“You & Me” by Sara Watkins
Musically speaking, this song is profound. There are catchy melodies that bring to life the beauty and playfulness of love, while the words dive into a theme of deep remembrance and a place of the past. This song will make you cry AND dance.
“Just the Right Moment” by Anne and Pete Sibley
I believe some of the best breakup songs are those with the lyrics that hurt the worst. They are the songs that break you down to a place where you surrender and have no choice but to get stronger from there. Anne and Pete are husband and wife, and speaking from experience, there is nothing more powerful than creating music with someone you love. Consequently, this duo has written and performed some of most emotional and relatable songs. The love that they share for each other is disseminated across the audience and each time you hear to them, they will give you strength in the pain you are feeling.
“You Put the Hurt on Me” by The Steeldrivers
This song epitomizes that intense range of emotions you experience when going through a hard breakup: “My mind tries to forget you, but my heart comes back for more.” The lyrics carry mind-piercing imagery from the very first verse. That, coupled with Chris Stapelton’s unique voice and the band’s superb musicianship, will resonate in your head. No matter what your story or favorite style of music, you’ll be singing your heart out. “The flames have turned to ashes, but there’s still some embers left …”
“Windshield” by Greensky Bluegrass
You will feel the honest frustration and pain ringing throughout this song. You’re “trying to see, but cannot.” You feel “heartache in an empty home, forced to take the sleepless nights alone.” There are “stories of our parents falling apart, took a lifetime to protect us and keep from breaking our hearts.” This song hits the raw truth of love and speaks for itself. If you are going through a breakup, I highly recommend you take a drive and turn this song up as loud as you can. (And then listen to the rest of the Greensky “If Sorrows Swim” tracks, too, for soul-healing purposes.)
Alissa Wolf is a Durango musician, violin/fiddle instructor and executive director at the iAM Music Institute. She performs regularly with local trio The Cannondolls.
