# Know any good break-up songs?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 8, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381 "2002-12-08T23:31:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@UWmite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UWmite)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/1 "2002-12-08T23:31:15Z")
I just broke up with (read: dumped) my boyfriend of 3 years. It ended better than I’d expected, and we’re both doing ok, considering. But now it seems every time I turn on the radio I hear a song where somebody’s begging somebody else to come back to them or whining about their breakups or something, and it’s driving me batty. Can anyone recommend some good songs from the other perspective (i.e. mine)? Is there such thing as the anti-Patsy Cline?
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### Author:  [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/2 "2002-12-08T23:35:58Z")
Ugly Kid Joe, “I Hate Everything About You”. Works every time. 🙂
Robin
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### Author:  [@airdisc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/airdisc)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/3 "2002-12-08T23:36:59Z")
Weird Al Yankovic - One More Minute
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### Author:  [@lindsay.reid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsay.reid)
#### Post date: [December 8, 2002, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/4 "2002-12-08T23:45:28Z")
Barenaked Ladies…“Break Your Heart”
Kind of sad, but it’s ultimately a triumph-over-breakup song.
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### Author:  [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/5 "2002-12-09T01:02:41Z")
Damn! Patsy’s _Cryin’_ was the first one I thought of, even before opening the thread!
How about _Your Cheatin’ Heart_ by Hank Williams? Maybe it doesn’t really apply here, but a great song anyway.
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/6 "2002-12-09T01:14:18Z")
Ben Folds Five – _Song for the Dumped_. Not really apropos, but it’s such a great song to turn up the sound and sing along to – “Give me my money back, give me my money back, give me my money back you b!tch!”
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### Author:  [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/7 "2002-12-09T01:50:10Z")
_Loved to Death_ - **Megadeth**
> [@](#):
>
> I LOVED YOU TO DETH
> IF I CAN’T HAVE YOU
> THAN NO ONE WILL
> AND SINCE I WON’T
> I’LL HAVE TO KILL
_They_ - **Entombed**
> [@](#):
>
> They say, “Hey we only hurt the ones we love”
> Well that’s not the kind of comfort I was thinking of
_This Love_ - **Pantera**
> [@](#):
>
> And sometimes I feel so sorry
> I regret this the hurting of you
> But you make me so unhappy
> I’d take my life and leave love with you
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### Author:  [@Lockfist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lockfist)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/8 "2002-12-09T02:16:40Z")
Oh for gods sake, how could I forget…
_No Love Lost_ - **Carcass**
> [@](#):
>
> Without emotion you heartstring’s played
> Strummed and severed to the tune of a tragic serenade
>
> When all is said and done
> There’s no love lost
That one is from the album _Heartwork_ but you probably wouldn’t like it…
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### Author:  [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/9 "2002-12-09T02:32:35Z")
My favorite is,
**I Think I’ll Disappear Now**
_by The Crash Test Dummies_
I’ll give you a little sample
> [@](#):
>
> Running into you like this without warning
> Is like catching a sniff of Tequila in the morning
> But I’ll try, I’ll try to keep my food down
> That’s quite an after-taste that you’ve left now that you’re not around
I always listen to this one after a break up
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### Author:  [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/10 "2002-12-09T02:43:32Z")
**I’m Free**
_The Who_
**Time For Me To Fly**
_REO Speedwagon_
**In The Hands Of Death**
_Rob Zombie with Alice Cooper_
**All Wrong**
_God Lives Underwater_
**Just Like You Said It Would Be**
_Sinead O’Connor_
Some are for the lyrics, the others for the feel of the song.
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### Author:  [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/11 "2002-12-09T03:18:35Z")
“Sleep to Dream”, by Fiona Apple. It’s bitter and vengeful, if you want that sort of thing. Sample lyrics:
I tell you how I feel, but you don’t care
I say tell me the truth, but you don’t dare
You say love is a hell you cannot bear
And I say give me mine back and then go there for all I care
Great stuff. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/12 "2002-12-09T03:57:19Z")
Bob Dylan
Positively Fourth Street
Every line of that song is brilliant, my personal favorite being…
“I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes, and just for that one moment I could be you, yes, I wish that for just one time you could stand inside my shoes, you’d know what a drag it is to see you.”
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/13 "2002-12-09T04:20:10Z")
I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me - Morrissey.
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### Author:  [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/14 "2002-12-09T04:52:48Z")
Roxette - “Must Have Been Love, But It’s Over Now”
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### Author:  [@rexnervous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rexnervous)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/15 "2002-12-09T04:59:45Z")
You could try **She Hates Me** by _Puddle of Mudd_, though on second thought maybe that’s not the angle you’re looking for…
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### Author:  [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/16 "2002-12-09T05:08:32Z")
How about “The Phone Call” by Joe Satriani:
> [@](#):
>
> Well, You look like a yuppie and that’s too bad
> Yeah, it used to be funny but now it’s sad
> And your friends are all stupid and they talk too much
> And I’d feel a lot better staying out of touch
>
> 'Cause you know I don’t want what you want
> I want what I want
Some excellent banjo playing on that one too (yes, I am serious)
Another vote for “One More Minute” by Weird Al as well. It’s one of the funniest songs he has ever written.
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### Author:  [@I\_am\_Sparticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_am_Sparticus)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/17 "2002-12-09T05:19:17Z")
My alltime favorite breakup song is **J. Geils** _Love Stinks._
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### Author:  [@UWmite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UWmite)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/18 "2002-12-09T05:20:32Z")
Wow, these all look great so far!
I was thinking of Break Your Heart when I started this thread actually. Most devistatingly honest song I know.
And of course, One More Minute. I forgot all about that one!
A lot of Ben Folds fits the bill right now. While I can’t appreciate the sentiment of Song For The Dumped at the moment, it’s certainly done its job for me before.
I don’t know a lot of the rest of these songs. I’ll have to get me some new music. Especially since about 90% of my record collection reminds me waaayyy too much of my ex - this too shall pass?
Thanks to everybody for making this easier.
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### Author:  [@StephenG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StephenG)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/19 "2002-12-09T05:31:17Z")
I’ll probably be taunted ruthlessly for this, but I’m a big **Fleetwood Mac** fan. Their _Rumours_ album is all about break-ups…
For all the lyrics (which are worth a read, IMHO) go [here](http://www.davemcnally.com/Lyrics/FleetwoodMac/Rumours/).
> [@](#):
>
> Did she make you cry
> Make you break down
> Shatter your illusions of love
> Is it over now- do you know how
> Pick up the pieces and go home
> [@](#):
>
> Now here you go again
> You say you want your freedom
> Well who am I to keep you down
> [@](#):
>
> One thing I think you should know
> I ain’t gonna miss you when you go
> Been down so long
> I’ve been tossed around enough
> Couldn’t you just
> Let me go down and do my stuff
[sub]Off Topic: See, Lindsey Buckingham (male) and Stevie Nicks (female) had just broken up, which makes it even more interesting… [/sub]
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### Author:  [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2002, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-break-up-songs/141381/20 "2002-12-09T05:42:13Z")
I always liked Harry Nilsson’s _You’re Breakin My Heart_.
> [@](#):
>
> You’re breakin’ my heart,
> You’re tearin’ it apart,
> So fuck you!
It’s one fine breakup tune…😃
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