Perhaps it's the romantic in me that thought this was a great idea. Breakups are never easy and without quitting cold turkey from that love addiction, feelings and pain can linger. Social networking has only made an abrupt breakup even harder to fulfill. The folks over at yourtango.com came up with this brilliant idea Annual Break Up With Your Ex Day. This Valentine's Day give yourself a gift and delete your exes pictures, unfriend them from your friend lists, untag yourself from their photos, and delete the cute videos. And ask out that lonely coworker of yours. They might say yes. And, most of all, have a Happy Valentine's Day!
I was faced with a recent dating dilemma, and not for the first time. How soon into a relationship should I share my website? Quite often, when someone finds out that I am a writer, they ask to read something that I wrote. Under those circumstances, I do have one or two stories that I might be willing to share.
In most cases I will only share my short stories with my closest contacts. My stories are personal. I don't publish the stories to my blog. My site, in a public forum and although shared with the world, is different. The irony is that as public as the site is, I keep it at a distance from myself.
So, I recently shared my site with a lady I was dating. After a couple days had passed I received an email from her stating she doesn't want to see me again (Yes. By email). My first thought was, 'Oh geez! I hope it wasn't my website?'
And then reality struck. I hung my head, I hope it isn't... no it is... it's me. After all, my website is awesome.
Continued from Break Up Songs (They Don't Write Em) Part 1. I split this in two parts. It was a little clunky to load. More upbeat breakup songs. There are a lot of those slow, sad love ballads and breakup songs. But how many upbeat breakup songs are there? Did I miss any?
So She's Leaving -The Trews This first song was a late addition. The Trews, hailing from Nova Scotia have released four studio albums and two EPs. From their 2005 release Den of Thieves here is The Trews with So She's Leaving.
Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) - Looking Glass Sing along to the Looking Glass' number one song on Billboard’s Hot 100 from 1972. It features Elliot Lurie’s rich vocals.
Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee Kiki and Elton’s clowning around make this the most fun video of the entire lot of breakup videos. No vayas a romperme mi corazon.
Here is Cake responding on behalf of all men in their cover of I Will Survive. While in Gaynor’s version she is shouting out to the world, here John McCrea’s take is less of anthem and more of a self reassurance.
Maggie May - Rod Stewart. I love early Rod Stewart when he was still Rod the Mod and was rocking the Blues. That was before he became Rod the Disco sell-out and before he became Rod the Pop sell-out. Maggie May is in my Top 5 favorite Rod Stewart songs.
96 Tears - ? & The Mysterians One of the most distinctive keyboard sounds of any song.
Blue Moon – Marcels The up-tempo version the song.
There’s Always Something There to Remind Me -Naked Eyes Burt Bacharach wrote this in the early 1960s. The Naked Eyes version is synthed out and set to 80s electric drum beats in this New Wave hit.
Jealous Man -Hoyt Axton Not quite a break up song, Axton refers to it as a love song. But it could just as easily be the jealous ex-boyfriend singing. Axton is one of America’s greatest storytellers, the big man with the guitar, you’ve got to believe every word he says. Or else. (Also try if you can to find his haunting (and hard to find) cover of House of the Rising Sun. It is beautiful)
(don’t know why this is set to video from Taxi Driver aside from the fact that it kind of fits) And if you are in the U.S. via Hulu you can stream the episode of WKRP in Cincinnati where Axton performs the song.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin Robert Plant, Jimmy Page. Plant howls about the road a callin’ and overpowering his want to stay.
Gone, Gone, Gone - Bad Company 70s super group. The first to sign to Led Zeppelin created record label Swan Song. “Well, I been havin’ a little trouble lord But I'm keepin’ it together yeah My baby just walked out the doors She said this time forever...”
Listen for the wicked good chorus.
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morrisette This song that sparked Morrisette’s comeback and re-branding.
(I Hate) Everything About You - Ugly Kid Joe. I forgot about these guys. And probably will again. But it’s a fun song.
Click here for the Top Ten
11 - Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) by Looking Glass
12 - Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee
13 - I Will Survive by Cake
14 - Maggie May by Rod Stewart
15 - 96 Tears by ? & The Mysterians
16 - Blue Moon by The Marcels
17 - There’s Always Something There to Remind Me by Naked Eyes
18 - Jealous Man by Hoyt Axton
19 - Babe I'm Gonna Leave You by Led Zeppelin
20 - Gone, Gone, Gone by Bad Company
21 - You Oughta Know by Alanis Morrisette
22 - (I Hate) Everything About You by Ugly Kid Joe
There are fewer 90s songs that could be considered classics. I also had trouble finding songs from the 00s and 10s that fit the bill. There are plenty of ballads or slow songs but not many upbeat tunes. I had the urge to throw in Fiona Apple’s Shadowboxer but the song was too somber so I just threw the CD into the player and had a beer. Once my lover now my friend… Can you think of any? What else did I miss? Here's the link to Part 1 of Upbeat break up songs Break Up Songs (They Don't Write Em) .
There are a lot of those slow, sad love ballads and breakup songs. But how many upbeat breakup songs are there? Driving to work this last week I heard two songs on CBC Radio2 that got the old brain fired up. I was on a mission to find more. The first song that came to mind has to be the supreme and unmatched leader in this category. I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor. The anthem for all women shouting out to the world I will survive.
The song I heard earlier this week could be an anthem for men. Paul Carrack’s 1987 single Don’t Shed a Tear. Carrack’s defiant F U in Don’t Shed a Tear carries a little bitterness but probably sends the strongest and coolest message to the former love who left him.
The video is mostly of a model walking around with cuts of the singer performing and doesn’t capture the power of the lyrics. Carrack, you will probably remember, was lead singer of Squeeze and Mike and the Mechanics.
The second song that set me on this project is Paul Simon’s 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover. A humourous song with the rat-a-tat drums. But what a gip! Simon only mentions five ways to leave your lover.
The Greg Kihn Band’s The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write’em), not only provides the title for this post but was a top 15 hit in 1981.
Australian New Wave band Mental As Anything probably have the quirkiest and funniest of the breakup songs singing “If you leave me, can I come to?”
Don't You Want Me by Human League Captures the best of the he said - she said tenet. What always struck me about this song, the guy is saying how she can’t survive without him. Is he emotionally immature or emotionally abusive?
Live video? He's not even singing into the mic.
Heartache Tonight byThe Eagles . Glenn Frey singing. What do I have to say about this? It’s the Eagles.
Hungry Heart - Bruce Springsteen. An updated “live” version. Slightly more up tempo then the original.
Tunnel of Love - Bruce Springsteen. Had anyone else sang this song it would have been a depressing love-lost song. With Springsteen’s phrasing on the brilliant lyrics there is a message of hope.
You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi. I can’t say I was ever a Bon Jovi fan. I didn’t mind Wanted Dead or Alive. But as for breakup songs, you can’t get more rocking then You Give Love a Bad Name. Rocking, in the I’ve-got-big-hair-filled-with-hairspray sense.
Top Ten Breakup Songs.
1 - I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor
2 - Don’t Shed a Tear by Paul Carrack
3 - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon
4 - The Breakup Song by The Greg Kihn Band
5 - If you leave me, can I come to? by Mental As Anything
There are a lot of those slow, sad love ballads and breakup songs. But how many upbeat breakup songs are there? Can you think of any? What else did I miss?
Perhaps it's the romantic in me that thought this was a great idea. Breakups are never easy and without quitting cold turkey from that love addiction, feelings and pain can linger. Social networking has only made an abrupt breakup even harder to fulfill. The folks over at yourtango.com came up with this brilliant idea Annual Break Up With Your Ex Day. This Valentine's Day give yourself a gift and delete your exes pictures, unfriend them from your friend lists, untag yourself from their photos, and delete the cute videos. And ask out that lonely coworker of yours. They might say yes. And, most of all, have a Happy Valentine's Day!
