Break Up Songs

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*Another No One - Suede
*Since you Went Away - Suede
*Blue Jeans - Blur
*You got her in your Pocket
*What do I do Now? - Sleeper
*TV Movie - Pulp
*I Know Very Well How I got my Name - Morrissey
*The Dark is Rising - Mercury Rev

― Calum, Sunday, 13 April 2003 19:46 (twenty-three years ago)

*You got her in your Pocket - The White Stripes
*I Want you - Pulp

Missed that.
Sorry.

― Calum, Sunday, 13 April 2003 19:47 (twenty-three years ago)

"When I Burn This Place Down" by Firewater
"Dalliance" by the Wedding Present
"Kiss Off" by the Violent Femmes

...and pretty much the entirety of Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails, apart from "Head Like a Hole."

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Sunday, 13 April 2003 19:59 (twenty-three years ago)

depending what type of break-up it is...Spain's She haunts me dreams

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 14 April 2003 04:44 (twenty-three years ago)

haligh, haligh, a lie, haligh - bright eyes

― arc-de-ciel, Monday, 14 April 2003 06:32 (twenty-three years ago)

yea most of Bright Eye's 'Fevers and Mirrors' would be good for a breakup but you may just cry yourself to death and not be able to find anyone else.

― JP Albin (John Paul Albin), Monday, 14 April 2003 20:42 (twenty-three years ago)

lovely day by front 242.

it was a lovely day, the day you walked away

― todd swiss (eliti), Monday, 14 April 2003 21:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Beck: Lost Cause
or, if you're a girl:
Toni Braxton: He Wasn't Man Enough For Me

― Jay K (Jay K), Monday, 14 April 2003 22:21 (twenty-three years ago)

Action Woman

― SplendidMullet (iamamonkey), Monday, 14 April 2003 22:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Roxy Music's Flesh & Blood album.

― Tijn, Monday, 14 April 2003 22:36 (twenty-three years ago)

'Secret For Julie', 'My Chest Is Empty' & 'My Bed Is Red' - Eric's Trip
'She's Gone' - Brian Jonestown Mascara

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 14 April 2003 22:47 (twenty-three years ago)

"One Way Or Another" describes every relationship I've ever had from start to finish.

― Ally (mlescaut), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 01:23 (twenty-three years ago)

The three classic breakup songs:

Lesley Gore, "You Don't Own Me"
Blondie, "Heart of Glass"
Ray Charles, "Hit the Road Jack"

Ironically, the Greg Kihn Band's "The Breakup Song" is NOT an appropriate breakup song, but a rather good song by an artist better known for his blander stuff.

― Dee the Lurker (Dee the Lurker), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 03:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Primitives: Way Behind Me.

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 03:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Morphine's "I'm Free Now"
Sinead O'Conner's "Today is the Last Day of Our Acquaintance"
Tom Waits' "Bad Liver and a Broken Heart (in Lowell)"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 15:01 (twenty-three years ago)

"Lumpy, Beanpole & Dirt", the Bad Livers

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 15:04 (twenty-three years ago)

"Divorce Song" and "Johnny Sunshine" and "Strange Loop" from Exile in Guyville.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 15:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I did sort of that same topic in this thread:
Ten songs to be played in weddings...

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 15:06 (twenty-three years ago)

"Say Hello Wave Goodbye"

― Ally (mlescaut), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 16:39 (twenty-three years ago)

That's a great one.

― Nicole (Nicole), Tuesday, 15 April 2003 16:40 (twenty-three years ago)

one month passes...

Oh well, there are other fish in the sea.

― Nordicskillz (Nordicskillz), Thursday, 22 May 2003 22:19 (twenty-three years ago)

two years pass...

Don't know that last one, what about:

ABBA 'Knowing me, Knowing you' or 'The Winner Takes it All'
Prefab Sprout 'Cruel'

― stevo (stevo), Friday, 15 July 2005 07:33 (twenty years ago)

"J" for Jules - 'Til Tuesday

― Palomino (Palomino), Friday, 15 July 2005 16:57 (twenty years ago)

a covert break up song is abba's the day before you came

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Friday, 15 July 2005 17:02 (twenty years ago)

though not so much bout a break up at all, dylan's "i dont believe you", if taken litterally, is one of the best post break up numbers

― b b, Friday, 15 July 2005 17:07 (twenty years ago)

"J" for Jules - 'Til Tuesday

cf. the entirety of Everything's Different, but esp. the first five tracks:
1. Everything's Different Now
2. Rip In Heaven
3. Why Must I
4. 'J' For Jules
5. (Believed You Were) Lucky

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Friday, 15 July 2005 18:08 (twenty years ago)

Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone

― ana (ana), Friday, 15 July 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

Box Elder.

― wmlynch (wlynch), Friday, 15 July 2005 19:58 (twenty years ago)

Um, what about music that's ACTUALLY PLAYING while you're breaking up? I had Transient Noise Bursts on the player the other night when I broke it off with someone. It was like an icy noise-wall in the background. I hope this doesn't sound callous, but it was perfect.

― p.j. (Henry), Friday, 15 July 2005 22:06 (twenty years ago)

That may actually place me in the category of corny indie fu¢k.

― p.j. (Henry), Friday, 15 July 2005 22:08 (twenty years ago)

Husker Du, "I Will Never Forget You" — I can't believe that wasn't already mentioned.

― Rock Hardy (Rock Hardy), Friday, 15 July 2005 22:12 (twenty years ago)

Junior Boys - Bellona

― pinder (pinder), Friday, 15 July 2005 23:12 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

BUMP.

fuck.

― max, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

otm

― That one guy that quit, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

most anything by converge, unless the music is a little too hectic for your liking

robyn - be mine

― Charlie Howard, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:27 (nineteen years ago)

um Losing My Religion cuz isn't that what brenda plays when she breaks up with dylan

The Breeders Off You cuz that's what I played when my bf and i were whatever

and the Breeders Do You Love Me Now

OH and Chicago If You Leave Me Now

― Surmounter, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:28 (nineteen years ago)

hahaha charlie im still in the "converge" stage of the breakup right now (listening to jane doe) but i need recommendations for when i get drunk and weepy

― max, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

Earlier this year, I made a "post-Valentine's Day" playlist for my radio show. These songs were among the break-up tunes:

Fiery Furnaces – Single Again
The Arcade Fire – Crown of Love
The Magnetic Fields – I Don’t Believe in the Sun
Johnny Cash – I Still Miss Someone
Harry Nilsson – Living Without You
Weezer – Across the Sea
The Beatles – For No One
The Mountain Goats – Woke Up New

― Nathan, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Oops! Across the Sea isn't a break-up song. It's just a really depressing love song.

― Nathan, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

hahah jane doe. that's a king of a break up record.

'lost in you like saturday nights
searching the streets with bedroom eyes
just dying to be saved'

damn

i like to listen to the likes of mark lanegan, the cure, red house painters, tim buckley when things go pear with a lady. it happens to me frequently enough, i've sorta developed a formula

― Charlie Howard, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

i'm listening to 'tear in your hand' by tori amos now.

it's sort of fitting i guess. but i wouldn't be listening to the woman if she wasn't such a hot topic on ilm just now

― Charlie Howard, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

L. Cohen -- So Long, Marianne

"You left when I told you I was curious,
I never said that I was brave"

― negotiable, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

^^^ fantastic song

― Charlie Howard, Sunday, 6 May 2007 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

that is a great song

― Surmounter, Sunday, 6 May 2007 17:48 (nineteen years ago)

fiona apple - love ridden

― gman, Monday, 7 May 2007 07:08 (nineteen years ago)

Ouch max :(

Dont listen to the Red House Painters for gods sake!

― Trayce, Monday, 7 May 2007 07:32 (nineteen years ago)

Cat Power - Still In Love
Palace - New Partner
the Underdogs - Love's Gone Bad

― nicky lo-fi, Monday, 7 May 2007 08:04 (nineteen years ago)

"I Will Survive" duh!

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 7 May 2007 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

"The Boatman's Call" almost ended my relationship a while back. I'd say that album holds about 50% of the blame for the situation escalating to the point it did.

― the Dirt, Monday, 7 May 2007 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

i had that, only with 'tha doggfather'

― That one guy that quit, Monday, 7 May 2007 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

haha, yours is way better

― the Dirt, Monday, 7 May 2007 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

i had that with elliott smith s/t and either/or a few years back. in fact the girl thought i was starting to model myself on elliott, which was very scary and false.

― Charlie Howard, Monday, 7 May 2007 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

"Blue Jean Blues"-ZZ Top

― Bill Magill, Monday, 7 May 2007 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe not a break-up song per se, but I found that Cake's Fashion Nugget got me through my last break-up pretty well ... "Shut the fuck up!!" Also, I guess you could call "The Distance" a break-up song of sorts ... for stalkers.

Other songs that come to mind:

"Cry Me a River"
"You're a Big Girl Now"
"If You See Her Say Hello"
"I Used to Love Her"
"You're So Vain"

And I'll back up Cohen's "Marianne"

― Jiminy Krokus, Monday, 7 May 2007 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

I'm Not In Love - Red Red Meat (a cover)
and
50 ways to leave a lover - Paul Simon (obviously)

― CaptainLorax, Monday, 7 May 2007 19:11 (nineteen years ago)

"The Ubiquotous Mr. Lovegrove" by Dead Can Dance. No, really!

― Alex in NYC, Monday, 7 May 2007 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

"recommendation" by mirah
"the equalizer" or "count souvenirs" by junior boys
"someone great" by lcd soundsystem
"easy to be around" by diane cluck
"a complete history of sexual jealousy" by momus
"i can't talk about it" by el perro del mar

― earth mystery, Monday, 7 May 2007 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

oh, and all of "dogs blood rising" by current 93 of course

― earth mystery, Monday, 7 May 2007 21:40 (nineteen years ago)

tears for fears "Pale Shelter"

― It was in Bobcaygeon..., Monday, 7 May 2007 23:31 (nineteen years ago)

"disintegration" by the cure owns this thread forever

― John Splith, Monday, 7 May 2007 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

"FM" would be my pick for a Junior Boys break-up song. that shit is sad.

― negotiable, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 00:12 (nineteen years ago)

nina simone - break down and let it all out
the cure - fight
blur - no distance left to run

those could be pretty apt

― Charlie Howard, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 17:40 (nineteen years ago)

david ruffin, "my whole world ended (the moment you left me)"

i heard this while in the midst of a wonderful relationship and thought, wow, i'd hate to be that guy. three weeks later, i was that guy.

also: the jam, "the bitterest pill"
mercury rev, "the dark is rising" seconded.

― Lawrence the Looter, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 18:07 (nineteen years ago)

We did a Jealousy thread on ILM once, a couple years ago. I would guess several of the songs mentioned in that thread may also fit in here.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 22:01 (nineteen years ago)

Was this thread started by that Calum?

― Daniel_Rf, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 23:04 (nineteen years ago)

I think Blur's "Caramel" is an awesomely sad breakup song.

― Trayce, Tuesday, 8 May 2007 23:50 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

13th floor elevators - dust

― strgn, Monday, 28 May 2007 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

two years pass...

"I'm Gone" by Dolly Parton is one helluva choon.

― The Love Song of J Alfred Pluot (Oilyrags), Friday, 7 August 2009 19:54 (sixteen years ago)

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