Top 5 breakup songs

In my last post, I gave you my top 5 love songs.

Now that the Valentine's Day honeymoon is over, why don't we do the Top 5 breakup songs, for all of those out there hurting? Here we go:

5. “Crying Like a Church on Monday,” by The New Radicals

I like the music in this song, very classic R&B bluesy, with a pop tempo. Love the piano. I'm more for nontraditional music, being a nontraditionalist myself. And the composition of this song and basic premise of the lyrics are very old-school. But Gregg Alexander has a knack for taking the ordinary of a genre and tweaking it just enough to make it interesting. The simile of "crying like a church on Monday" is fantastic. Best line: "Now I don't light candles, cuz they make me see the light."

4. “Shadowboxer,” by Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple is one of the best piano songwriters of my generation. And among the best lyricists. She has a deep understanding of evil and paints the picture of her former lover's head games as bleak as they often are. And the confusion of being pulled between lover and friend can make a person feel like a shadowboxer. Best line: "So I'll be sure to stay wary of you, love/To save the pain of once my flame and twice my burn."

3. “Pale Green Stars,” by Everclear

A story told about how a breakup impacts the children. And, like Art Alexakis always does, he tells it with such vivid imagery and clearly explained emotion. That's why they're my favorite band. Best line: "Climb up the stairs, close the door/Doesn't wanna hear us fighting anymore/Better call it a day."

2. “Let It Die,” by The Foo Fighters

I think Dave Grohl wrote this song about Courtney Love and what role he thinks she played in Kurt Cobain's death. But it could very easily be turned into an angry song blaming a former lover for letting a good thing fall apart. At least that's how I hear it. The very last note in the song, where all the music stop and Grohl's still screaming, makes my skin tingle every time. Great. Best line: "A simple man and his blushin' bride/Interveinious intertwined/Why'd you have to go and let it die?"

1.  “Cold Contagious,” by Bush

Pure anger and sadness and trying to find yourself. That's the hardest part about breaking up: learning how to go from two to one. And this song describes that struggle very well. Distorted and weird guitars play as big a role in telling the story as do the off-color lyrics. Best line: "You have no right to calm me down/You were never that around/And I missed."

Comments

[Sarah]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sarah

http://www.lyricsdigs.com