break down

a song suitable for a break-up


THEY don't write 'em like that anymore.... I wailed during a spirited rendition of Greg Kihn's classic ode to breakup music at a recent night of karaoke. It's one of the more sparkling examples of sadness and dwelling put to peppy music, and a classic case of pain being masked by a rhythm you can dance to.

Cutting ties. Putting the final nail in the coffin. Burning bridges. Drowning the puppy. These are all concepts that bring us out of the cycle of insanity that is beating a dead horse into submission, leaving little more than that rope that once held a piñata whose sweet contents are but memories. When there's nothing else left to hold, music still remains. And with love, romance, and sex having such a hold over popular music, there's nary a shortage of great music for just those times. Each stage of Kübler-Ross' steps of mourning are well represented: denial, depression, bargaining, anger, and acceptance.

These are a few of my favorites:

DENIAL

• "Still Loving You" by the Scorpions (1984)

Stirring ballad from those hair metal gods of Germany, focused heavily on the impractical concept of winning back the love of his estranged.

DEPRESSION

• "The End of the World" by Skeeter Davis (1962)

Though reasonably co-dependent in its conceit, this is still a devastatingly beautiful song of love lost that has been haunting me since I was young. In turn I have often liked to believe that it was indeed inspired by the apocalyptic fears of its day.

BARGAINING

• "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" by the Smiths (1984)

Of all the sneaker gazing pre-emo shite the Smiths recorded this is one of my preferred tracks. The title is nearly as long as its two minute length and Morrissey sounds as full of pleading as in their staple "How Soon is Now?" but in a third of the time.

ANGER

• "Song for the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five (1997)

There were plenty of ways I could have gone on this one, but this one is simply too much fun to dismiss.

ACCEPTANCE

• "Don't Shed a Tear" by Paul Carrick (1987)

A perfect pinnacle for the whole matter. It wraps up all five stages into one neat package.

---

Okay, that's it.

We're done.