So Sad

This is Rihanna's latest single, Stay, and I just think it is so sad in light of the fact that she is back together with Chris Brown who (if you have been living under a rock) is a nasty piece of work who beat the crap out of her a few years back. And she just keeps on going back for more. Meanwhile - who knew she was such a good actress? Although something tells me she probably didn't have to dig too deep to find those feelings for this film clip.

Stay got me thinking about break-up songs, because this one just seems like a classic break-up song... At least for the sad phase of a break-up. From a music point of view, often this is where the best music comes in, but it really is a relief once you get to the defiant, I-am-happy-to-be-single round of songs (often cheesy) that are a key element in the break-up process.

Discussing it with Lovely Fiance, I mentioned how I felt ok listening to break-up songs and in fact sometimes really enjoyed listening to them (whereas sometimes the defiance anthems can get a bit much). And, being the genius sensitive deep-thinking soul that he is, he noted that we're ok re-hearing break-up songs because actually they are songs that comfort us. *smacks forehead*

So. Break-up songs are always as personal as the break-up itself, but tell me: what are your all-time top (favourite seems the wrong word to use somehow) break-up songs? I find that I can never use the same song for a different break-up, so I have quite a few, thanks to my rather chequered (mwahahaha!) past.

Here are some of my notable classics:

• Blue Eyes by the Carey Brothers - beautiful song, perfect for a rainy day (or broken heart as was my case circa 2008) and it gave me that little kernel of hope re men - that a man might one day write such lovely lyrics for a girl like me (incidentally, I have blue eyes)
• You Could Be Happy by Snow Patrol - actually this was from the same break-up as above, and really resonated with me because a dream to move to London died with that break-up. No regrets on that point - I would have been miserable if I'd gone anyway, and I needed my friends. But it causes a little wrench in the stomach when I hear this one... This one is definitely bittersweet - I still love it, but it takes me back a teeny way to where I was at that point and it wasn't very happy. 
• Hallelujah the Jeff Buckley version - beautiful song, still a big favourite
• Cocoon by Jack Johnson - listen to the lyrics and it truly is a song to be taken literally. Very self-explanatory. Aaaah.... Young, lost love and being dumped by my first emotionally unavailable boyfriend.
• Love The Way You Lie collaboration between Eminem and Rihanna - I knew I was being cheated on. I was pissed off - mainly at myself for being in such a toxic situation. This song summed it up perfectly.
• Why Don't You Love Me by Beyonce - in the case of this break-up (part of the Love the Way You Lie saga), I just skipped straight to the defiant stage. Beyonce, either as a soloist or in Destiny's Child form, has always been a big player in my anthem stage so it seemed fitting. 

I would have to say, if I was single currently that Taylor Swift would feature. There. I said it. It's embarrassing but it's true. Especially that song about never getting back together.

This here is a great list of basically every anthem to swear to honour thyself by and never make the same mistake again to.

Anyone care to add to these lists?