As snow thaws on the ground and breezes bite through skin, my frosty walks to class have been coupled with a thick scarf, and the perfect heartbreak anthems blasting through my headphones. Something about the beautiful sight of a white campus triggers the seasonal urge to embrace myself in musical sorrow. These have been my go-tos this past winter!
- “Paul” – 2023 Remaster
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“And I’ve been burning for you, baby, since the moment I left.”
A recent favorite anthem of mine, “Paul” by indie folk band Big Thief, is one of 12 remasters from their 2016 album Masterpiece. This softly sung folk song paints a beautiful but disheartening picture that floats between the conviction of love and the conviction of loss. “Paul” tells the story of dealing with impermanent love; through poetic and abstract lyricism, lead singer Adrienne Lenker describes how difficult it is to step away from a lover, even if both parties were aware of its inevitable end.
“Paul” feels like the painful reminiscence of a love that had its imperfections, but was still intimately beautiful despite the flaws.
- “Sidelines”
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“Had nothing to prove, ’til you came into my life, gave me something to lose.”
“Sidelines” is one of my favorite songs from indie pop singer Phoebe Bridgers, arguably one of her best tracks on the studio album Punisher. The lulling melody of “Sidelines” encapsulates the feeling of hopefulness, also shown through the lyrical verses. Bridgers reflects about a person who has brought back purpose to her life, stating how she had nothing to lose prior to the certainty of love.
Though the lyrics can be interpreted in a rather optimistic manner, “Sidelines” made my list because I enjoy approaching this track from a different angle: the nostalgia of remembering a person from your past. This hushed, atmospheric tune can either fuel your heartbreak or provide a comfort that reinforces the power of resilience.
- “We Hug Now”
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“You’re just thinkin’ it’s a small thing that happened; the world ended when it happened to me.”
A recent TikTok favorite, “We Hug Now” is the ultimate wintry heartache. Sydney Rose, an alternative/indie singer-songwriter, teased her new single with excerpts of its verses on TikTok, performing a delicate narration of a painful past relationship. Rather than straightforward lyrics that depict a dramatic ending, Rose chooses to narrate the sting of shallowness and distance through a raw and tender tone, highlighting the nostalgia that comes with remembering.
Fueling the treks to my lectures, “We Hug Now” is a great choice to validate a soft sadness within you; a sadness that doesn’t encapsulate your being, but continues to linger.
- “Last Kiss”
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“And I feel you forget me like I used to feel you breathe.”
“Last Kiss” is a track from the renowned Taylor Swift’s third studio album, Speak Now. The ballad captures the feeling of the emotional turmoil that accompanies the pain of remembering the little things after a breakup. The song paints the devastating narration about how many aspects of your life are filled by memories with a partner; once those disappear, the heartache only heightens.
“Last Kiss” is the feeling of rumination; the feeling of the what-ifs and the what-could-have-beens.
- “Let Down”
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“One day I am gonna grow wings.”
Potentially one of my favorite songs of all time, “Let Down” was released in 1997 as part of rock band Radiohead’s third studio album, OK Computer. Lead vocalist Thom Yorke was tells the story of “Let Down” through a disillusioned narrator, inspiried by watching customers “clinging on to bottles” at a pub and sensing their disappointment with life.
The melody is deeply melancholic with a rather uplifting message wrapped within despairing acceptance of the world. The repetitiveness that results from the search for the idealistic version of life may lead to meaninglessness in daily actions. This song paints an objective picture of the world: it’s disappointing, and it could be so much more than it is, but it’s something we must accept to move forward. The featured lyric above poses a hint of faith in turning around the malaise of life; the metaphorical “wings” represent the hope of escape.
“Let Down” sits heavy on my chest. Its existentialist nature constructs a type of heartbreak that differs from those that emerge from relationships with other people — rather, it’s a heartbreak from the relationship between yourself and the world.
Whether you’ve had your heart broken and want to feel less alone, or you’re looking for new music recommendations, these tunes are sure to tug at your heartstrings, especially in the solace of winter.
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