Greatest Break-Up Songs

[chicagojoe]

Cheza, sounds like your high school band played some good music. I heard somewhere that if you can play jazz, then you'll be able to play any other style of music. I suppose it's because jazz is so complex. I stumbled across National Public Radio over ten years ago. They play a lot of great jazz. That's how I got hooked.

[cfbj01]

Fleetwood Mac - Go your own way

[chicagojoe]

The Way We Were by Barbara Streisand
Hit the Road Jack by Ray Charles
Unchain My Heart by Ray Charles

[dawn]

Closer to Me - 5ive they were a british pop group - but this song was their goodbye song & perfect for a break up.

[Cheza]

If I may, let me add one really sad anime tune. "Adieu" from Cowboy Bebop. The lyrics:

Adieu; Good-Bye (Lyrics by Brian Richy, Music and Arrangement by Yoko Kanno, Performed by Emily Bindiger)

"Been a fool, been a clown
Lost my way from up and down
And I know, yes I know
And I see it in your eyes
That you really weren't suprised at me at all
Not at all
And I know by your smile it's you.

Don't care for me, don't cry
Let's say goodbye, Adieu.
It's time to say goodbye, I know that in time
It will just fade away, it's time to say goodbye.

I stand alone, and watch you fade away like clouds
High up and in the sky
I'm strong and so cold
As I stand alone
Goodbye, So long, Adieu.

Oh how I love you so, lost in those memories
And now you've gone
I feel the pain, feeling like a fool, Adieu

My love for you burns deep
Inside me, so strong
Embers of times we had
And now here I stand lost in a memory
I see your face and smile.

Oh how I love you so, lost in those memories
And now you've gone
I feel the pain, feeling like a fool, Adieu

My love for you burns deep
Inside me, so strong
Embers of times we had
And now here I stand lost in a memory
I see your face and smile."

[chicagojoe]

Beautiful lyrics, Cheza. Sad, like you said. Is "Cowboy Bebop" a play? I'm not really sure what an anime tune is.

[HY]

Unless there is an older version, Send in the Clowns was a Sondheim song from A Little Night Music. I really loved the Judy Collins version.

How about a fun breakup song? 50 Ways to Leave your Lover by Paul Simon

[Cheza]

HY, I think you're right - "Send In The Clowns" is Sondheim. I had forgotten that! Did you see Raul Esparaza's performance of "Being Alive" from Company on the Tony's Sunday? It gave me CHILLS.

Chicagojoe - if you'd like to hear "Adieu"...click here.

h1.ripway.com/R_Dorothy_attempts_to_be_Cheza/20-Adieu.mp3

Cowboy Bebop is a serialized animation series from Japan. They show it sometimes on Adult Swim on Cartoon Network. I don't think that it's airing right now, but it is by far one of my favorite anime series. That song is sort of the "doomed love" theme for two characters named Julia & Spike Spiegel. They are definitely starcrossed. The music for Bebop was composed by a woman named Yoko Kanno. She has composed music for several other well known anime series - such as Macross, Wolf's Rain, and Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.

Here's the Wiki page on Bebop:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy_Bebop

In the image at the top (from left): Faye Valentine, Jet Black, Spike Spiegel, and Ed (a girl...she named herself Edward Wong Hau Pepelu Tivrusky IV when her father left her at a daycare)

Julia is not in this picture. She is part of the storyline that surrounds everything in the series...I.E. The fact that Spike used to be a member of the Red Dragon Syndicate and that he stole Julia from Vicious - a fellow syndicate member who has turned rogue and is out to take over the syndicate....and spilling a lot of blood with his sword along the way...

I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil it - if you ever get a chance you should watch it. It looks like Adult Swim will put it back into the rotation on July 7, but it will be at 5 a.m. eastern time. The complete series is out on DVD. Many say it is one of the greatest anime series of all time. Many of the episodes - which are called Sessions...like a jam session - are named after songs ... "Sympathy for the Devil", "Hard Luck Woman", "Toys In The Attic", "Bohemian Rhapsody"...you get the picture.

There is also a movie based on the series - "Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' On Heaven's Door", but alas they chose to use a different villain from Vicious for the film. It's still good, but I missed Vicious; however, they had to save him for the ending I suppose. Even though the movie came out after the series they say it takes place somewhere around Episode 23 or 24...

Oh yeah, how could I forget? The Bebop is the big main ship. Jet, Spike, & Faye all have smaller ships they fly while chasing bounty heads...Spike's is Swordfish, Faye's is Redtail. Can you guess what Jet's is called? THE HAMMERHEAD.

[HY]

I've never watched anime shows before. I'll have to check it out when it's back on (Thank heaven for Tivo)

[Cheza]

It's really well written. Some of the eppies freak me out (Pierrot Le Fou and Sympathy for the Devil especially!), and some are for humorous effect (like the Mushroom Samba episode...once Ed enters the series she's the physical comedy...like one of the articles says...she rarely walks...crawls, cartwheels, walks on her hands...etc.). I think you'll enjoy it HY! Be patient...the first few are introducing the characters...in Episode 1 you meet Jet & Spike, Episode 2 is where they get Ein, the dog, in Episode 3 they meet Faye in a casino...Edward doesn't come in until mid-way through the series. In Episode 5 you meet Vicious. Many say that's perhaps the best episode of them all. I'm conflicted on that, but I do know I love that episode...because he's just so EVIL!!!! On my CDs they have clips of the Japanese voice actors and I knew his voice the first time I heard it because it just sent shivers up my spine...so sinister.

To add to the break-up songs. I don't know if you girls & guys are familiar with Megan Slankard. For a funny one - her song "Too Bad You" would be a good one.

"too bad you"

it’s too bad i don’t like you anymore
yes it’s too bad
but my novel is gonna need an evil villain
it’s too bad we kinda fell apart
we had somethin’ going
and i wonder what it ever was that happened
we were an experiment
to the neighbors, a little bet
to see how well and long you’d last
can you blame us?

it’s too bad
you saw me naked
too bad “i love you”
don’t mean anything
ever again
it’s too bad you
think you’re so cool
as the raven tells you
we’re never more
so what’s the score?
and who wins?

it’s too bad you think you look so good
yeah you and brad pitt
but now i think you’re just a little bit pretentious
it’s too bad you hate the way i laugh
you think it’s phony
but sometimes this can be so damn
hilarious

it’s too bad
you saw me naked
too bad “i love you”
don’t mean anything
ever again
it’s too bad you
think you’re so cool
as the raven tells you
we’re never more
so what’s the score?
and who wins?

you never have problems, oh puhlease
start expecting the police
we’ve become “that couple down the street”
can you blame us?

words and music ©2002 Megan Slankard

[Cheza]

This is another one from Megan I think would work...it's not so much about a couple that's broken up, but one that's growing apart and the woman knows it.

"you love like"

Let’s put life on pause:
There’s nothing interesting on
But a tall lonely latte
And the breeze on the freeway

So what’s going on in your head?
Can’t figure out what I did…
You love like you hate life
Are you afraid of something?

I know what you’re like
I’ve seen your insides
I know who you are
I know who you aren’t

There’s no one here
If your eyes are closed
Your hands on the wheel
You love like you’re alone

Everything seems so strange
But you are the stranger
You knock like you’re afraid
That someone will answer

You never want to give in
But you’d like to be forgiven
For only heaven knows what
Will get us to heaven

I know what you’re like
I’ve seen your insides
I know who you are
I know who you aren’t

There’s no one here
If your eyes are closed
Your hands on the wheel
You love like you’re alone

words and music ©2005 Megan Slankard

You can hear Megan's music at her site: meganslankard.com

[jillywilly65]

How about

"Don't give up on us Baby"

by the amazing singer/actor
David Soul



;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Jilly

[chicagojoe]

Jill. You crack me up!!! I was trying to forget that David Soul even made a song. ;D

Cheza. The lyrics to "too bad you" and "you love like" were really great. And "Adieu" was fantastic! I liked the saloon like mood that it had. Totally enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing. I noticed that Amazon has some of the Bebop Cowboy CDs. I may buy one sometime. Have you ever heard of Keiko Matsui? She's plays great piano jazz. The 2001 cd "Deep Blue" is very good. You might be able to sample it on Amazon.

[Cheza]

Jilly... - Oh no you didn't!!!!

What about Billy Vera's "At This Moment"?

Chicagojoe, I haven't heard of Matsui. Thanks for the heads up, I'll check her out. Most of the Bebop stuff is pretty jazz oriented with flashes of pop/rock in places.

[jillywilly65]

Hey CHeza, I like that song! It takes me back to Family Ties , a sweet moment in television history. And real life too. That is when Michael and Tracy fell in love for real and are still going strong.

Lets swap it out for
"Feelings' by Morris Albert.

or "Seasons in the sun' by?

;D

[cfbj01]

jillywilly65 said:

Hey CHeza, I like that song! It takes me back to Family Ties , a sweet moment in television history. And real life too. That is when Michael and Tracy fell in love for real and are still going strong.

Lets swap it out for
"Feelings' by Morris Albert.

or "Seasons in the sun' by?

;D

Terry Jacks

[jillywilly65]

Thanks for the name
:-)

[Cheza]

I remember on 90210 when Brenda went through a break-up she listened to "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.

[Cheza]

Just heard "All Out of Love" on a commercial...that's Air Supply...I think.

[dawn]

I'm not in love - 10 CC