Wallow, the Soundtrack

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So sick. I woke up with a fever and chills and the smell of death on the air. I wish this bed would stop touching me so I could sleep.

Anyway, when I was young and feeling heartbroken, I used to make breakup tapes with one side for feeling sorry for myself and one with happy music. Did you ever do this? While I’m incapacitated, please add links to songs to weep by and songs that make you dance around in your underwear.

When my skin isn’t peeling up at the edges, I shall make a mixtape.

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321 thoughts on “Wallow, the Soundtrack”

  1. Happy song:

    Sad song:

    (no matter how often I listen to it, I always have to cry!)

    I hope you’ll be feeling better soon!!

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  2. Sad:

    Minneapolis – Lucinda Williams
    Dear Chicago – Ryan Adams
    Seasons in the Sun – Nirvana

    Gets you moving:

    American Girl – Tom Petty
    Holiday – Vampire Weekend
    No Sleep ’til Brooklyn – Beastie Boys

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  4. I know it’s Over & There is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths

    Edge of the Deep Green Sea, Same Deep Water as You, Trust…all The Cure but that doesn’t count for me as I listen to them happy, sad, mad, etc.

    Where the Road Meets the Sun – Katie Herzig Matthew Perryman

    Exit Music (for a film) -Radiohead

    Mazzy Star – Fade into You

    i i ieeee – Tori Amos

    I could keep going…so much passionate music.

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  6. My suggestions are a little unconventional, but hey. So am I.
    Sad: Good people by Jack Johnson — it’s kind of an upbeat tune but the lyrics are kind of depressing…
    Cold Day in the Sun by the Foo Fighters
    If you wanna go old school sad, how about “can’t live, if living is without you, I can’t breathe anymore” and my all-time favorite wallowing tune when I was in high-school/college is Phil Collins’ Against All Odds. (I mean come on: How can I just let you walk away, just let you leave without a trace
    When I stand here taking every breath with you, ooh
    You’re the only one who really knew me at all)

    Happy songs:
    Keep Walkin’ by Emily Maguire (although this is a transition song from said to happy)
    Give my Life by Army of Lovers (the video is so not cool, but it’s a good song to shimmy to)
    Here Comes the Sun/Good Day Sunshine by the Beatles
    Get out the Map by Indigo Girls

    Maggie: I sensed something was up when you posted the poem by Ellen Bass (which I love and have saved to use in bereavement cards and have already used). I second what everyone has said about you being a bright spirit, and brave to share this with us, and to wish you the best as you learn your new normal. Soldier on, my friend.

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  7. Sad songs: Anything from Elliott Smith’s first two records, and most of the stuff from his third record. “The Biggest Lie” and “Between the Bars” are two particularly weepy ones. Leonard Cohen will get you good and bummed nearly every time you need it. His first four records are especially mood-deflating (in the best way possible, of course). Finally, Weezer’s cover of “Unbreak My Heart” is the best electric guitar-based cover balled I’ve ever heard. (You know who knows how to pine? Rivers Cuomo knows how to pine.)

    Happy songs: Every song on the first record of Queen’s Greatest Hits. Every damn song. The ’60s soul collection, “Beg, Scream, & Shout” will make you get up and dance like mad, and I say this as a non-dancer.

    And as for something to listen to when you’re feeling a little in between, Seu Jorge’s covers of David Bowie songs are fantastic. So simple, yet filling. They’ll clear your mind of whatever is troubling you.

    Man, I could make a list like this forever. I hope at least some of this helps you feel better.

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  8. Oh Maggie, I’m so sorry life is rough. And then some.

    I know it’s cheesy as hell, but nothing is close your windows and crank up your stereo and wail along as Kelly Clarkson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.

    Sad song (though oddly, also close my windows, crank up my stereo and sing along) “Change is Hard” by She and Him.

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  9. I say let yourself wallow when you need to. Glad there’s a Dance side planned as well 🙂

    Wallow – Shelter (Ray Lamontagne’s Trouble)
    You Were Mine (Dixie Chicks’ Wide Open Spaces)

    Dance – Mercy (Duffy’s Rockferry)

    Dance –

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  10. Thank you for everything you’ve done and continue to do.

    Metafilter has complied a few good lists:
    sad songs: http://ask.metafilter.com/11593/I-want-suggestions-for-really-depressing-breakup-songs
    break up albums: http://ask.metafilter.com/138579/All-the-tracks-lead-you-to-heartbreak
    upbeat break up songs: http://ask.metafilter.com/126778/Dont-let-the-door-hit-you-in-song
    angry break up songs: http://ask.metafilter.com/157089/Angry-aggressive-breakup-songs-please

    Here’s a tumblr about break up songs:
    http://breakupsong.tumblr.com/

    Upbeat/happy song:
    Bulletproof by La Roux

    I hope this helps. ❤

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  14. When I went through my divorce, I could only listen to a few CD’s over and over again. I needed to control what little I could. One favorite was Cowboy Mouth’s Are You With Me. Here is a link to a snippet of Love of My Life…definitely for dancing. (I substituted the “she” for “he” while singing along and thumping the steering wheel in my car.)

    http://www.pandora.com/music/song/cowboy+mouth/love+of+my+life

    Also good from this disc is How Do You Tell Someone. Up beats, but sad lyrics.

    http://www.pandora.com/music/song/cowboy+mouth/how+do+you+tell+someone

    Also good (for the anger stage) is Violet by Hole. I guess this is good for dancing, but I always found myself stomping. Does that count?

    http://www.pandora.com/music/song/cowboy+mouth/how+do+you+tell+someone

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  15. Sad: Cheryl Wheeler, “But the Days and Nights Are Long” or “Right Way to Do the Wrong Thing.”

    Happy: Cheryl Wheeler, “Potato”.

    Whoever mentioned Lucinda Williams for sad nailed it, but she also has some kickass upbeat songs.

    I also think that Sinead O’Connor’s whole I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got album veers wildly between the sad and the dancing in underwear sides of the spectrum.

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  17. My sad breakup song: “Thanks, That Was Fun” by the Barenaked Ladies
    My happy songs: “Tightrope” by Janelle Monae
    “LDN” by Lily Allen

    Also, awesome hang-on-it’s-going-to-be-fine songs:
    “I Will Survive” cover by Cake
    “I Move On” from the Chicago movie soundtrack, sung by Renee Zellweger and Catherine Zeta-Jones)

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  19. Woefully sad and regretful: Jeff Buckley’s Lover, You Should’ve Come Over

    So damn happy I could die (watch at least until 1:30 for excessive happy-making): Dave Matthews Band – Everyday

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  20. Happy: ‘Lovely Day’ by Bill Withers
    ‘Three Little Birds’ by Bob Marley

    Sad: ‘Love is a Losing Game’ by Amy Winehouse
    Anything by the Smiths (especially ‘Please Please Please Let Me Get What I want’)

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  21. you want miserable? oh, have I got miserable for you. no-one does sad like morrissey and the smiths – ahh, morrissey *sigh*.

    heaven knows i’m miserable now (the smiths)

    “why do i smile, at people who i’d much rather kick in the eye?”

    there is a light that never goes out (the smiths)

    but, here are some songs that never fail to make me smile:

    ask (the smiths)

    this too shall pass (ok go)

    country house (blur)

    take care, sweet maggie.

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  24. Please don’t listen to Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt” unless you’re really and truly willing to lie insensate and useless for a week.

    There’s also Sea Change, which is Beck’s breakup -album- (imagine!). If you spend too much time with “Lost Cause,” you’re likely to double down for two weeks.

    (that said, Get well soon!)

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  25. These two songs have accompanied some of my heartbreak:

    Rosie Thomas -Farewell

    Kate Rusby – Who will sing me lullabies?

    Pure disco cheese for the dancing in your knickers stuff:

    Boney M – Rasputin

    Quincy Jones – Ai No Corrida

    More recent – Armand van Helden:

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  28. Did exactly that after several breakups – made one sad CD and one happy CD. And each time I listened to either one, I felt just a teensy bit better. And then one day you realize that you remember what “okay” feels like, and they are just songs again.

    Sad: “Sorrow” by The National

    Happy: “The Glamorous Life” by Sheila E

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  31. Okay,

    Here is my recommendations –

    Sad:
    This is my winter song to you by Ingrid Michaelson & Sara Bailles (?)
    What he wrote by Laura Marling
    Farewell by Rosie Thomas
    Skinny Love by Bon Iver
    Paris by Benton Paul
    Maybe by Ingrid Michaelson

    I will have to come back to you on the happy sounds.

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  32. “City of Blinding Lights” by U2 always brings me to my feet. It screams the happy for me.

    Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt” makes me, well, hurt. You can feel his pain through the speakers.

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  33. A good mix of happy and sad is Maroon Five’s “Can’t Lie”. It’s a break up song that makes you want to dance.

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  36. It’s not exactly happy but “Places You’ve Come to Fear the Most” by Dashboard Confessional has a brilliant screaming bit that really helps get out some frustration FOR SURE!

    As for sad songs “Kissing You” by Des’ree is a bit of a punch to the solar plexus.

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  37. No song recommendation as of yet….but I’ve been there and it will stop hurting. Sending a hug your way. =)

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  38. I have an entire ipod playlist called ‘Sinking Under a Heavy Burden’ as a go-to for moments like this. Choice gems include:

    Joni Mitchell – The Last Time I Saw Richard
    Arcade Fire – Crown of Love (perfect teenage angst)
    Cathy Davey – Sing For Your Supper http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYPPUbGVQLs

    The ‘I will get through this even though it sucks to all eternity’ song : Pink Martini – Hang On Little Tomato

    And most importantly, the underwear dancing:
    The Clash – Rock The Casbah
    Dizzy Gillespie – Bang Bang (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjA82yQU_Ss)

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  39. ‘Cream’, by Prince, is my go-to song whenever my spirits need lifting or my confidence needs boosting. Do the lyrics sound just a little bit dirty at first listen? Yes, yes they do. But if you listen a little harder, you’ll realize it’s all about taking your place at the top- you sassy, vivacious, life-loving diva you! And anyway, a little double-entendre never hurt anyone.

    Second runner up is Aretha Franklin’s ‘Spanish Harlem’. Turn it up, up, UP and dare your booty not to shake as she sings that first sassy string of ‘la la la la la la’…it’s impossible not to feel good when Aretha’s on the job.

    If you must wallow in sadness, I find that Jeff Buckley is a suitable companion. Listen to his ‘Hallelujah’, and allow yourself to visit a dark and sorry place for ONLY as long as the song lasts. Then, more Prince!

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  40. OK:

    Sad:
    Tracy Chapman – The Promise
    Snow Patrol – You Could Be Happy
    Ray Charles – You Don’t Know Me
    Ray is my go to man for sad and happy:

    Annie Lennox – The Gift – from my broken engagement 10 years ago…cannot hear it and all of Diva without crying

    Suzanne Vega – The Queen and the Soldier
    Dire Straits – Juliet
    Lyle Lovett – North Dakota – oh my god but this song will make you cry – just beautiful:

    Johnny Cash – Ring of Fire
    And Dan Wilson – Sugar – but you know that one already…

    Happy
    Snow Patrol – Just Say Yes
    Katrina & the Waves – Walking on Sunshine
    BoB – Magic:

    Ricky Martin – Shake Your Bon Bon
    Pink – U and Ur Hand
    Ray Charles – This Little Girl of Mine & I’ll Be Good to You with Quincy Jones
    Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – Yer So Bad
    Def Leppard – Pour Some Sugar on Me
    Beyonce – Why Don’t You Love Me
    (title seems counter-intuitive, but its a badass song about empowerment)
    Mary Chapin Carpenter – Shut Up and Kiss Me
    Lyle Lovett – She’s Hot to Go
    Barenaked Ladies – One Week and If I Had a Million Dollars
    Blackeyed Peas – I Gotta Feeling
    Rascal Flatts – Feels Like Today
    Liz Phair – Extraordinary

    I’ll come back with more of both.

    Big big hugs to you! Hang in there!

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  41. ‘Ciao!’ by Lush/Jarvis Cocker is a great breakup song when you’ve been wronged, but is probably not appropriate for your situation. It’s immensely cheerful (if rather bitter) and lyrically very clever too.

    ‘Foundations’ by Kate Nash is heartbreaking. And here’s two classic breakup songs: ‘Nothing Compares 2U’ by Sinead O’Connor and ‘That’s No Way To Say Goodbye’ by Leonard Cohen. Ouch.

    ‘The Bad Touch’ by Bloodhound Gang is impossible not to laugh/dance to. Sorry my list is more sad than happy.

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  44. Sad:

    The Weepies – World spins madly on
    Mumford & Sons – White Blank Page
    Lady Gaga – Speechless

    Happy:

    La Roux – Bulletproof
    Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Zero
    Noisettes – Wild Young Hearts
    Pipettes – Pull Shapes

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  45. Sad:
    My Backwards Walk by Frightened Rabbit

    Happy:
    Boogie Shoes by KC and the Sunshine Band

    (Yes, that’s a link to So You Think You Can Dance, this routine made me like that song.)

    Sad/Dance:
    The Story of Us by Taylor Swift

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  46. Oh oh oh, one more! ‘The Water’ by Johnny Flynn is the kind of happy/sad song that always seems appropriate during those times when you know some serious spirit-cleansing (ultimately good!) is about to happen, which also means some serious aching (temporarily awful). It is a cathartic and absolutely lovely song.

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  48. Happy – I have to say that everytime I hear the radio-friendly version of Ceelo’s F*** You, I dance around and get incredibly happy (I have not heard the original version yet, because Youtube makes you sign in to watch “questionable” videos). He refers to himself as being Atari to another person’s Xbox, and frankly, I would RATHER be Atari. But that is because I am old.

    Old School Happy – just go ahead and buy yourself a Bee Gees album. I am listening to Stayin’ Alive at this very moment, and I couldn’t be happier. Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother, you have to love that song.

    Sad – Ani Difranco. Just pick a song. There is a tinge a sadness in even her upbeat songs. But I love her. “School Night” will break your heart, throw it on the floor and rub your nose in it.

    Old school sad – Rose Colored Glasses by John Conlee. If you are looking for sad songs, you have to include some good old school country, and this is definitely of the honkey-tonking, truck driving school of country music. I heard this all through out growing up, and one night in my first apartment, my next door neighbor played it over and over again all night long.

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  50. Neko Case, Twist the Knife:(heartbreaking stanza: “Carefully / quietly / you took what’s young from me / I didn’t deserve it / I gave it away”)

    Neko Case, Don’t Forget Me:

    Loretta Lynn, This Old House:

    Happy and/or hopeful:
    The Mountain Goats, This Year:

    Foster the People, Pumped Up Kicks:

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