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Music For: Wallowing / Adjusting to the Single Life
Indie | Monday 24th November 2014 | gabriella
There’s plenty of great breakup songs, songs for smashing windscreens, for crying so hard your mascara dribbles down your chin, for the feeling of your throat being torn apart by wire wool after hours of shouting. No matter what kind of breakup you go through, there is undoubtedly fallout, text messages you wish you hadn’t sent, and drunken phone calls that you can’t take back. After some time has passed, and the serenity of resignation has taken over, these songs will help as you readjust into your new life, whether you see the light and feel refreshed, or wish you could jump in the tardis and do it all again.
The Naked and Famous – ‘A Small Reunion’
For anyone who’s thinking of reaching out to a long-ago ex, The Naked and Famous warn against it. “We could say we didn’t mean it//We could dig up all the names//We could brag about our future//Talk about our leaving day.” What could be worse than a petty argument with an ex about who dumped whom, and who’s doing better? You're better off stalking them on Facebook.
Cee Lo Green – ‘Fuck You’
There is the inevitable moment when one of you moves on and falls in love. For those who took a bit more time to open their hearts again, there’s nothing wrong with it. But there is undoubtedly something wrong with your ex’s new boo. What could be more empowering than realising that you’re better off (and shouting fuck you at the top of your lungs is quite cathartic).
Bayside – ‘Devotion and Desire’
Bayside have a knack for the heartbreak tunes, but Devotion and Desire is perhaps the best song post-breakup epiphany song. “I was just so happy to be out of my shell again//don't think that I really cared for who or what.” Ouch. In the end, the protagonist is “taking my life back to start healing.” After all, success is the sweetest form of revenge.
The Kills – ‘Black Balloon’
For the more sombre and sad post-breakup, Black Balloon is a perfect balance of mourning and resignation. Letting go is hard, letting go of something you love but is destroying you is perhaps even harder. “Farewell my black balloon/let the weather have its way with you.” The acknowledgement that you someone once so important to you will soon be as far away as a drifting balloon is sad, but unavoidable.
Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip – ‘You Will See Me’
Taking the same theme as ‘Devotion and Desire’, Scroobius Pip will not only succeed, but also leave a wake of destruction behind him so his ex will never forget what they walked away from. It’s a bit too harsh for reality, and not really feasible unless you also happen to be a dictator or high-ranking military personnel – great for catharsis though.
The Cranberries – How
For those still not over their breakup, languishing in angry nostalgia, ‘How’ is the perfect 90’s classic. Featured in the cult-classic film Empire Records as the background to Corey’s (Liv Tyler’s) heartbreak, ‘How’ is the perfect blend of anger and longing. “How? You said you would never leave me alone” isn’t pleading, but instead laced with the malice only the broken hearted can muster. Dolores O'Riordan inimitable vocals take the words and feelings right out of your mouth.
Snow Patrol – ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’
One of the more ambient, almost experimental tracks, ‘Never Gonna Fall in Love Again’ has a pretty clear message. The lyrics consist almost exclusively of those six little words. While, at the time, it might seem like a good mantra, one that’s easy to stick to when reeling from recent heartbreak, we all know it’ll be short-lived. For the time being, though, it’s the perfect musical accompaniment to a newly single life.
Peter, Paul, and Mary – ‘Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright’
Controversial opinion: this is a cover that is better than its original. There is no beating the heart-wrenching harmonising that epitomises Peter, Paul, and Mary. The lyrics, crafted by the genius Bob Dylan, come into their full poetic power as crooned by the folk trio. Whether you’re the break-upper or the break-upee, ‘Don’t Think Twice its Alright’ is guaranteed to strike a heartstring.
The Mountain Goats – ‘This Year’
Not strictly a breakup song, ‘This Year’ is perfect for anyone struggling to survive anything. For the intents and purposes of this list, however, it serves perfectly. “I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me” is the anthem one needs to get through the awkward period of adjusting to life without a significant other.
The Postal Service – The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
Perhaps best of all, this track from the beloved one-off project of Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard is a narrative exploration of remaining friends with an ex. “I can finally see that I was the one worth leaving.” There is no better positive message about being alone, being left, or leaving, than that.
By Gabriella Geisinger
