My Favorite Break-Up Songs

"Three important rules for breaking up:
Don't put off breaking up when you know you want to;
Prolonging the situation only makes it worse;
Tell him honestly, simply, kindly, but firmly;
Don't make a big production;
Don't make up an elaborate story;
This will help you avoid a big tearjerking scene.

If you wanna date other people, say so;
Be prepared for the boy to feel hurt and rejected,
Even if you've gone together for only a short time
And haven't been too serious;
There's still a feeling of rejection
When someone says she prefers the company of others
To your exclusive company.

But if you're honest, and direct,
And avoid making a flowery emotional speech when you break the news,
The boy will respect you for your frankness,
And honestly he'll appreciate the kind of straight forward manner
In which you told him your decision
Unless he's a real jerk or a cry baby,
You'll remain friends."
(from the song "Popular" - Nada Surf)

If I ever start a band, we're going to do nothing but break-up songs, from angry to bored to confused to depressed to embarrassed to frustrated to guilty to happy to indecisive to jealous and everything in between. All the songs will be named after a different girl and no matter how bad or good the break-up, they'll be full of affection for the fictional female in question. Why do I like break-up songs so much? It's not because I'm fascinated with breaking up, (for the record, I feel I'm still friends with everyone I ever dated). It's because they're all full of emotion, be it positive or negative, and why listen to music if not to feel something, I mean, a lot of something? Here are my favorite break-up songs, in reverse alphabetical order:

1. "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" - The Righteous Brothers
2. "Water Runs Dry" - Boyz II Men
3. "Spiralling (Orchestral Arrangement)" - Erasure
4. "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)" - The Everly Brothers
5. "So Broken (Live)" - Bjork
6. "Piece of My Heart" - Janis Joplin
7. "Pain in My Heart" - Otis Redding
8. "Ordinary People" - John Legend
9. "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Live)" - Echo & The Bunnymen
10. "I Think I Hate Her" - Elkland
11. "How's It Going To Be" - Third Eye Blind
12. "Here We Go" - Trina
13. "Goodbye" - Anything Box
14. "Face Up" - New Order
15. "Dry Your Eyes" - The Streets
16. "Don't Break My Heart" - UB40
17. "Come Back to Me" - Janet Jackson
18. "Breathe Again" - Toni Braxton
19. "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" - Neil Sedaka
20. "Brand New Lover" - Dead or Alive

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