Achy Breaky Heart

Top-5 Heartbreak Songs:
(As suffered through by me, in chronological order)

1. Motorcycle Drive By - Third Eye Blind
   
   This was my very first heartbreak. In the 9th standard.
   The song isn't very angry It's more about peacefully letting go, while remembering the good times.
   
   ---------------------------
   Summer time and the wind is blowing outside in lower Chelsea
   And I don't know what I'm doing in this city
   The sun is always in my eyes
   It crashes through the windows
   And I'm sleeping on the couch
   When I came to visit you
   That's when I knew
   That I could never have you
   I knew that before you did
   Still I'm the one whose stupid
   And there's this burning
   Like there's always been
   I've never been so alone
   And I've
   Never been so alive
   This is a view on a motorcycle drive by
   The cigarette ash flies in your eyes and you don't mind
   And you smile
   And say the world it doesn't fit with you
   I don't believe you
   You're so serene
   Careening through the universe
   Your axis on a tilt
   You're guiltless and free
   I hope you take a piece of me with you
   
   And there's things I'd like to do
   That you don't believe in
   I would like to build something
   But you'll never see it happen
   And there's this burning
   Like there's always been
   I've never been so alone
   And I've
   I've never been so alive
   
   And there's this burning
   There is this burning
   (yeaa)
   
   Where's the soul I want to know
   New York City is evil
   The surface is everything
   But I could never do that
   Someone would see through that
   And this is the last time
   We'll be friends again
   And I'll get over you
   And you'll wonder who I am
   And there's this burning,
   Just like there's always been
   I've never been so alone, alone
   And I've, and I've
   I've never been so alive
   
   So alive
   
   I go home to the coast it starts to rain I paddle out on the water
   Alone
   Taste the salt and taste the pain
   I'm not thinking of you again
   Summer dies and swells rise
   The sun goes down in my eyes
   See this rolling wave
   Darkly coming
   To take me
   Home
   
   And I never been so alone
   And I've never been so alive
   ---------------------------
2. Somewhat Damaged - Nine Inch Nails
   
   This was the big one. The heartbreak that put me off women for months. Total and absolute fucking with your mind. And the song that helped me get through it was just as ridiculously fucked up. It's rage like I've never felt before. Ever.
   ---------------------------
   So impressed with all you do.
   Tried so hard to be like you.
   Flew too high and burnt the wing.
   Lost my faith in everything.
   
   Lick around divine debris.
   Taste the wealth of hate in me.
   Shedding skin, succumb defeat.
   This machine is obsolete.
   
   Made the choice to go away.
   Drink the fountain of decay.
   Tear a hole exquisite red.
   Fuck the rest and stab it dead!
   
   Broken. Bruised. Forgotten. Sore.
   Too fucked up to care anymore.
   Poisoned to my rotten core.
   Too fucked up to care anymore.
   Broken. Bruised. Forgotten. Sore.
   Too fucked up to care anymore.
   Poisoned to my rotten core.
   Too fucked up to care anymore.
   
   In the back. Off the side. Far away.
   Is a place. Where I hide. Where I stay.
   Tried to say. Tried to ask. I needed to.
   All alone. By myself. Where were you?
   
   How could I. Ever think. It's funny how.
   Everything that swore it wouldn't change, is different now.
   Just like you. Would always say. We'll make it through.
   Then my head. Fell apart. And where were you?
   
   How could I. Ever think. It's funny how.
   Everything you swore would never change, is different now.
   Like you said. You and me. Make it through.
   Didn't quite. Fell apart. Where the fuck were you?
   ---------------------------
3. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
   
   Ok, so this is an obvious choice. But if you ever feel like killing yourself, this is what you need to listen to. The hearbreak wasn't that bad. But it was the first time I'd actually listened to this song.
   ---------------------------
   When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,
   When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on
   Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes
   
   Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along
   When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)
   If you feel like letting go, (hold on)
   When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on
   
   'Cause everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends
   Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand
   If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone
   
   If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,
   When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on
   
   Well, everybody hurts sometimes,
   Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes
   And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on
   Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on
   Everybody hurts. You are not alone.
   ---------------------------
4. With or Without You - U2
   
   This was the 'I give up, I have no hope' heartbreak. It was a complete and utter mess. And the beautiful part is, although the other songs helped me get through some really tough times, somehow With or Without You is still the only one that rings true today.
   ---------------------------
   See the stone set in your eyes
   See the thorn twist in your side.
   I wait for you.
   Sleight of hand and twist of fate
   On a bed of nails she makes me wait
   And I wait without you
   
   With or without you
   With or without you.
   
   Through the storm, we reach the shore
   You gave it all but I want more
   And I'm waiting for you
   
   With or without you
   With or without you.
   I can't live with or without you.
   
   And you give yourself away
   And you give yourself away
   And you give, and you give
   And you give yourself away.
   
   My hands are tied, my body bruised
   She got me with nothing to win
   And nothing left to lose.
   
   And you give yourself away
   And you give yourself away
   And you give, and you give
   And you give yourself away.
   
   With or without you
   With or without you
   I can't live
   With or without you. (x2)
   ---------------------------
5. The Scientist - Coldplay
   
   I haven't had to suffer any major heartbreak since With or Without You. But if I were, I'd listen to The Scientist by Coldplay. It's just being resigned to my fate. I'm too old to be filled with rage.
   ---------------------------
   Come up to meet you, tell her I'm sorry
   You don't know how lovely you are
   
   I had to find you
   Tell you I need you
   Tell you I set you apart
   
   Tell me your secrets
   And, Ask me your questions
   Oh, let's go back to the start
   
   Running in circles
   Coming up tails
   Heads on a science apart
   
   Nobody said it was easy
   Oh, It's such a shame for us to part
   Nobody said it was easy
   No one ever said it would be this hard
   
   Oh, take me back to the start
   
   I was just guessing
   At numbers and figures
   Pulling the puzzles apart
   
   Questions of science
   Science and progress
   Do not speak as loud as my heart
   
   So Tell me you love me
   Come back and haunt me
   Oh, and I rush to the start
   
   Running in circles
   Chasing our tails
   Coming back as we are
   
   Nobody said it was easy
   Oh, it's such a shame for us to part
   Nobody said it was easy
   No one ever said it would be so hard
   
   I'm going back to the start...
   ---------------------------

That is all. Notice how all these songs have magnificient endings. I think that's how you can really tell if a song was well-written. If it evokes a feeling in you throughout the song, and the last 2-3 lines seem to capture everything the song is about.

Music makes me, me.