Save & Close
Some Say ‘Love Bites,’ But Music Doesn’t Have To
About Blog Post
Feb 1, 2022
by SCLSNJ
In the classic comedy film “The Wedding Singer,” recently-dumped Robbie Hart, portrayed by a mullet-rocking Adam Sandler, reminds us all that “Love Stinks,” as he ironically decides to perform the J. Geils Band’s 1980 hit during a wedding reception, where chaos ensues.
This Valentine’s Day, mend your broken heart with a playlist of songs curated by your friends at the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ). These tunes, which take you on the emotional rollercoaster that can be love, are discoverable in the Library’s collection.
A 2021 article from Harvard Medical School states that crying “emotional tears” offers health benefits by “flush[ing] stress hormones and other toxins out of our system.” The article delves deeper to share that researchers have found that crying releases the “feel-good” chemicals oxytocin and endorphins, which “help ease both physical and emotional pain.”
So, get your tissue box ready and prepare to “Cry Pretty” courtesy of country star Carrie Underwood and other musicians and performers, as you may journey through the seven the stages of grief as you check out the playlist.
Deny, deny, deny, with Tina Turner’s rendition of “Missing You,” where the scorned diva tells her former flame, “I ain’t missing you / No matter / What my friends might say,” between verses where she expresses “heartbreak overload.”
Perhaps THE heartbreak album of 2021, was 17-year-old Olivia Rodrigo’s debut “Sour,” which includes the track “Traitor,” where a grief-stricken Rodrigo reminds her ex of their betrayal with lyrics like “I loved you at your worst / But that didn’t matter.”
Elton John’s “The Lockdown Sessions,” recorded during the pandemic, features an eclectic compilation of John performing with a mix-bag of musicians (from Nicki Minaj to Glen Campbell), includes the breakout track “Cold Heart.” The song, a duet with Dua Lipa, is an emotional mashup of John’s smash hit single “Rocket Man” and 1989’s “Sacrifice.”
Slipknot and frontman Corey Taylor, the quintessential performers of hostile, heavy metal anthems, slow it down for the hauntingly beautiful, acoustic “Vermilion Pt. 2,” a track that examines love and reality.
Finally, after the sadness, anger, and denial, embrace acceptance with the incomparable company of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, with the Beatles’ “I’m Looking Through You,” followed by Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.”
Some say 'Love bites,' but music doesn’t have to:
- “Love Stinks” performed by the J. Geils Band
- “Cry Pretty” performed by Carrie Underwood
- “Cold Heart” performed by Elton John and Dua Lipa
- “Missing You” performed by Tina Turner
- “Easier Than Lying” performed by Halsey
- “Traitor” performed by Olivia Rodrigo
- “Consequences” performed by Camila Cabello
- “Heartless” performed by Kanye West
- “Black” performed by Pearl Jam
- “Vermilion Pt. 2” performed by Slipknot
- “Cry Me a River” performed by Ella Fitzgerald
- “No More Drama” performed by Mary J Blige
- “Sun and Moon” performed by Above & Beyond
- “I’m Looking Through You” performed by the Beatles
- “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” performed by Bob Dylan