Let’s face it: we’ve all experienced some sort of heartbreak, and no matter how strong we are or how fast we pretend to get over it, there’s some point in the process where we’d just love to look at the rain behind the window and listen to Celine Dion’s version of “All By Myself.” We all know that music has the ability to move us to the core, but this isn’t just a matter of listening to sad music as a cathartic therapy. I mean, it could help, but sometimes what you need to listen to is something you can easily relate to, stories that describe your own situation, so you can let out all of your emotions. The reasons behind this music therapy can be many: a heartbreak, a terrible breakup, the loss of someone, and even being rejected by the person you like. Perhaps you’ve been blessed and never had to endure the pain of being rejected. But most likely you’re here because, like me, you know how it feels and how devastating it can be.
“I Can’t Make You Love Me” – Bonnie Raitt
“Cause I can’t make you love me if you don’t. You can’t make your heart feel something it won’t”
Right where it hurts. This 1991 song by Bonnie Raitt was so popular that it became a number one hit when it was released. Moreover, the theme is so relatable that it has been covered by many musicians throughout the years. The heartbreaking tune, together with the crude and direct lyrics of the song, will make you feel it was written just for you. But, please, don’t post it on Facebook as an indirect message for that person. These are sorrows we’d better keep to ourselves.
“You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift
“Been here all along, so why can’t you see you belong with me…”
At this moment you don’t really need the best quality music out there, but just some lyrics to help you cope with the pain of a heartbreak. And there’s no better choice for songs about failed love than Taylor Swift. “You Belong With Me” was one of her first hits —as far as I remember—, and it takes unrequited love to another level, because it really reflects what we feel when that person we’re sure is the right for us is actually dating someone else who doesn’t really fit them.
“Chasing Pavements” – Adele
“Should I just keep chasing pavements? Even if it leads nowhere”
Ouch! Could this hurt more? To be honest, I think Adele’s voice has the power and strength to move us no matter the lyrics of her songs, but in this particular case I think she really talks about what we all think after being rejected for a while. I mean, this is the perfect song for those who have been infatuated or in love with someone who doesn’t love them back and keep dealing with that emotion for a while. Should we continue making our best to win their heart or is just useless?
“Layla” – Eric Clapton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtxO1gwbHPQ
“Like a fool, I fell in love with you, turned my whole world upside down”
Okay, let’s make a change in style, and what better way to do so than with a successful story? You know the story: Clapton fell in love with George Harrison’s wife, wrote this song to tell her how he felt, and some time later they ended up getting married. But the thing with this song is that, when he wrote it, he did it as a strong demonstration of love where he also showed the pain of knowing she was unaware of his feelings.
“You Sent Me Flying” – Amy Winehouse
“And now I feel so small discovering you knew, how much more torture would you have put me through?”
We all know Amy Winehouse’s songs aren’t sugar-coated, and sometimes the best way to overcome that terrible rejection is by listening to honest words, no matter how harsh or tough they are. So, if you want a dose of reality, Amy is your best choice to open your eyes and stop being obsessed with that person. Because yes, that’s what happens when we’re rejected in some way: we tend to cling to that unrequited love.
There’s a Spanish musician who, in my opinion, has one of the best sayings for these cases. In a very rough translation, it says something like, “there isn’t worse nostalgia than longing for something that never happened.” And I think that’s absolutely true. When we like someone a lot, we start picturing a future with them. But when we realize that person doesn’t feel the same for us, the heartbreak doesn’t really lie on the loss of a possible relationship, but of the future we longed for.
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For more playlists or interesting songs, take a look at these:
6 Songs You’ve Shared And Didn’t Know Are Creepy As F*ck
Music Genres That Have The Power Of Defining Your Personality
9 Songs That Remind Me Of The Only Time We Were Together
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Image by @baldwinner