis · Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:48 am

Ruben and the Jets! Now you really are dating yourself. Where is my Mr. Natural comic book, anyway?...

I always enjoyed "Most Likely You Go Your Way, I'll Go Mine."

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 8:56 am

No, no...this is from the 1968 Ruben and the Jets--the Frank Zappa doo wop parody/tribute that then gave rise to the doo-wop revival that gave birth to "Sha Na Na" (among others) and is still going strong on infomercial TV.

wayang · Post by **wayang** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:03 am

Outstanding choice, Dr. JJ! They don't write 'em like that anymore...

Of course, your selection made me think immediately of FZ's "Broken Hearts Are For *ssholes", but Forum Decorum prevents me from sharing the lyrics with some of our younger tender-headed viewers...it does get a bit forcefully strident there towards the end....

lyle_from_minneapolis · Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:06 am

I knew that, Jingle Jangle, and that's what dates you, pegs you as a 60's type, and makes me search for my Mr. Natural...

But that album is a buried treasure, truly some excellent musicianship with more tribute than parody involved, for once.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 9:15 am

Old Yeller got me