Five Best Songs to Get Over a Loved One: The Key to a Speedy Recovery
There are many obstacles that young people have to face through their journey of life, one of which can leave them feeling scarred for a long time: a broken heart. A broken heart is one of the hardest emotions to overcome. It is an intangible injury and one unable to be mended by surgery. The depth of it varies from person to person and it is said that only time can heal this wound. One remedy that has been proven to promote healing a broken heart is the power of music. This specific genre, the “Five Best Songs to Get Over a Loved One,” guides the listeners through the “getting over” process in a very strategic manner.
The progression of songs is very important. When I say progression, I am referring to how each song in this genre is specifically sequenced. The way they are numbered is in the order of how the listener should listen to the songs to successfully help get over someone. This is effective because each song attempts to be synonymous with what the listener is feeling through the “getting over” process. The person first feels depressed, then starts to come to terms with what is going on, and then begins to feel optimistic about the future. However, there are many criteria, other than the proper song progression, which need to be present in the music in order to be considered for this genre.
The first part of the criteria is the lyrics of the songs. The lyrics of each song must share the artist’s experience of either missing a loved one, resenting a loved one, or getting over a loved one, depending where it fits in the progression. This is imperative because a connection needs to be created between the listener and the artist. The listeners must know that they are not alone, due to the insecurities that may result after a break up. Knowing that others have gone through the same situation provides a sense of comfort, which is important to the process.
In conjunction with the lyrics of the songs, each song must produce the emotion specific to its placement in the sequence. When the listeners of the song hear the message that the artist is conveying, they should be able to imagine and feel as if they are the artist in the situation. The ability to identify with the artist’s emotions is important to this process because the artist should stir emotions in the listener in order to enable them to let out their own emotions.
The tone of each song helps the listeners express their feelings. A good artist is able to give meaning to a specific situation through the pitch of their voice. For example, usually a high pitch voice symbolizes an angry or excited tone. Each of the songs in this “getting over” process communicates a different tone specific to its step. The song’s capability of providing this tone makes the genre stronger in the sense that the listeners are given a deeper understanding of the artist’s position.
Tempo is very important as well. The tempo of the song helps create some of the above referenced criteria. A fast tempo song usually represents excitation as opposed to a slow tempo song, which can produce a sense of depression. The tempo allows the listeners to either dance to a song or sit and cry to it, which aids in the release of the listeners’ emotions to help get over someone.
There can also be a sense of familiarity to these songs. They are all pop songs that have been expressed through the media at one point in the song’s existence. Any song that has been broadcast on the radio or in a movie has appeal to it. To get on the radio or in a movie, a song must have affected someone in a way that the person in charge of the radio or the movie wanted to share it with the rest of the world.
This is why these songs are chosen for this genre. Although some may argue that there are better songs not included in the pop genre that are superior to the songs I have chosen, I believe these songs are the most effective. I believe that their lyrics, tempo, tone, pitch and the emotions they stir help the listeners to express their own emotions to eventually get over their broken heart.
1) My Happy Ending- Avril Lavigne. The song starts off with just the piano and tambourine in the background, which is continuous for the following bridges in the song. This allows the voice and lyrics of Lavigne to be heard clearly, which is very significant during the bridge in this song. It is during the bridge that she talks about the faults of a recently ended relationship, including her assumptions of what the guy was actually feeling their entire time together. “Thanks for acting like you cared,” shows that she thinks that the entire relationship was just an act. The tambourine creates a slow beat, while the piano creates the moderate tempo, adding to the song’s depressing story.
However, what makes this song unique is that when the chorus begins, there is a shift when the guitar and loud drumbeat are introduced in order to reflect a different emotion: anger. The drumbeat, which is a loud banging, also symbolizes the confusion in the artist’s mind when reflecting back on the relationship. The tone and high pitch of Lavigne’s voice during the chorus, almost as though she is aggressively yelling out all her feelings to her ex, accentuates her sadness and the betrayal she feels. She thought that, “we were meant to be, supposed to be,” but her fairytale happy ending did not come, and it is obvious she is still upset and angry about it. This song allows the listeners to let out their feelings about their exes and to realize the flaws of their relationships, which is why it fits perfectly for the first song of this genre.
However, what makes this song unique is that when the chorus begins, there is a shift when the guitar and loud drumbeat are introduced in order to reflect a different emotion: anger. The drumbeat, which is a loud banging, also symbolizes the confusion in the artist’s mind when reflecting back on the relationship. The tone and high pitch of Lavigne’s voice during the chorus, almost as though she is aggressively yelling out all her feelings to her ex, accentuates her sadness and the betrayal she feels. She thought that, “we were meant to be, supposed to be,” but her fairytale happy ending did not come, and it is obvious she is still upset and angry about it. This song allows the listeners to let out their feelings about their exes and to realize the flaws of their relationships, which is why it fits perfectly for the first song of this genre.
2) So Sick- Ne-Yo. So Sick begins with Ne-Yo talking about the girlfriend that he is not with anymore and how he is still depressed over the break-up. This depression is consistent throughout the song, along with the playing of the keyboard, which creates a mid tempo to allow his depression to sink into the listener. He uncovers that he wishes their relationship could be how it used to be, but he gradually realizes that he has to move on. “Gotta fix that calendar I have that’s marked July 15th, because since there’s no more you there’s no more anniversary.” This shows his realization that he has to start erasing the old memories that he used to share with his girlfriend. “And for some reason I just can’t get over us, and I’m stronger than this,” reveals that Ne-Yo could be stronger in the situation and just needs to find his inner-strength. Although Ne-Yo’s voice does not reach high pitches as he sings this, his lyrics express how he does not want to be sad anymore and wants to move on, something the listener at this point in time of the process should be thinking about. So Sick- Neyo
3) Forever and Always- Taylor Swift. This song is the turning point of the progression of the genre. Forever and Always starts with an upbeat drum and faster tempo than the songs before it, providing a transition from a depressing feel to a more frustrating tone. The acoustic guitar, which is steady throughout the song, has the power through its melodic rhythm to evoke the memories that Swift explains. Swift, in a medium pitch voice, talks about the flaws of a past relationship and how she used to, “Stare at the phone and he still hasn’t called and then you feel so low, you can’t feel nothin’ at all.” This phrase is repeated throughout the song to express that no one should feel like this during a relationship. This fact is very important to use to get over someone. This popular song lets the listeners know that they are not alone in their situation and that many people have gone through the same thing that they are experiencing. It is at this point that listeners should be over feeling sad and realize that their relationships were not perfect and should strive for someone better. This is what Swift conveys, which is why this song is placed as the third song to listen to in this process. Forever and Always- Taylor Swift
4) Since U Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson. The only way to describe this song is by calling it hypnotizing. When I say this, I mean that the song makes you want to sing along with Clarkson’s catchy lyrics and to start jumping around in the room like a teenage girl. Since U Been Gone reveals Clarkson’s realization that she deserves better than what her last relationship provided. The extremely fast tempo gives the song an “I am done. I am getting over” meaning more so than the slower tempo and negative tone songs before it could express. An electric guitar can be heard throughout the song, which gives the song more edge, identical to how Clarkson communicates her feelings. The high pitch of Clarkson’s voice adds to her getting all of her emotions out, almost as if she is screaming towards her ex, which helps the listener get into her shoes. As the song moves to the chorus, it explains, “Since U been gone, I can breathe for the first time. I’m so moving on.” The smashing of the snare drum and cymbal in the background of the chorus heightens Clarkson’s epiphany of moving on. This is important for anyone going through the “getting-over” process to grasp. Everything happens for a reason and once the situation is accepted, it will be easier to move on. Since U Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson
5) I Will Learn to Love Again- Kaci. This song is the ideal song to follow Since U Been Gone on this list. Since U Been Gone is about finally getting over the ex. I Will Learn to Love Again is now the next step in the process: preparing for the future. The song immediately starts off with a fast tempo, creating an exciting tone for the rest of the song. The keyboard that is prevalent in the entire song only uses its higher keys, which adds to the happier, exciting aura. Kaci repeats in the song, “I will find my way through the heart break I will not give up on love, I believe.” This line, but also the entire song, is filled with so much hope, which is so important for the last part of the “getting-over” process. Kaci’s high pitch voice sounds as if she is yelling to the world that she is ready to move on. This pumps up the listeners and motivates the listeners to do the same. The listeners should feel excited about the future and about where life will take them, which is why this song is placed as the last song to listen to in this sequence. I Will Learn to Love Again- Kaci
Ending a relationship with someone is arguably one of the hardest experiences of life someone has to endure. The broken heart that results from a break-up may negatively impact the person’s positive outlook on life. It is important for someone that goes through this to realize that although it may hurt at the time, life still goes on. This is what “Five Top Songs to Get Over Someone” is for. It is this music, through its meaningful lyrics, that helps one cope with their suffering emotions. They enable dwellers to overcome the pain, and comfort them in a way to oblige them to truly believe that there is so much more to life. All they have to do is listen to these songs, and its history from there on.
