The Broken Hearts Club

Into Dust – Mazzy Star

It’s hard to choose the first song, but I’ll go with one of my absolute faves, which is “Into Dust” by Mazzy Star. Hope’s soft voice is so captivating that I honestly don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it…so, here goes

The Queen And The Soldier – Suzanne Vega

Mazzy Star to open with – and Into Dust over Fade – heh – yeah – I think we can have a lot of “fun” with this one.  

I just love the ambiguity of Into Dust – is it romantic, is it tragedy, who knows, but the overall vibe suggests more existential angst than celebration of life ;-p

So I’m following up with a track that leaves no ambiguity as to what’s going on and yet – has always left me bemused and just saddened by the end of it ;-p. Kind of like the guitar transition too ;-p

Linger – The Cranberries

haha yeah it is rather melancholic, “two strangers turning into dust”-that line always gets me. 

ooooh Suzanne is a great choice, also one of those easily recognizable voices. I kinda feel that she’s got a lot in common with Dolores, so my next song is gonna be “Linger”, a love song which Dolores actually wrote after a breakup with a young soldier..

Cold Fame – Band Of Skulls

You should have seen the grin spread over my face.  We’re in classic “not getting what we want” mode and I’m so here for it.  That groove transition at 35 seconds – the strings and then Dolores unmistakeable vocal – who hasn’t been subject to a love that can never work?!

While there’s a certain upbeat feel to the Cranberries track – I’m taking it further down. Break ups are horrific – certainly for those being broken up with.  This track didn’t exist the last time I felt that way but damn I wish it did.

About Today (2021 Remaster) – The National

Oh yes, same here! I’m up for it! Dusting off my old “the saddest day of my life” playlist as we speak. Breakup songs are so deeply emotional. There are definitely a few that I play over and over at certain moments (and it doesn’t necessarily have to mean I’m ending things with someone or vice versa). I also wanted to mention a cover of this song by Royel Otis. Not sure if you’ve heard it before, but it’s a good one.

Band of Skulls! Oh man, that really moved me. Such a beautiful song about feeling lost in the world. That’s what I love about these songs..some of those lines just feel so relatable. I’m loving the low beat too, it makes me want to just sit and think..

Listening to it made me want to play this next band. This track in particular is one of the most heartbreaking songs on the planet. Simple lyrics, yet so profound. It resonates with me, and I hope you feel the same way about it.

Faust Arp – Radiohead

I do love me some National – Bloodbuzz Ohio is one of my favorite tracks.  Although I am literally the perfect archetype for their “dad rock” audience – I haven’t spent as much time with their music as I’d like to.  

I loved About Today – what a lyric – “How close am I to losing you” – brilliant – I have experienced this – it’s horrible – took me a year or two to recover ;-p. (did come out stronger for it though – so there was that)

There’s a process – that I certainly went through – when your great love – the love you thought you’d be in for the rest of your life – slips through your fingers – and there’s nothing you can do about it – no matter how hard you try.  When your partner falls out of love and you’re left – heart shattered – with questions.

While in the short term it’s easy to blame the other – but eventually you work out – it’s about you.  

And who are you if you’re not worthy of love.  What’s the point of it all,  if – when you commit fully to a relationship – leave nothing on the table –  you still get rejected – still get fucked over.

What does that say about you?   

I love Radiohead – The Bends and OK Computer were the albums I was listening to when I went through it – but this track from In Rainbows felt sonically more appropriate and I love the existential nature of the lyric – If I’m not worthy of love – what’s the fucking point?! Thom Yorke knows this ;-p

Skinny Love – Bon Iver

Bloodbuzz Ohio is such a good and melodic song. I have a few songs from them that I always go back to. For example, the “I am easy to find” album is a soundtrack to a short movie with Alicia Vikander. The first time I watched it, it completely destroyed me haha, meaning I was in tears. I guess I wasn’t ready for it. It’s a beautiful short tho:

And yes, love is a fragile thing, and sometimes it’s slipping away without us knowing..

I agree with your view on it – we often blame the other side, because it feels easier and it’s the natural reaction, our defense mechanism. But the truth is, we might be at fault too. Like, maybe we stopped caring or took them for granted..or something else has happened that can’t be reversed. Either way it’s painful to admit that you lost something that was once great and fulfilling. And it takes a while to recover and take your life back. Luckily, music helps us to work through all those feelings..

I knew Radiohead would come up at some point and this album is a very appropriate choice 🙂 Just yesterday I was listening to Weird fishes / Arpeggi and Reckoner. I enjoy Thom’s projects and collabs very much.

I’m gonna continue with the topic of fragile, struggling love just a little bit longer with this next one (which Spotify places as nr.6 for some reason).

Teeth White – The Staves

Huge fan of For Emma, Forever Ago – I listened a lot when it came out – my favorite is Re: Stacks – Justin Vernon has this almost ethereal vocal delivery – his meldies and harmonies make despair sound beautiful.  I knew exactly what band I was going to after Skinny Love.  The Staves are a three sister group – now two, one went off to raiuse their child – but they recorded their break out album If I Was at Vernon’s studio in Minnesota.  There’s a short documentary on the making and it’s great.

My favorite track from the album isn’t actually on the album – it’s a live version they do and it is spine chillingly good: https://youtu.be/-uvZE-A9hhk?si=lJ_RKwPNBXzyXPKI. But for our list I was thinking ;-p

As for my track – we could continue down the desperate road of shattered relationships and heartbreak – or – possibly ;-p – we can start to recover.  At some point – things do start to get better – when the feeling of worthlessness you’ve been carrying around for months starts to go – then what?  There’s always that point where you eventually go – “fuck it” – I’m making myself miserable and I don’t need to do that anymore – now  – now it’s time for some fun!

My Silver Lining – First Aid Kit

You’re so right..”his melodies and harmonies make despair sound beautiful”, that is a perfect way of putting it. Ahh I love that song.

I didn’t know The Staves, thank you so much for featuring them. The live version is so beautiful, a lot of talent there. Gonna check the doc too. The moment I heard the Teeth White song, I knew what I’m gonna pick next..another sister band, in this case a Swedish duo.

Now this song is pretty optimistic, I mean the title says it all haha, so we’re moving in the right direction I’d say, away from all that sadness and misery. And there is a silver lining shining through the clouds, reminding us that even after the darkest moments, there is always hope 🙂

Smile – Lily Allen

I’ve not spent a lot of time with First Aid Kit – they wrote a fabulous track for David Berman after his death – Strange Beauty – great writing.  But we’re bouncing back from the darkness and my mind goes to Lily Allen.  One of my favorite songwriters – just a fabulous lyricist – I was initially thinking of Not Fair as the western groove would have been brilliant coming out of My Silver Lining but I had to go for Smile – much more in tone for where we are in the list.  You’re up ;-p

Me Gustas Tu – Manu Chao

Thanks for Lily! This is probably the first time I listen to the lyrics carefully. What is it that makes it such a good track? I guess it just has all the elements needed for a banger. 

I’m finally back with another song. Honestly it is much harder for me to find those “happy” tracks haha. But this one is one of the good ones, an instant mood-lifter I’d say 🙂

Majesty – Madrugada

Oh I love this – you have given me such an idea ;-p. 

So – Me Gustas Tu is a chameleon song – on the surface it sounds like an upbeat global song of love – with its straightforward lyric and happy groove – but if you dig a little deeper – there’s a certain melancholy to it.  Every verse he finishes with “I am lost” – he’s mentioning many things he loves but he never mentions being in love with you – which has me thinking.

What if the journey we are on is much more like real life.  If we started with the sadness of a broken relationship and the impossible nature of romantic relationships – and then moved to the empowerment that comes from leaving a relationship and feeling strong again and ready for the next love.   

But what if that love never arrives?  What if we fall back into reminiscence of the love – what if again descend into loneliness and reflection?

Majesty by Madruga is a perfect track for this – it is the person – once so deeply in love but now separated, who can’t get that person out of their head.  It’s fabulously depressing and should open up another path for us to take – one that focuses on loneliness and the depression that comes from it!

Heh! ;-p

You’re up. ;-pppp

Will Anybody Ever Love Me? – Sufjan Stevens

Wow Andrew, that is such an interesting thought. You’re right, Me gustas tu feels lighthearted at first, but if you look at it closely, it could actually mean that I just like someone the same way I like other things in life, but not more than that. I never thought about it that way, so thank you for this new perspective 🙂

I’ve gotta say, there is a lot of songs on my mind now that would fit very well the mood we’re in. And I’m gonna take this opportunity and pick Sufjan this round. He’s my favorite songwriter ever. You might have seen I do Sufjan Sundays every week on FC, so it’d honestly feel weird not to mention him even once haha (especially if we’re talking about vulnerability and love. I think he fits this vibe very well.)

This song is about searching for the right person, who would unconditionally love us..it’s definitely about loneliness and hope to find someone who would accept us the way we are, even with flaws, the real us. Which I realize is not automatic, to find that special person…

Majesty by Madruga is such a good song, I’m listening on loop..very sad, yet beautiful. As strange as it sounds, I feel most at home riding this wave of melancholy. Not sure what that says about me, but I’m here for it, keep them coming!

Miss Misery – Elliott Smith

Alright – I’m back – and bringing the darkness ;-pppp

So at this point in the game of life we’ve left the unhappy relationship – we’re on our own and it feels as though we’re finally beginning to feel whole again – Will Anybody Ever Love Me? – while the title sounds sad – the track turns out to be rather hopeful.  It feels more reflective and philosophical about life – about the journey and – while he hasn’t found it yet – you get the feeling that he’s hopeful he will find love.

Heh!

But life can be an asshole sometimes – and just when you think you’re pulling out of it – someone or something can drag you back in – too much time on your own hoping for something that doesn’t manifest can lead to a dark path – indeed – a dark depression.  I reckoned we needed some kind of Elliott Smith on a list like this – and while Miss Misery seems to speak to a longing for a relationship – I suspect it has more to do with the depression that can creep into a soul, ultimately denying a person of anything – let alone love.

Where do we go from here?   You’re up ;-pp

More from Elliott Smith: Could There Be Any More Guitars?!, Nostalgia (With Guitars), The Broken Hearts Club, Clear Your Head, It’s Not All Ballads

Something In The Way (Live) – Nirvana

Wow, what a perfect choice..I knew Elliott would come up eventually, he belongs here. It’s such a shame he’s gone, especially considering the strange circumstances surrounding his death..

And with that, we’re clearly on a very dark path. It feels like we can’t get up, like we’re stuck in pain, quietly suffering. Something stands in our way, but we can’t quite name it, let alone move past it, and so, we find familiarity in the darkness.

So naturally I’m choosing Kurt Cobain for this next part of the playlist. He reminds me in many ways of Elliott. Both incredibly talented, deeply wounded, shy in the face of their audiences, and tragically taken far too young.

I can’t help but wonder, is there a way out of this?? Your turn 🙂

The World I Know – Collective Soul

So what do you do when you’re at the end – when the rain’s coming in and you’ve got nothing left?  Life can get pretty binary pretty quick – do you stay or do you go – do you jump or step back?  That’s the power of heartbreack and heartache – it’s enough to take you off the planet – and yet – fortunately – it seems for the vast vast majority – we get to this point and choose to stay and work it out.

I’m not suggesting that it becomes any easier at this point – the challenges and struggles don’t change, but the mind set does – once you’ve been to the abyss and looked in and chosen not to jump –  there’s no option but to start working to save yourself.  I have this track on several playlists – I love the music but it’s the lyric that speaks directly to me – the video gives more context but in essence – the man takes himself to the very edge and yet chooses to stay.  It’s given me strength many times over the years.

So if we’re not going to go to the dark place – where next?

All Things All At Once – Tired Pony

Appreciate the Collective Soul pick, I was hooked right away! I heard Desh had the same reaction when you two were putting that playlist together haha.

I guess it makes sense that heartbreak brings us right to the edge, to a dark, dark place. And then it’s up to us which direction we choose to go. Losing someone we love, whether by our choice or theirs, can feel like the end of the world. Time does help, and eventually the pain softens. But every now and then something hits us later, a moment or a memory, and we realize just how much that person meant, how deeply they shaped our lives, especially when it’s a first love. That kind of bond leaves a mark and sometimes it feels like they’ll always carry a piece of our heart…

And then maybe, years later, we see them again and it all comes rushing back. By then we’ve forgiven them or they’ve forgiven us and maybe we’ve even moved on. Still, it might sting a little to see them with someone else.

There were a lot of songs on my mind that would fit that exact vibe tbh 🙂

Million Dollar Bill – Dawes

Ooooh – I like it – the recognition that even though we’ve chosen to stay on the planet – we’re never going to forget what brought the pain in the first place.  Tired Pony’s memory of the past  exquisitely wrapped around the dagger of envy – yes – who doesn’t know that feeling – and damn if it doesn’t sneak up on you when you least expect it!

My next choice came pretty fast as I knew there was a track out there that intentionally sets out to ensure the memory is never lost ;-p  From Dawes’ break through album – which has so many great songs on it – I always loved this one for its sheer audacity.  I mean – he knows it’s over – that she’s moved on – and yet – he can’t not create a world where she’ll never not see him.  

I mean it’s beautiful and romantic but also kinda stalky in a way – but hey – it’s beautifully delivered so maybe we’ll give him a pass ;-p

The Spoils – Massive Attack

What a beautiful song! Full of metaphors and heartbreak, but also about finally moving on. It really makes us wonder, was what we had ever real, or just an illusion we created in our head?

I’m circling back to Hope Sandoval. I adore her collaboration with Massive Attack. It fits the theme of moving on so well, exploring the emotional aftermath of a breakup, trying to forget someone while still wishing them happiness. I definitely went through a time in my life when I had this one on repeat. 

“Spoils” I’m guessing in this case means the painful memories that are all that’s left once something beautiful ends. The damage stays inside of us, even tho we try to start fresh.

Hope you like it 🙂

Where the Time Went – Ex:Re

I love that we’re down to the last two songs – one from you and one more from me – and we’re still wallowing deep in the emotional devastation of the breakup – it’s brilliant!! ;-p

Hope Sandoval is just the poster child for iconic malaise – and I love how this track pulls us back from the almost upbeat acceptance of Dawes into the hard reality of break ups – which is – it ain’t over until it is.  you know what I mean?  You miss them until one day you don’t – and you never know when that will be – could be next week – could be next year –  until the wound is healed or the presence replaced by another – it’s a dangerous pathway that can be revisited at any time – and can drag you way down.

Which is why I’ve chosen to take it further and darker – if Hope is more pensive about the longing – about the wistfulness of the past and the reality of the present – Ex:Re is still sitting deep in the depression of the aftermath.  Once more to pick at the healing scab and tear it off to relive the fresh pain.  And strings – strings just sweeten the agony ;-p

This Bitter Earth / On The Nature Of Daylight – Clyde Otis

omg, she’s from Daughter! I knew she sounded familar 🙂 great track, very fitting. It perfectly captures our dark breakup mood. I can hear the pain in her voice..that feeling of emotional resignation, not quite closure.

And you’re right, the time it takes to forget someone can really vary. It might take weeks, months…dare I say decades to fully accept the truth. And even after all those years, a part of us might still feel incomplete, still hurt. I actually think that pain never truly disappears, it just fades, and fades, and fades…until we simply get used to the way things are.

As my final song (I can’t believe we’ve reached the end of this amazing ride), I’m choosing something very special to me. It might not seem like a love song at first, it really depends on how you interpret it. But it talks about youth, regret, longing for true love. and most importantly finding hope by the end. Which I personally think is beautiful. 

Cause that’s how life works, isn’t it? Even in our darkest moments, there’s always that tiny seed of hope buried deep inside. And to move forward, to keep living, we need to stay open to small joys, like the smell of coffee, the warmth of sunlight on our skin, or listening to a favorite song etc.

Okay, I’m getting way too sentimental here 🙂 curious to see your last pick, Andrew!

I Need You – Joan Armatrading

Love.

What a bizarre and strange thing.  Yet so essential to the human experience.  No doubt there are songs about life without love but that’s not what this list has been about.  This list is all about love, even if that love has been tested, or broken, or even removed.  

The Dinah Washington track is beautiful – I mean just – those strings – they tear at my heart and force me to reflect on what this whole thing – this life is about.  This rollercoaster of ups and downs – the power of a feeling to make water with your eyes or send your soul soaring.  It’s stunning.

And I was soooo close to finishing with hope too – I had Des’ree’s I’m Kissing You all lined up,and an approach to the write up that addresses the ambiguity of love – but half way through – Joan Armatrading popped into my head and I knew we really needed to finish this one on a low ;-p

A lot of the tracks before speak to a lack of agency – where the heartbreak happens beyond our control – and yet – when we’re honest with ourselves – surely we’re as much to blame.  The sorrow that seeps through I Need You is owned.  This is not someone else’s fuck up – this is ours. Who hasn’t – in hindsight – thrown away a great love – or lost out on one for stupid reasons or silly circumstances.  Blaming the other is a convenient solution for not facing our own failings.

This was such a great experience – thank you Janicka.  My favorite bit is where half way through we decided not to go all upbeat and hopeful but to track reality – which more often doesn’t lead to a Disney ending ;-p  

With that said – we did some research a while back and published a post on How Listening To Sad Music Can Make you Feel Better – while upbeat “go get ’em” tracks can act as a superficial temporary salve – only true empathy can help you connect with your feelings and process them effectively.  

So maybe – if you’re feeling down, have been hurt or are hurting – maybe this is the perfect playlist for you.  And then eventually – once you work through it – there is an upside – all the great love songs promise this – we hope you get to experience it – again ;-p

Track Listing

• Into Dust – Mazzy Star
• The Queen And The Soldier – Suzanne Vega
• Linger – The Cranberries
• Cold Fame – Band Of Skulls
• About Today (2021 Remaster) – The National
• Faust Arp – Radiohead
• Skinny Love – Bon Iver
• Teeth White – The Staves
• My Silver Lining – First Aid Kit
• Smile – Lily Allen
• Me Gustas Tu – Manu Chao
• Majesty – Madrugada
• Will Anybody Ever Love Me? – Sufjan Stevens
• Miss Misery – Elliott Smith
• Something In The Way (Live) – Nirvana
• The World I Know – Collective Soul
• All Things All At Once – Tired Pony
• Million Dollar Bill – Dawes
• The Spoils – Massive Attack
• Where the Time Went – Ex:Re
• This Bitter Earth / On The Nature Of Daylight – Clyde Otis
• I Need You – Joan Armatrading

Playlist image AI

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This playlist is part of The Human Collective. Each week we take a prompt and create a playlist and accompanying articles. Learn more about The Human Collective here.