Well, one I discovered recently is “Aubrey” by Bread. Sample:
And there’s “Walk Away Renee” by lots of folks. Sample:
Frankie Valli is a talenless hack?
My contribution: Separate Lives, sung by Phil Collins & Marilyn Martin, written by Stephen Bishop
You called me from the room in your hotel
All full of romance for someone that you met
And telling me how sorry you were, leaving so soon
And that you miss me sometimes when you’re alone in your room
Do I feel lonely too?
You have no right to ask me how I feel
You have no right to speak to me so kind
We can’t go on just holding on to time
Now that we’re living separate lives
“Ghost” by Indigo Girls
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
If only this included Spanish pop songs, just because many (if not most) of the ballads/pop songs are about lost loves…
Encounters, anyway. Not so much wistful, though.
Ween “Baby Bitch”
It’s been a while since I’ve seen you smile
But now you’ve come back again
Came into the room and you saw my girl
And you asked her how long it’s been
A year she said and you shook your head
Said I’m surprised its gone on that long
Baby, baby, baby bitch
For words I am at a loss
Baby, baby, baby bitch
I’m better now please fuck off…
**Ani Difranco ** “Untouchable Face”
think I’m going for a walk now
I feel a little unsteady
I don’t want nobody to follow me
'cept maybe you
I could make you happy you know
if you weren’t already
I could do a lot of things
and I do
tell you the truth I prefer
the worst of you
too bad you had to have a better half
she’s not really my type
but I think you two are forever
and I hate to say it but
you’re perfect together…
“My Best Friend’s Girl” by the Cars
Ooooh, two more:
The Best of My Love - The Eagles
“You know we always had each other baby
I guess that wasn’t enough
Oh, but here in my heart
I give you the best of my love”
**Those Three Days ** - Lucinda Williams (Just a heart breaking song…)
"You built a nest inside my soul
You rest your head on leaves of gold
You managed to crawl inside my brain
You found a hole and in you came
You sleep like a baby breathing
Comfortably between truth and pain
But the truth is nothing’s been the same
Since those three days
Did you only want me for those three days?
Did you only need me for those three days?
Did you love me forever
just for those three days?"
Desert Moon by Dennis DeYoung
Although the video seems to have nothing to do with the song.
And Roy Orbison also had a minor hit with “That Loving You Feeling Again,” a duet with Emmylou Harris. Same theme: encounter with a lost love. I can’t find a clip of the duet, but here’s Roy performing it solo.
As a bonus, here’s an ancient clip of Roy Orbison singing “Crying.”
“Why Not Me?” by Fred Knoblock. Schmaltzy, sentimental semi-country song about a guy at his former lover’s wedding.
Yeah.
“Sleep you now” by Gale Garnett
It’s about being so damaged by past lovers that she’s leaving the Good One.
“Sleep you now
Rest you now
In the morning I’ll be gone”
Another one that always gets me is Meatloaf’s “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” which just happens to be about being so damaged by a past lover that he’s leaving the Good One.
Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to bawl over a Meatloaf song?
That reminds me of “Almost Blue” by Elvis Costello, in which Elvis is so damaged by a past relationship that he can’t appreciate the woman right in front of him:
There’s a girl here and she’s almost you
Almost all the things that your eyes once promised
I see in hers too
Almost blue…
Can’t find a good YouTube clip of a performance, but here’s the song, backing a goofy Star Wars fan video. Ignore the video and listen to the song.
First Boy I Loved Judy Collins
My Old Flame Billie Holiday
Also Cut Here by The Cure.
*
“So we meet again!” and I offer my hand
All dry and English slow
And you look at me and I understand
Yeah it’s a look I used to know
“Three long years… and your favourite man…
Is that any way to say hello?”
And you hold me… like you’ll never let me go *
David Gray, “This Year’s Love”
If you love me got to know for sure
Cos it takes something more this time
Than sweet sweet lies
Before I open up my arms and fall
Losing all control
Every dream inside my soul
And when you kiss me
On that midnight street
Sweep me off my feet
Singing ain’t this life so sweet
This years love had better last
This years love had better last
Hüsker Du- Don’t Want to Know if You are Lonely
I’m curious to know exactly how you are
I keep my distance but that distance is too far
It reassures me just to know that you’re okay
But I don’t want you to go on needing me this way
And I don’t want to know if you are lonely
Don’t want to know if you are less than lonely
Don’t want to know if you are lonely
Don’t want to know, don’t want to know
[QUOTE=MadPansy64]
“Sleep you now” by Gale Garnett
It’s about being so damaged by past lovers that she’s leaving the Good One.
Another one that always gets me is Meatloaf’s “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” which just happens to be about being so damaged by a past lover that he’s leaving the Good One.
QUOTE]
Well, if w’re going there, how about “The First Cut Is The Deepest” by various people? It’s the ultimate “she did me in and you’re going to have to be second best” song.
I hate it.
Operator, by Jim Croce.
Operator, oh could you help me place this call
’cause I can’t read the number that you just gave me
There’s something in my eye’s
You know it happens every time
I think about the love that i thought would save me
Isn’t that the way they say it goes
But let’s forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it
So I can call just to tell them I’m fine and to show
I’ve overcome the blow
I’ve learned to take it well
I only wish my words could just convince myself
That it just wasn’t real
But that’s not the way it feels
Are sick “old flame” songs allowed in this thread?
I’m afraid the first song I thought of, when I read the thread title, was Spike Jones’ version of “My Old Flame.” Which includes
And goes downhill from there.
Or, of course, Tom Lehrer’s lament for a lost love: “I Hold Your Hand in Mine.” (The song that he claimed on his live album that he’s had the most requests not to do.)