Music review by Carrie Sanderson

Trail Staff Writer

The breakup song, one form of music nearly every person can relate to. This column is dedicated to everyone who has been heartbroken before. Whether a crush didn’t crush back, you were cheated on or some jerk dumped you. This is for all of you who know how helpful a good breakup song can be for the mending of a broken heart. I have had my heart broken numerous times over the past 18 years and in turn have compiled a long list of wonderful “it’s over,” “screw you” and “I’m so much better off without you” songs. As hard as it was, I picked my top five songs, and here they are.
My number five heartbreak song is “Broken” by Seether featuring Amy Lee. Not only do the vocals in this song convey pain and heartache, but so do the lyrics. The sound of Shaun Morgan and Lee’s voices combined is nothing short of amazing. “Broken” is a song of loss and pain. It is about losing someone you truly care about. The video implies the loss is to death, but the song’s lyrics could be taken in many ways. I choose to view it as still being in love with someone who is no longer in love with you, but still wishing them the best and wanting to take their pain away. The lyrics to “Broken” are bittersweet in a way. They say that all the person wants to do is take the other’s pain away, holding no regard for their personal feelings.
Holding the number four position is “Better Than Me” by Hinder. It starts off by saying “I think you can do much better than me after all the lies that I’ve made you believe.” Who hasn’t felt like they were at fault for the bitter end of a relationship and then regretted every stupid, insensitive, thoughtless thing they said or did? I know I, and most of my friends, have all felt this way. Sometimes stupid lies we tell grow up into big lies and full out cussing and throwing things fighting. You know, like you see on Jerry Springer.
In third place is “Scars” by Papa Roach. I absolutely love the way they approach the song, it is so unconventional. Unlike many songs in which the singers take the blame of a breakup upon themselves, “Scars” places the blame on the person who should actually be blamed. “Scars” says, for the most part, that you know what, I tried to help you and you didn’t want or appreciate my help. I can’t fix you, you can only fix you, but at least I tried to help. That is such a relief from the songs that either refuse to or just don’t hold the responsible person responsible for what they did.
My second favorite breakup song is “Love You” by Jack Ingram. This is the ultimate “screw you, I’m better off without you” song. It leaves the expletives to the imagination by saying “There’s only one four-letter word that’ll do, love you.” What could be better than that? This song is obviously geared towards the point in the recovery when you have the very strong urge to flip your ex the bird or maybe even just walk up and slap him, like they do in the movies. It is a very bitter song but it is very critical to be able to vent your frustrations after a bad breakup, and this song does just that. At least this way you aren’t doing anything you might later regret (like pulling a Carrie Underwood in “Before He Cheats” and smashing that cheating jerk’s truck to pieces.)
Finally, my number-one heartbreak song, “It Ends Tonight” by the All American Rejects. How could anyone make it through a heartbreak without a song like this one to cry their little old heart out to? “It Ends Tonight” is about the end of a relationship and the emotions that you feel right as it is ending. Not being able to control the outcome, and wanting so badly to be able to. This All American Rejects song definitely doesn’t cover any new territory as far as the lyrics go, but the way it all fits together makes it the best depressing, I-just-want-to-cry songs of the past few years. It is understandable to need a song that you can relate to, cry to and reminisce to after a bad breakup. It is the first step in the sometimes long healing process.
Well, there it is, my long list of fabulous heartache songs. Just remember, it is OK to mope around and be sad for awhile, but after a while enough is enough. Use these songs to get over it, not to dwell on the breakup and let it haunt you. As the old saying goes, you have to love yourself first, before someone can truly love you in return.