Elvis Costello’s hauntingly intense ‘I Want You’ is the Top Break-up Song as voted for by Tuneraker readers in our recent poll.
Elvis himself sure knows a thing or two about break-ups, having had an ‘eye for the ladies’ throughout his career. ‘I Want You’is the soundtrack for a messy break-up where things aren’t that clear cut but definitely in a bad state.
‘I Want You’ is followed closely by the more pragmatic ‘I Will Survive’ by the irrepressable Gloria Gaynor. Gloria’s take on it is: I mean, hey, he walked, so let’s get on with it.
The melancholic flashback of ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’ by Soft Cell comes in third. Marc Almond’s soaring but frail vocals
Legendary Sixties spirit Gram Parsons comes fourth with ‘Love Hurts’. Gram duets with a young Emmylou Harris here and, boy, if you don’t feel the pain you haven’t been born.
These four songs are Tuneraker readers’ clear favourites. Then it gets a bit more messy: We have four songs sharing fifth place in this poll.
One of the four is Belgian chansonneur Jacques Brel’s gut wrenching ‘Ne Me Quitte Pas’. That guy had style, even when he pours his heart out.
The remaining three songs sharing fifth place are altogether more cynical affairs, dealing with the situationb at hand with a smirk and a few witty remarks: ‘Don’t Think Wice It’s Alright’ by a smug Bob Dylan, ‘You’re So Vain’ by an irked Carly Simon and ‘No Woman No Cry’ by a spliffed out Bob Marley.
Top 5 Break-Up Songs
Voted for by Tuneraker Readers Feb/Mar 2009
1. ‘I Want You’ - Elvis Costello
2. ‘I Will Survive’ - Gloria Gaynor
3. ‘Say Hello, Wave Goodbye’ - Soft Cell
4. ‘Love Hurts’ - Gram Parsons
5. ‘Ne Me Quitte Pas’ - Jacques Brel
= ‘Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright’ - Bob Dylan
= ‘You’re So Vain’ - Carly Simon
= ‘No Woman No Cry’ - Bob Marley
Listen Here To All Contenders For The Best Break-up Song!
