Whiny-“She’s out of my life”-MJ
Empowering “Just another picture to burn”-Taylor Swift
Thinks she’s empowered but really just psycho-“Before He Cheats”-Carrie Underwood
Whiny: Phil Collins, Against All Odds
Empowered: Loretta Lynn, Fist City
Indeterminate: Lyle Lovett, Stand By Your Man
Hah, my wife and I used to argue about this song (esp. the video). She saw it as empowering, I said Underwood was just a cowardly little wuss who’s too afraid to face her ex-boyfriend head on so she has to fuck with his car and run away to get “revenge”. She’s as empowered as a sullen teenager with a carton of eggs outside his teacher’s house.
Therefore, I have to rate it as “whiny”.
Love Done Gone - by Billy Currington - actually a pretty upbeat “breakup” song (if you’re a country-music fan, at least).
“You’re Breakin’ My Heart” by Harry Nilsson starts with these lyrics:
You’re breakin’ my heart
You’re tearin’ it apart
So fuck you
A friend of mine came home to an empty house and a note from her boy-friend instructing her to play track <whatever> on the album sitting on the turntable.
It was Barry Manilow’s “Trying to Get the Feeling Again.”
How about Stay by Sugarland (sung by Jennifer Nettles)? The first two parts are whiny, but the breakup part is at the end is kind of empowering.
"So next time you find you wanna leave her bed for mine
Why don’t you stay
I’m up off my knees
I’m so tired of being lonely
You can’t give me what I need
When she begs you not to go
There is one thing you should know
I don’t have to live this way
Baby, why don’t you stay, yeah"
That song is one of the main reasons I can’t stand Carrie Underwood.
Some good kiss-offs:
Husker Du - “Don’t Want To Know If You Are Lonely”
Elvis Costello - “I Hope You’re Happy Now”
The Beatles - “And Your Bird Can Sing”
Is there a sub-category for angry?
Ben Folds Five: “Song for the Dumped”
Evanescence: “Call Me When You’re Sober”
Led Zeppelin: “Your Time is Gonna Come”
Empowering: “Blue Morning Blue Day” by Foreigner
Indeterminate: “Picture” duet by Sheryl Crow and Outkast
Empowering, yet obnoxious - “Free Bird”.
another vote for The Beautiful South. Particularly “a little time” Empowering I think.
Whiny:
Fuck You by Cee-Lo Green
Empowering:
Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
I do love the yelling, but he’s gone on to have his back clawed by another woman and she’s writing a song, so I’d say it nets to whiny.
Harry can deliver the kiss-off like no one else.
“Cuddly Toy”
…
You’re not the only choo-choo train
To be left out in the rain
The day after Santa came
Classic kiss-off song: Already Gone by The Eagles
*Well, I heard some people talkin’ just the other day
And they said you were gonna put me on a shelf
But let me tell you I got some news for you
And you’ll soon find out it’s true
And then you’ll have to eat your lunch all by yourself
'Cause I’m already gone *
Not so classic, but pretty good anyway: Kiss You Off by the Scissor Sisters
Kiss you off my lips
I don’t need another tube of that dime store lipstick
Well I think I’m gonna buy me a brand new shade of man
Kiss you off my lips
It’s standing room only for a piece of my pigment
So excuse me a minute while I supply demand
Kiss you off these lips of mine
Kiss you off for a custom shine
Pissed yours truly off this time
The ultimate whiny break up song has to be MacArthur Park.
There will be another song for me
For I will sing it
There will be another dream for me
Someone will bring it
I will drink the wine while it is warm
And never let you catch me looking at the sun
And after all the loves of my life
After all the loves of my life, you’ll still be the one
I will take my life into my hands and I will use it
I will win the worship in their eyes and I will lose it
I will have the things that I desire
And my passion flow like rivers through the sky
And after all the loves of my life
Oh, after all the loves of my life
I’ll be thinking of you and wondering why
Empowering:
Rilo Kiley: Breakin’ Up
Pete Droge’s “If You Don’t Love Me (I’ll Kill Myself)” is both at the same time. Also, a very cool song: