Buzzcocks, “You Say You Don’t Love Me”
“Might As Well be On Mars” from “Hey Stoopid”
“Die For You” also from “Hey Stoopid”
“Hell Is Living Without You” from “Trash”
“Burning Our Bed” another piece of “Trash”
All by Alice Cooper, of course. Welcome to my depression!
I Am Stretched On Your Grave Sinead O’Connor
Leader Of The Pack The Shangri-Las
“#1 Crush (Goth Mix)”—Garbage (It’s kind of a love song.)
“Love Song for a Vampire”—Annie Lennox
“Every Breath you Take”—The Police (if you listen closely to the lyrics)
Dead Can Dance’s version of “I Am Stretched On Your Grave”
An exceedingly depressing number of Patsy Cline songs.
“Floret Silva” from from Carmina Burana
“If I Didn’t Care” by the Ink Spots (if you know your movies)
Ray Orbison’s “Crying,” or the Spanish version from Mulholland Drive, “Llorando”
Blondie’s “Maria” almost, but not quite, qualifies.
Maybe I should just post the title’s from my “Heartbreak” iTunes playlist?
Cherry Blossom Girl -** Air**
No Distance Left to Run - Blur
Don’t You Want Me Anymore? - Pulp -* maybe*… but probably better would be My Legendary Girlfriend - they have quite a few along these lines, however, many of them are kind of bouncy. I tried to pick mellower sounding ones.
Jealousy - Pet Shop Boys
You Look So Fine - Garbage (“Let’s pretend, happy end”)
Cannonball-Damien Rice
A song about a guy who is trying not to try to hard.
I want You-Elvis Costello
More a song about a guy angry over his cheating girlfriend, but it might do.
Telephone Line- Electric Light Orchestra
She won’t answer his calls, he loves her, but realises it’s not going to happen.
I Want You- Bob Dylan
He wants her, she doesn’t want him. Different to the Costello song, obviously.
I don’t know how I could have forgotten Just My Imaginations (Running Away with Me) by the Temptations.
Well, sad love songs can fall into three different categories:
-
“I’m heartbroken because the person I love and I have broken up.”
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"I’m heartbroken because the person I love doesn’t know I’m alive or doesn’t feel the same way about me.
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“I’ve had my heart broken so many times, I just hate the very concept of love.”
I’m not sure which you want (Category #1 is far more abundant), so I’ll give some of both:
CATEGORY 1
Lobo’s “Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend”
Roy Orbison’s “Crying”
Jim Croce’s “Photographs and Memories”
John Denver’s “I’m Sorry”
Dido’s “White Flag”
CATEGORY 2
Elvis Costello’s “Alison”
Grass Roots’ “Midnight Confessions”
Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams”
The Temptations’ “Just My Imagination”
CATEGORY 3
J. Geils’ Band’s “Love Stinks”
Simon & Garfunkel’s “I Am a Rock”
Mandolin Rain - Bruce Hornsby
The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove- Dead Can Dance
This is the Last Day Of Our Aquaintance- Sinead O’Connor
Operator- Jim Croce
I Guess it Doesn’t Matter Anymore- Buddy Holly
Roy Orbison definitely belongs on your CD! (Consider also his “Not Alone Anymore” from the Traveling Wilburys.)
Several Beach Boys songs probably qualify—“The Warmth of the Sun” in particular springs to mind.
May or may not fit the mood, but I’m offering anyway:
“This Waltz” Leonard Cohen
“Coming Back To You” Leonard Cohen
“The Chain” there’s a really great version by Shawn Colvin out there, but the Fleetwood Mac one will do
How about where the girl doesn’t get the boy:
“Amelia” by Joni Mitchell “It’s so hard to obey, his sad request of me, to kindly stay away”
“Spanish Boots” by Bob Dylan
“One More Minute” by Weird Al Yankovic?
“Coast of Marseilles” - Jimmy Buffett
"Yooooo-ooouuuu…make it so hard to forget
Iiiiiii-iiii haven’t stopped
loving you yet
When I’d left the coast of Marseilles
I hadn’t done what I’d come to do
Spent all the money I’d saved
Still did not get over you
No, I still did not get over you."
I’m trying to remember - I think it’s on “Changes In Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes” - or “Son of a Son of a Sailor”.
Also, there’s a gem called “California Promises” on, um, “Riddles in the Sand,” I think.
Heart Like A Wheel- Linda Ronstadt
Catch The Wind- Donovan
Missing You- John Waite
Wicked Game- Chris Isaak
If You See Her, Say Hello- Bob Dylan
Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis)- Cowboy Junkies
“Sylvia’s Mother” - Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show
I hope I don’t fall in love with you—Tom Waits
Oh, what about the ultimate country weepie song: “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” by George Jones?
Dammit, beat me to it. That’s okay though since I have…
“All My Little Words” By Magnetic Fields [Stephin Merritt]
You said you were in love with me
Both of us know that that’s impossible
And I could make you rue the day
But I could never make you stay
Chevelle - Closure
The lyrics aren’t amazing poetry or anything, but the pain in his voice is almost scary. This song helped me get over someone.
Mercenary - Sharpen the Edges
This one may be darker (and heavier) than you’re looking for, but it’s definately about a guy who doesn’t get the girl.
Opeth - Face of Melinda
I know I’ve pimped this one several times, but this, to me, is probably the saddest love song ever.
Damn, this one still gives me chills.
If you like Irish music, two of the songs that fit your OP are on Altan’s Blackwater CD: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000000WAU/002-7192316-4732867?v=glance&n=5174
“Ta Me 'Mo Shui” (which is sung in Gaelic but there’s a translation on the sleeve), and “Blackwater.”