In other words, let's get immediately to the weekend's business. To wit:
...and your favorite (or least favorite) post-Elvis pop/rock/country/soul song about a boy/girlfriend from hell, the one that got away, a fucked up romance or a sad break-up is...???
No arbitrary rules, although I was sorely tempted to exclude anything by Joni Mitchell or Taylor Swift, just because I don't give a rodent's behind about either of their romantic problems.
Heh.
Anyway, my nominee is this amazingly catchy yelp by brilliant Chicago power popsters Material Issue.
A song I find hysterically funny, until I remember that MI auteur Jim Ellison offed himself in his garage (carbon monoxide poisoning) shortly after committing it to tape in 1996.
Which is to say it's a lot more autobiographical than anybody knew prior to his sad passing.
In any case, now that I've thoroughly depressed you -- what would YOUR choices be?
And have a great weekend, everybody!!!
"Backstreets" by Bruce. It levels me every time.
ReplyDeletepaulinca
She Loves The Jerk. John Hiatt.
ReplyDeletesad breakup - definitely Todd Rundgren's "can we still be friends"
ReplyDelete"we had something to learn - now it's time for the wheel to turn"
and - not actually sad, but saluting those one is no longer with - Willie Nelson's "to all the girls i've loved before" - the duet he and Julio Iglesias do on it really works, although you might not have thought so before
Todd Rundgren- Torch Song
ReplyDelete"I will pine forever. I will carry my torch for you."
Jeezaloo!
Wait Until Tomorrow - Jimi Hendrix Experience
ReplyDeleteI’m A Loser - The Beatles
So Begins The Task - Stephen Stills
Tip Of My Tongue - John Hiatt
“Is She Really Going Out With Him?” by Joe Jackson: a song I would always sing looking over at Steve back in the day.
ReplyDeleteI keed! I keed! 😁
Who can forget Lindsey Buckingham.
ReplyDeleteangst in Rumors -
Go Your Own Way
The Chain
Never Going Back
One more from Lindsey -
ReplyDeleteGo Insane
rob -: this one and previous
FoW - Hackensack...
ReplyDeletewith Maureen, This Better Be Good, Leave the Biker, I-95, and No Better Place as worthy alternates
Just about every song on Marty Stuart’s The Pilgrim album?? I suggest the Deluxe Edition reissue if you can find it.
ReplyDeleteWho Needs Ya? - Steppenwolf
ReplyDeleteJD- was just talking about Stuart with my Sister, who knew of him from afar
ReplyDeleteCheck out McGuinn on you tube on Marty's show
Now to Steves query today,-
Who could forget Dylan's masterpiece
" Like A Rolling Stone" as well as
" Idiot Wind"
rob
Randy Newman's "A Wedding in Cherokee County"
ReplyDelete8:05 by Moby Grape
ReplyDeletePositively 4th Street by Bob Dylan
almost anything by Richard Thompson...
rs
"I Can Tell Your Love Is Waning" - Slobberbone
ReplyDelete"'Cause I can tell your love is waning from the looks and smell of it
Like getting caught behind a cattle truck and all you smell is shit"
Up the Junction--Squeeze
ReplyDeleteGo Home Girl--Arthur Alexander; Ry Cooder's version always gets to me
Beeswing--Richard Thompson; as RS mentions above, plenty of candidates from his catalogue!
Slobberbone also did "Shoot You Dead"
ReplyDelete"See, I got myself another but
She ain't nothin' like you, dear
She don't feel the need to slap me
Or stick pencils in my ear"
A couple from Chris Whitley’s brilliant first album: Poison Girl and I Forget You Every Day. One of a kind and gone way too soon.
ReplyDeleteAnother gone way too soon: Warren Zevon. Lots of material there, but I’ll pick the exquisitely beautiful Accidentally Like a Martyr and the bitterly hilarious The Hula Hula Boys.
Tonio K - Go Away, but for maximum effect, make sure you read the liner notes and think the background vocals at the appropriate points.
The Who - A Legal Matter works for the girlfriend from hell; Bargain for the fucked up romance. Sometime I think Bargain is the best song Townshend ever wrote, and it may also be Keith Moon’s finest recorded performance. And according to his liner notes for the Who’s Next box set, it wasn’t actually written for Lifehouse.
As others have mentioned, Richard Thompson has tons of these, but I’ll nominate two: For Shame of Doing Wrong from the magnificent Pour Down Like Silver during the Richard and Linda period, and Devonside from his first post-Linda period.
And I can’t pass up “girlfriend from hell” without mentioning the Eagles’ Good Day in Hell, with some terrific slide guitar from Don Felder.
Tornio K - The Night Fast Eddie Went Crazy, Hatred.
ReplyDeleteEasybeats - Heaven & He’ll
Captain Al
Nilsson - You're Breakin' My Heart (So Fuck You!)
ReplyDeleteVR
Nilsson Great Pick ;-)
DeleteOh, and "You're So Vain."
ReplyDeleteCarly Simon
VR
And some Beatles:
ReplyDeleteNo Reply
Not a Second Time
I'm a Loser
VR just wakin' up to Julio my PT. Time to work out the poison.
Why D'ya Do It? - Marianne Faithfull
ReplyDeleteLittle Girl - Syndicate Of Sound
Johnny Hit And Run Paulene - X
Joey - Concrete Blonde
If we're talking Richard Thompson, I'll go with She Twists The Knife Again and Ghosts In The Wind, both from his finest album, and 1952 Vincent Black Lightning, his finest song.
C in California
Fucked-up Romance: Amazing Rhythm Aces: Third-Rate Romance (Low-Rent Rendezvous),
ReplyDeletealthough I prefer Elvis Costello's take: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwWyYQbrrBU&t=93s
Sad Break-up: Slobberbone: Gimme Back My Dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U58sLtoiscA
Girlfriend from Hell: Mojo Nixon: She's All Liquored Up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVO_CHo2LPU
The One that got Away: The Godfathers: Pretty Girl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8MM3QAzFQ0
"Tear Stained Letter" by Richard Thompson
ReplyDeleteShe Darked the Sun -- Gene Clark
ReplyDeletePainful one that got away: Yellow Coat by Steve Goodman
ReplyDeleteBreak up songs in general: How many Elvis Costello songs can we count?
I Like 'em Big and Stupid - Julie Brown
ReplyDeleteRe: JD Goldberg - 10-4 on Stuart's Pilgrim.
Afternoon Tea - The Kinks
ReplyDeleteThe Captain Al
Some stuff I thought of on the way back from a jazz gig and after hours mischief in Hollywood. For your playlist:
ReplyDeleteShe’s Not There - The Zombies
I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself - Dusty Springfield
Walk Away Renee - Left Banke
That’s No Way to Say Goodbye - Leonard Cohen
Crying - Roy Orbison
Hot Burrito #1 - Flying Burrito Brothers
Remember - Greg Kihn
Sorrow - David Bowie version
The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix Experience
She’s Gone - Hall & Oates
Drown In My Own Tears - Ray Charles/Joe Cocker
Insider - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Tainted Love - Soft Cell/Gloria Jones
I've Been Loving You Too Long - Otis Redding
Holding On to Yesterday - Ambrosia
These Eyes - Guess Who
Tracks of My Tears - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Don't Think Twice, It's Alright - Bob Dylan
These Days - Jackson Browne/Gregg Allman
It Makes No Difference - The Band
That Song About the Midway - Joni Mitchell
By the Time I Get to Phoenix - Glen Campbell
Almost Hear You Sigh - Rolling Stones
Slippin' Away - Chris Hillman
Lyin' Eyes - Eagles
Ain't No Sunsine - Bill Withers
I'd Rather Go Blind - Etta James/Christine McVie & Chicken Shack
Do You Know What I Mean - Lee Michaels
It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference - Todd Rundgren (being as Torch Song already mentioned)
Did I Ever Love You? - Fleetwood Mac
Photograph - Ringo Starr
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin/Quicksilver Messenger Service (not Joan Baez)
Burned - Buffalo Springfield
I Can't Tell You Why - Eagles
Sunspot Baby - Bob Seger
Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home - Ann Peebles
Still In Love with You - Thin Lizzy
All Over Now - Rolling Stones
Loan Me a Dime - Boz Scaggs
Ticket to Ride - Beatles (somebody must have mentioned Yesterdya already)
One Less Bell to Answer - 5th Dimension
I Want You Back - Jackson 5/Graham Parker
What It Takes - Aerosmith
Love Needs a Heart - Jackson Browne/Valerie Carter
I’ll Feel a Whole Lot Better - Byrds
Sad Memory - Buffalo Springfield
I Changed the Locks - Lucinda Williams
Get Out of My Life Woman - Lee Dorsey
Songs She Sang In the Shower - Jason Isnell
Look Into the Sun - Jethro Tull
Don’t Speak - No Doubt
Good Friday - Black Crowes
Pretending to Care - Todd Rundgren
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Bee Gees
I’ll Follow the Sun - Beatles
White Room - Cream
Out of Tears - Rolling Stones
Whipping Post - Allman Brothers Band
Idiot Wind - Bob Dylan
When the Well Runs Dry - Drive-by Truckers
Where Did Our Love Go - Supremes
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted - Jimmy Ruffin
Down By the River - Neil Young
Barstool Blues - Neil Young
Can't Let Go - Lucinda Williams
Love Hurts - Everly Brothers/Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris
1,000 Wedding - Gram Parsons
Red Rubber Ball - Cyrkle
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon
VR
I think I forgot
ReplyDeleteMacArthur Park - take your pick of Richard Harris, Waylon Jennings, Three Degrees, Donna Summer or Wayne Kramer.
It's late. The sun is up. Time to come crashin' in.
VR Love of My Life - Queen
It's My Party Leslie Gore
ReplyDeleteCold Rain & Snow, Peggy-O - Grateful Dead
ReplyDeleteThe Captain once again.
Whole albums on the theme of relationship regret: Go-Betweens 16 Lovers Lane, Dylan Blood On The Tracks, Richard Thompson Across A Crowded Room. And all three are among my all-time faves, (perhaps not) coincidentally.
ReplyDeleteC in California
The Girl With No Name - Byrds
ReplyDeleteLuskus Delph -Procol Harum
ReplyDeleteI've Been Loving You Too Long (Too Stop Now) - Otis Redding
Payday - The Broadcasters
Captain Al
Luskus Delph is a breakup song? Really? Guess I'm too stupid to figure that out. Always thought it was about lustful obsession. Poetic pussy. Arty smut. Then again, the chicken fat imagery is kinda gross.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, the non-stop Gene Clark Mammorial Day Sonic Barbecue Bash continues.
Stay With Me Baby – Lorraine Ellison/Terry Reid
Alone Again Or – Love/UFO
The Price of Love – Everly Brothers/Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Walking On a Wire – Richard & Linda Thompson (Richard & Linda. Two Birds with One Stone.)
Without You - Badfinger/Nilsson (Guess I could throw Heart in there too)
Without Her – Nilsson/ Blood,Sweat & Tears
It's Over - Roy Orbison
You Tell Me - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Miss Love - Subdudes (briliant and soulful-Tommy Malone is the shit)
The French Inhaler – Warren Zevon
Try Me – UFO (my ex was a guitar player/dope dealer. He turned me on to UFO. Schenker is a very melodic player. I like a lot of stuff UFO did from 1974-1978. And unapologetically.)
Parallel Lines – Todd Rundgren (unrequited love as ony Todd can do it)
Fading Lady - Jerry Jeff Walker
Irene Wilde (live version with my scream) - Ian Hunter (unrequited love)
You’re Gonna Get It - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Point Blank - The Butt
Run For Your Life – Beatles
Thin Line Between Love and Hate – Persuaders/Pretenders
Creep - Radiohead/Pretenders
Hurt - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace – Terry Reid/Cheap Trick/Taylor Hawkins
Tore Up Over You - Hank Ballard/Jerry Garcia
Time On My Hands – UFO
She Left Me Holdin’ – Jerry Jeff Walker
You Oghta Know - Alanis Morisette (or however the fuck you spell it)
The Best of Everything – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Looks Like Rain - Grateful Dead/Bob Weir
Gone - Joey Heatherton version (Me and Sandy wamted to be her) (saw her in Vegas)
Ships - Ian Hunter
Still I'm Sad - Yardbirds
Tell Me When It's Over - Sheryl Crow
No More Looking Back – Kinks
Funny (How Time Slips Away) - Joe Hinton/Billy Walker/Wille Nelson
Rosecrans Blvd - 5th Dimension (another Jimmy Webb weird one)
It'll ALl Work Out - Tom Petty
When the Spell Is Broken - Richard Thompson
I’ll Forgive You If You Don’t - Jim Lauderdale (unrequited)
You Can't Be Too Strong - Graham Parker (all-around fucked-up situation)
Streets of Baltimore - Bobby Bare/Gram Parsons/Nancy Griffith/Willie Nelson etc
Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson/Brenda Lee/The Pelvis
Echo – Tom Petty (kinda boring musically but he gets a lot off of his chest)
Black-Throated Wind - Grateful Dead/Bob Weir
Shoot Shoot – UFO (nightmare from hell girlfriend)
Jolene – Dolly Parton
I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Gladys Knight/Marvin Gaye/Creedence
My Baby Left Me – Elvis Presley/Wanda Jackson/Creedence
When I Had You – Jerry Jeff Walker (best when on the verge of passing out)
Witchy Woman – Eagles (girlfriend from hell)
I Used to Love Her (But I Had to Kill Her) – Guns ‘n Roses (not as fun as it should be)
(Last Night) I Couldn’t Get To Sleep At All – 5th Dimension
High Flyer - UFO
Is This What I Get For Loving You - Ronettes/Marianne Faithfull/David Johansen (none of these live up to song's potential)
Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler/Chloe Kohanski
Criminal – Fiona Apple
WORST
If You Leave Me Now – Chicago (Worst)
November Rain - Guns 'n Roses
VR good morning and goodnight.
Somebody to Love - Queen
Sorry VR: Your correct, just because the song is dripping with lust it's not a breakup song just extremely meaty.
ReplyDeleteSweaty Captain Al
:-)
Put some pants on, man.
ReplyDeleteVR :)
We Just Disagree - Dave Mason
ReplyDeleteNYCG (New York City Girl) - Cross Canadian Ragweed