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We all have those times when the words of a quote or the lyrics of a song, engulf us in deep emotion.

Indeed, at times, we search out those songs to feel what needs to be felt.

We listen intently to the lyrics as if they were written for us, or by us. Perhaps they remind us of a beautiful moment, a sad loss, happier times, or the desolate pang of heartbreak.

Whatever we are feeling, these lyrics can move through our body and sit right in the wounded parts of us. And whilst the emotions and feelings may be raw, the lyrics can be cathartic—because to heal, we do need to sit and feel it all, and if we can’t write the words ourselves, why not listen to them?

Our amygdala, that little part of our brain, has the ability, through our senses, to transport us back to moments—a smell, a touch, a sight, a taste, and a sound. A song.

Here is my list of heartbreak and feely songs. It’s the romantic in me. The passionate lover. The wounded lover. The woman who holds an incredible amount of love in her heart and soul—even through heartbreak. A list I’ve used over the years that has allowed pain, sadness, and nostalgia to be felt in every cell of my being—because sometimes we do need to wallow for a moment. We do need to make friends with the sh*tty feelings. We do need to allow the tears to flow, until we let them go. We do need the memories to swirl around, until we accept them. So we can face all those feelings, every damn one of them, and understand what we need to heal.

34 heartbreak and feely songs for when we need to unpack our pain:

1. “Don’t Cry” by Guns N’ Roses

“Give me a whisper. And give me a sigh. Give me a kiss before you tell me goodbye. Don’t take it so hard now, and please don’t take it so bad. I’ll be thinkin’ of you, and the times we had, baby. And don’t you cry tonight, I still love you baby.”

2. “Say Something” by A Great Big World

“Say something, I’m giving up on you. I’ll be the one, if you want me to. Anywhere, I would have followed you. Say something, I’m giving up on you. And I will swallow my pride. You’re the one that I love and I’m saying goodbye.”

3. “Someone Like You” by Adele

“Never mind, I’ll find someone like you. I wish nothing but the best for you, too. Don’t forget me, I beg, I remember you said, sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.”

4. “Ti Amo” by Laura Branigan

“Guess it was there in your eyes. Guess it was there in your sighs. Guess it was there in your lies. I was blind then, couldn’t face the end. Ti Amo, God how I love you so.”

5. “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses

“Shed a tear cause I’m missin’ you, I’m still alright to smile. Girl, I think about you every day now. Was a time when I wasn’t sure, but you, set my mind at ease, there is no doubt your in my heart now.”

6. “The Weakness in Me” by Joan Armatrading

“I’m not the sort of person who falls, in and quickly out of love. But to you I gave my affection, right from the start. If I choose now, I’ll lose out. One of you has to fall, but I need you, and you aren’t there now.”

7. “Before you Go” by Lewis Capaldi

“I fell by the wayside, like everyone else. I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, but I was just kidding myself. Our every moment, I start to replace. Cause now that you’re gone, all I hear are the words that I needed to say.”

8. “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper

“But I see your true colors shining through. I see your true colors and that’s why I love you. So don’t be afraid to let them show, your true colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow.”

9. “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi

 “Now the day bleeds, into nightfall. And you’re not here, to get me through it all. I let my guard down, and then you pulled the rug. I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved.”

10. “Time After Time” by Cyndi Lauper

“Lying in my bed, I hear the clock tick and I think of you. Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new. Flashback warm nights, almost left behind. Suitcase of memories, time after time.”

11. “Bruises” by Lewis Capaldi

“Counting days, counting days. Since my love up and got lost on me. And every breath that I’ve been takin’, since you left feels such a waste on me.”

12. “Happier” by Ed Sheeran

“Ain’t nobody hurt you like I hurt you. But ain’t nobody love you like I do. Promise that I will not take it personal, baby, if you’re moving on with someone new.”

13. “Collide” by Howie Day

“Even the best fall down sometime. Even the wrong words seem to rhyme. Out of the doubt that fills my mind, I somehow find you and I collide.”

14. “Dream Catch Me” by Newton Faulkner

“There’s a place I go when I’m alone. Do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be. But it is us I see and I cannot believe I’m falling. That’s where I’m going, where are you going? Hold it close, won’t let this go.”

15. “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye

“But you didn’t have to cut me off, make out like it never happened, and that we were nothing. And I didn’t even need your love, but you treat me like a stranger, and that feels so rough.”

16. “Dancing on My Own” by Calum Scott

“I’m in the corner, watching you kiss her oh I’m right over here, why can’t you see me? Oh and I’m giving it my all, I’m not the guy you’re taking home, oh I keep dancing on my own.”

17. “If You Ever Want To Be In Love” by James Bay

“Saw you today after so much time. It just felt like it used to be, talkin’ for hours about a different life, surrounded us in memories. I’ll come around, if you ever want to be in love. I’m not waiting, but I’m willing if you call me up. If you ever want to be in love, I’ll come around.”

18. “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum

 “Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor. Reaching for the phone cause I can’t fight it anymore. And I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time.”

19. “Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri

“It took so long just to feel alright, remember how to put back the light in my eyes. Who do you think you are? Runnin’ round leaving scars. Collecting your jar of hearts, tearing love apart.”

20. “Fighter” by Christina Aguilera

“After all you put me through, you’d think I’d despise you. But in the end I want to thank you, cause you made me that much stronger. Makes me work a little harder, it makes me that much wiser. So thanks for making me a fighter.”

21. “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” by The Script

“Cause if one day you wake up and find you’re missing me, and your heart starts to wonder where on earth I could be. Thinking you’d come back here to the place that we’d meet, and you’ll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street.”

22. “Healing Hands” by Conrad Sewell

 “You were there for me when I was falling apart. And I let you down and left a mark on your heart. I’ll never let go again, I’ll never let go again, I’ll never let go again. You have healing hands.”

23. “Let Her Go” by Passenger

“But you only need the light when it’s burning low. Only miss the sun when it starts to snow. Only know you love her when you let her go. Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low. Only hate the road when you’re missing home. Only know you love her when you let her go.”

24. “I Can’t Make You Love Me” by 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. Here in the dark, in these final hours, I will lay down my heart and I’ll feel the power. But you won’t, no you won’t. Cause I can’t make you love me, if you don’t.”

25. “You Are The Reason” by Calum Scott

 “And I’d climb every mountain and swim every ocean. Just to be with you and fix what I’ve broken. Cause I need you to see that you are the reason.”

26. “All of Me” by John Legend

 “My head’s underwater but I’m breathing fine, you’re crazy and I’m out of my mind. Cause all of me, loves all of you. Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections.”

27. “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus

“We clawed, we chained, our hearts in vain. We jumped, never asking why. We kissed, I fell under your spell. A love no one could deny. I came in like a wrecking ball, I never hit so hard in love. All I wanted was to break your walls. All you did was wreck me.”

28. “Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” by Elvis Presley (Love the Haley Reinhart version)

 “Wise man say, only fools rush in. But I can’t help falling in love with you. Shall I stay? Would it be a sin. If I can’t help falling in love with you?”

29. “The Scientist” by Coldplay

“It’s such a shame for us to part. Nobody said it was easy, but no one ever said it would be this hard. Oh, take me back to the start.”

30. “How to Save a Life” by The Fray

“Step one, you say we need to talk. He walks, you say sit down, it’s just a talk. He smiles politely back at you. You smile politely right on through. Some sort of window to your right. He goes left and you stay right. Between the lines of fear and blame, you begin to wonder why you came.”

31. “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia

“Well you couldn’t be that man that I adored. You don’t seem to know, or seem to care what your heart is for, I don’t know him anymore. There’s nothin’ where he used to lie, our conversation has run dry. That’s what’s goin’ on, nothing’s fine. I’m torn.”

32. “Purple Rain” by Prince

 “I never meant to cause you any sorrow. I never meant to cause you any pain. I only wanted to see you laughing in the purple rain.”

33. “Nothing Compares to You” by Sinead O’Connor

“It’s been seven hours and 15 days, since you took your love away. I go out every night and sleep all day, since you took your love away. Since you been gone, I can do whatever I want. I can see whomever I choose. But nothing compares, nothing compares to you.”

34. “I will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston

“If I should stay, well I would only be in your way. And so I’ll go, and yet I know, I’ll think of you each and every step of the way. Bitter sweet memories, that’s all I’m taking with me. Goodbye, please don’t cry, we both know I’m not what you need. But I will always love you.”

“Words make you think. Music makes you feel. A song makes you feel a thought.” ~ Yip Harburg

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