My Top 10 Break-up Songs

I am not sure why but lately there has been an outpouring of break-up songs from many artists. Either the break-ups are on an increase or artists are seeing a huge success with such songs. I think it’s a bit of both.

Well, break-up or not, this genre has a universal appeal that goes beyond time and age and/or break-ups. They are catchy on one hand and poignant at the same time, tugging at your heartstrings with beautiful lyrics and haunting melody.

Isn’t their a popular notion that best songs are written if one has experienced inner angst or a personal break-up? Well, whatever be the case I decided to bank on their success and have compiled a few of my favorite songs from this genre. So enjoy, sing along and let it all out!

Number 10:

“Believe” by Cher: It came out in 1998 and it is still so relevant. I like it because it has an uplifting message –

Number 9:

“If you go your own way” by Fleetwood Mac. This song came out in 1976 but is still evergreen. Especially love the this line in the song – “If I could, maybe I’d give you my world, How can I, when you won’t take it from me”. I love Stevie Nicks.

Number 8:

“Nothing Compares 2U” by Sinead O’Connor released in 1990. This is my all-time favorite and it just makes me emotional every time I listen to it. I didn’t know till date that this was actually written and recorded first by “Prince” –

Number 7:

2006 hit, “Smile” by Lily Allen is quite funny and will actually make you laugh because of its simple and direct lyrics.

Number 6:

80s classic, “Take a look at me now” by Phil Collins. A guy’s version of a break-up song and so touching.

Number 5:

I have to include this timeless song from the 70s,”Please Don’t Go” by K.C. & the Sunshine Band. May be, just may be, hearts can mend by listening to K.C. crooning “Please Don’t Go”.

Number 4:

A more recent song, Coldplay’s “Scientist”. My favorite part is when Chris Martin sings with his beautiful voice: “Nobody said that it was easy, No one ever said it would be this hard, Oh take me back to the start”.

Number 3:

And, then comes a flurry of songs last year from Adele, an album full of songs on break-up and all the songs were amazing. No one has really expressed this pain any better than Adele in her “Someone Like You”.

Number 2:
I have to say Adele again with her “Rolling in the Deep”. The song has a way to connect with everyone of every age including young kids.

Number 1:
Of course, I can say Adele again for “Set fire to the Rain”. But my best is Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”.

If best songs are written after a break-up then it is now Tom Cruise’s turn. 🙂

American Idol just got sweeter!

I don’t know if I am the only one but I seem to have mixed feelings about the current season of “American Idol”. Yes, it is to do with Simon Cowell. In the auditions round as well as the Hollywood rounds, I really did not miss Simon and I was quite surprised how easily a person can be forgotten even in the limelight. I think the current judges are also doing a fantastic job. I love Steven Tyler. He brings fun, musical genius and raw sexuality to the show just as you would expect from a rock star. As for Jenifer Lopez, I have no words. She is gorgeous and very likeable. We know Randy so there is no surprise there.

But the actual singing competition has now started. And, after seeing last week’s show where a few really excelled while the rest gave such mediocre performances that I suddenly remembered Simon’s comments and really started to miss him. Who can forget his acerbic comments like:

“Did you really believe you could become the American Idol? Well, then, you’re deaf.”

“That was like murder, with a bit of torture…”

“That was bordering on grotesque.”

Some performances from last week would have attracted the following comments from him for sure –

“I think you just booked your plane ticket home.”

“This is a singing competition, not a dancing competition!”

“If I were to say you were mediocre, it would be the biggest compliment you’ve ever been paid.”

“That was like a Chihuahua trying to be a tiger.”

Some famous comments that are still fresh on my mind are:

“I found it corny and on the verge of desperate.”

“I thought that deserved tears but for a very different reason. … I thought it was like the never ending song.”

But two of my favorite ones are:

“It was wet, and forgettable.”

“It was like… coming out of karaoke hell… into a breath of fresh air.”

Oh and wait, another two –

“The reality was it came over as a young guy being forced by your Mum and Dad to sing a song at a “wedding you didn’t want to sing.”

“I thought it had all the joy of someone singing in a funeral parlor.”

In fact Simon himself has website that documents some of these comments and there are so many other sites that you can visit by using the search keyword of “Simon Cowell American Idol quotes” . Die-hard fan of Simon Cowell, check out the Facebook page, “Simon Cowell sayings” .

These comments may be hurtful but they are entertaining. They are brutally honest and his description is so befitting. I wonder how he does it whether these were just impromptu concoctions of acerbic words or is there a writer who provides him with a few to dish it out as and when the situation arises. I don’t care but I really miss this brutal honesty.

I was hoping to see Steven Tyler getting verbally creative but he seems rather restrained even more now. I know the judges should be because after all these current rounds are open to public and caustic words can influence the minds of the voters. But Simon balanced it pretty well. He had that “don’t care” attitude and he believed in purposefully influencing the audience mainly to get a good result. After all a good talent can produce great records and great records result in money in the pocket. But despite his audacious attempts, Sanjaya sailed through so many rounds, Daughtry and Adam Lambert did not win the title. And, Adam actually got a standing ovation from Simon which is so rare but it didn’t really matter to the voters.

I will keep my hopes alive and my bets are on Steven Tyler to get verbally creative.

In Simon’s own words, the current American Idol is like:

“Sometimes I like putting sugar in my tea to make my tea sweeter. That was equivalent to putting eleven spoonfuls of sugar in it.”