http://forum.popjustice.com/threads/da-bawps-r-her...Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and you know what that means - plenty of happy couples expressing their love for each other on social media. Yeah, it makes me sick too - almost as sick as I’m going to be once I binge on all the discount chocolate the next day.
The day seems to be more resented than revered nowadays, and while I’m happy for all of my cutely coupled friends, I also enjoy giving Cupid a solid one-two jab in the cherub gut. So last night, as I wept into my pillow, I compiled the ultimate Anti-Valentines playlist for all those lonely hearts out there.
1. Crying in the Rain (a-ha)
What a way to start the list. a-ha is known for their legendary meme “Take On Me,” but the rest of their discography seems criminally underappreciated. See also: “Crying in the Rain.” Its verses are incredibly well written and it’s got some stunning harmonies.
2. Disconnected (Keane)
Also a very well-written anti-love song. It’s the sad story of a couple who’s falling out of love, but it’s surprisingly chipper for what it is.
3. Cry Me a River (Michael Buble)
You didn’t think you’d get away without a bit of Buble, did you? Ugh, that man can sing. He owns this classic with his powerful cords, and the motif is perfect for singing to yourself alone in the car as you pretend to vengefully scorn your ex-lover (not that I know from experience…).
4. Somebody to Love (Queen)
Freddie Mercury is the patron saint of emotional turmoil. Of course, “Somebody to Love” is a classic. Mercury gets to show off not just his flawless control, pitch, improv, and vibrato, but also his songwriting abilities and his scintillating background vocals. Mmm. Almost makes eternal loneliness totally worth it.
5. No Good in Goodbye (The Script)
“No Good in Goodbye” delves into the words we use to describe our lovelornness. There’s a bit of tragic irony in the way we talk about our pain; in fact, “where’s the good in goodbye?” It’s fun to harmonize with, too.
6. Last Song Ever (Secondhand Serenade)
Another fun one to harmonize too, despite its very mournful feel. It’s got a simple melody but it cuts pretty hard if you’re already in a melancholy mood.
7. Used To (MUTEMATH)
A surprisingly sassy sad song. I heard it for the first time live as MUTEMATH went on before twenty one pilots and boy did they look like they were having fun with it. But that’ll go away if you pay much attention to the lyrics. It’s kind of about the death of hope and optimism in love.
8. Love's to Blame (for KING & COUNTRY)
“I can’t see you right now ‘cuz I just can’t fake it; can’t be near you right now ‘cuz I know you’re no longer mine.” Before Joel and Luke made it big singing clearly Christian tunes, there was a bit of crossover work that really showed their potential. This was one of my first for KING & COUNTRY songs and it definitely stuck with me.
9. Potential Breakup Song (Aly & AJ)
10. Impossible Year (Panic! At the Disco)
Not one of the more popular songs off Death of a Bachelor, but is it ever an emotional one. Brendon Urie channels Sinatra as his radiant voice languishes on a “beachfront of bad blood.” “Impossible Year” is genuine and haunting.
11. Since You've Been Gone ("Weird Al" Yankovic)
It’s Weird Al. The lyrics speak for themselves: “I’m feelin’ like I stuck my hand inside a blender and turned it on; you know I’ve been in a buttload of pain since you’ve been gone.”
12. Send My Love (To Your New Lover) (Adele)
Way more swagger-ful than sorrowful. Adele exudes power in this catchy tune. It’s still a breakup song, but you can tell she’s not mourning the relationship by any stretch of the imagination.
13. Things Left Unsaid (Disciple)
Disciple is generally known for much louder, more aggressive fare, but “Things Left Unsaid” is a bearing of the soul. We don’t know who the singer speaks of, but whoever they are, they’re very special to him, and they’re clinging to life with little strength left.
14. A Day Late (Anberlin)
… and a dollar short. Here we have an elegy to what could have been. Sometimes it’s just a matter of timing, and often that’s the saddest loss of all. There’s something oddly comforting about the song, though; Anberlin always makes me nostalgic for places I’ve never been but at which I feel very at home.
15. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye (Train)
And finally we end on a laugh. His girlfriend leaves him, so he makes up ridiculous stories of her death to tell his friends. Fun fact: the only reason I know this song is because I heard it and afterward Googled “mariachi Phantom of the Opera.”
