# I need some miserable songs. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 7, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770 "2005-02-07T05:22:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WaryEri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ea666f/32.png) [@WaryEri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WaryEri)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/21 "2005-02-08T03:09:58Z")
Sinead O’Conner- The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance might fit the bill. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/22 "2005-02-08T03:19:15Z")
My stock answer to this is Elliott Smith’s “Waltz #2” and “Miss Misery”.“Southern Belle” is a more angry approach. Also, The Strokes “The Break-Up Song” is sung from the perspective of the dumpee. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/23 "2005-02-08T03:37:52Z")
Toad the Wet Sprocket’s _Something’s Always Wrong_ and _Good Riddance_ by Greenday both good breakup songs…kind of sad and introspective, not angry. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/24 "2005-02-08T04:05:13Z")
David Allen Coe You never even called me by my Name. Charlie Daniels Band Drinking my Baby Good-bye Garth Brooks Friends in Low Places and Dixie Chicken I swear these are the only country songs I own. Swear to God. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/25 "2005-02-08T04:07:03Z")
OH and don’t forget Meatloaf 2 out 3 aint Bad Paradise by the Dashboard Lights. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/26 "2005-02-08T05:23:03Z")
> [@Windwalker](#): > > My stock answer to this is Elliott Smith’s “Waltz #2” and “Miss Misery”.“Southern Belle” is a more angry approach. Good choices. I also think of “Pitseleh.” Practically anything from Elvis Costello will do. You can follow Miss Misery with Elvis’s song about Mr. Misery, “Home is Anywhere You Hang Your Head:” > [@](#): > > Here comes Mr. Misery > He’s tearing out his hair again > He’s crying over her again > He’s standing in the super-market shouting at the customers > > Here comes Mr. Misery > He’ll never be any good with a mouth full of gold and blood > He’s contemplating murder again > He must be in love > > But you know she doesn’t want you > But you can’t seem to get it in your head > Oh and you can’t sleep at night > And she haunts you when you go to bed > When you’re tired of talking and you can’t drink it down > So you hang around and drown instead > Home isn’t where it used to be > Home is anywhere you hang your head… Actually, the whole album “Blood and Chocolate” is a great break-up album. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/27 "2005-02-08T05:28:14Z")
There’s Warren Zevon’s “For My Next Trick, I’ll Need a Volunteer,” off _Life’ll Kill Ya_. > [@](#): > > I can saw a woman in two, > but you won’t want to look in the box when I’m through > I can make love disappear > For my next trick, I’ll need a volunteer It’s very peppy, and completely pessimistic. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/28 "2005-02-08T05:29:42Z")
You need to listen to The Smiths. The song that first springs to mind is “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” > [@](#): > > I was happy in the haze of a drunken hour, but heaven knows I’m miserable now > I was looking for a job and then I found a job, and heaven knows I’m miserable now > In my life why do I give valuable time > To people who don’t care if I live or I die “Unhappy Birthday” > [@](#): > > I’ve come to wish you an unhappy birthday > (because you’re evil and you lie) > … > And if you should die > I may be a little sad but I won’t cry “Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me” I don’t remember enough of the lyrics to quote them. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/29 "2005-02-08T05:42:05Z")
Damn, sorry, in my enthusiasm to post about The Smiths, I see you already have Unhappy Birthday. Well, they have plenty more songs… A solo Morrissey song that would fit is “Suedehead” It starts out with him apologetic, then he finds out she’s been reading his diary and is sickened instead. He ends the song repeating “It was a good lay” Speaking of finding diaries, “Love Detective” by Arab Strap should work. The song is a narrative that I can’t really pull any quotes from- it really works best all together. “Love Will Tear Us Apart” by Joy Division- I’ve heard it described as the best breakup song. I don’t get how that works myself, but the guy who said it is a lot older and wiser than I am. “Blue Monday” by New Order- Pretty much a classic breakup song Someone earlier mentioned Toad the Wet Sprocket. The singer did a solo song that might work, the song’s called Easier. A free (legal) mp3 is here: [url[[http://www.comebackdownload.com/Bleeding%20Cuts/BleedingCuts.mp3f/07%20-%20Easier.mp3](http://www.comebackdownload.com/Bleeding%20Cuts/BleedingCuts.mp3f/07%20-%20Easier.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/30 "2005-02-08T05:45:00Z")
I guess I should fix the coding: [http://www.comebackdownload.com/Bleeding%20Cuts/BleedingCuts.mp3f/07%20-%20Easier.mp3](http://www.comebackdownload.com/Bleeding%20Cuts/BleedingCuts.mp3f/07%20-%20Easier.mp3) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/31 "2005-02-08T05:51:20Z")
“One More Minute,” by Weird Al Yankovich _Well, I heard the you’re leavin’ Gonna leave me far behind Since you found your brand new lover You’ve decided that I’m not your kind So I pulled your name out of my Rolodex And I tore all your pictures in two And I burned down the malt shop where we used to go Just because it reminds me of you._ ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/32 "2005-02-08T06:15:05Z")
“Song for the Dumped” by Ben Folds Five So you wanted to take a break Slow it down some and have some space Chorus: Well f\*\*k you too Give me my money back Give me my money back you bitch I want my money back (And don’t forget to give me back my black T-Shirt) Wish I hadn’t bought you dinner Right before you dumped me on your front porch Give me my money back Give me my money back You bitch I want my money back and don’t forget And don’t forget. ---
**Author:** ![SusanStoHelit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@SusanStoHelit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SusanStoHelit)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/33 "2005-02-08T06:18:38Z")
I know it was in the OP, but I thought everyone would appreciate the lyrics. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/34 "2005-02-08T07:07:24Z")
**SusanStoHelit** , for future reference: I think it’s against the rules to post the entire lyrics to a song here. ---
**Author:** ![williamweigand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b3f665/32.png) [@williamweigand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/williamweigand)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/35 "2005-02-08T14:45:18Z")
The song I’m thinking of may be called “The Salt in My Tears” and the line in it that I related to when going through a break-up is “You’re not worth the salt in my tears”. I thought that was so clever, at the time. And by the way… As nasty as Nilsson’s “You’re Breaking My Heart” might sound, don’t forget - he ends it with “But I Loove You!”. (I didn’t mean to put two Os in “love” but left the extra one since it seems to illustrate how Harry emphasized the word.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/36 "2005-02-08T15:10:12Z")
Check any Celtic collection. Also, _Heartbreak Hotel_ and _Blue Christmas_ by Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![Foolonthehill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Foolonthehill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foolonthehill)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/37 "2005-02-08T15:15:19Z")
**Sing Along with Los Straightjackets** has some excellent tunes: _“I ain’t the one”_ with Allison Moorer & Lonesome Bob _“I’ll go down swingin’”_ with Exene. Others; _“With an old friend by my side”_ by Lyle Lovett _“Blade”_ by the Bastard sons of Johnny Cash ---
**Author:** ![D.E.S.K.Top668](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@D.E.S.K.Top668](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D.E.S.K.Top668)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770/38 "2005-02-08T15:38:32Z")
Quite a few by **The Flatlanders** , but especially “I Thought the Wreck was Over”: > [@The Flatlanders](#): > > At first I thought I’d died and gone to heaven > In fact I had lived and gone to hell and > [@The Flatlanders](#): > > I can’t tell you how many times she left me > I lost count the very first time that she did Peace - DESK [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-some-miserable-songs/288770.md?page=1)