I was bound to let you go...

October 13, 2009 9:42 AM

A soundtrack for the acceptance of interpersonal regrets, and/or lovely moments that are slipping past you?

I am looking for anything in any genre that has this particular feel. Thank you!

posted by kathrineg to media & arts (42 comments total)

Neil Young's One of these days?
posted by octothorpe at 9:51 AM on October 13

Your Ex-Lover is Dead from Stars.
posted by GuyZero at 9:51 AM on October 13 [4 favorites has favorites]

First one that springs to mind for me is Greenday - Time of your Life. Not sure if that's what you're looking for but that's what it means to me.
posted by sacrifix at 9:51 AM on October 13

If I understand the criteria correctly, the short-and-bittersweet "Bookends" by Simon and Garfunkel is one that would probably work.
posted by hegemone at 9:54 AM on October 13

Nancy LaMott, "The People that You Never Get to Love"

Also, "Time Is a Healer" as sung by Eva Cassidy.

Can't vet the video at the moment - hope it's up to scratch.
posted by philotes at 9:56 AM on October 13

Ulrich Schnauss—A Strangely Isolated Place. It's basically instrumental, but the track titles ("Gone Forever"; "On My Own") should give you an idea of the mood of the thing—beautiful, wonderful, glorious things as seen receding in the rear-view mirror.

Check out Low, as well—their work deals a lot with regret and acceptance and the tension between the two, and makes me think of the most wonderful moments of my life as seen from a million miles away. All of their albums are good, but Trust, Things We Lost in the Fire, and The Great Destroyer are good starting points.

Hurting is part of living. Don't be afraid to feel it fully while it's there. And you may as well listen to some beautiful music while you're at it.
posted by ixohoxi at 10:02 AM on October 13

Al Green (feat. Lyle Lovett) "Funny How Time Slips Away"

sigh
posted by juliplease at 10:02 AM on October 13

A Song that Never Comes - Cass Elliot
posted by LN at 10:02 AM on October 13

More of the short/simple-and-bittersweet:

"No Need To Argue" - the cranberries
"A Widow's Toast" - Neko Case
"If I could write" - Sam Phillips

Actually, I would like to suggest the entire Sam Phillips album that song's from, A Boot and A Shoe. It's by parts sexy, heartbreaking, and hopeful. I actually have a hard time listening to it (used it as a soundtrack for a sad breakup and the memories color it for me), but I can't recommend it enough.
posted by hegemone at 10:07 AM on October 13

Empty Box by Morphine.
posted by applemeat at 10:09 AM on October 13

Seconding ixohoxi, and specifically recommending Low's In Metal.
posted by otolith at 10:11 AM on October 13

Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA?
posted by Solomon at 10:11 AM on October 13

The Story of Our Lives by The Echoing Green (link goes directly to MySpace music player).
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:15 AM on October 13

I haven't heard the Schnauss disc ixohoxi mentioned, but the description of it immediately made me think of Harold Budd's Avalon Sutra album. It's full of simple ambient piano instrumentals with occasional string or wind accompaniment, but the track titles and overall sound of the album seem like they fit the criteria.
posted by anthom at 10:19 AM on October 13

Elliott Smith - I Didn't Understand (video)
posted by burnmp3s at 10:21 AM on October 13

Perhaps not exactly what you're looking for, but Bill Withers—"Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone".
posted by ixohoxi at 10:31 AM on October 13

With from Jason Webley?
posted by sculpin at 10:32 AM on October 13

Boards of Canada, Kid for Today.
posted by googly at 10:36 AM on October 13

A bit more of the electronic music side of things but this is hauntingly beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niwRLcEApZE&feature=related

I listened to that as I was leaving my summer break trip to the UK where I had met a really beautiful and amazing girl and it was obvious we both liked each other but because of circumstances never really "got together" during the trip. So I gave her a kiss on the cheek the last time I saw her and then was left with a heavy, but happy memory. This song takes me back to that time whenever I listen to it.

P.S.
If you like it, search on somewhere like SoulSeek or somewhere else to find a higher bitrate version...definitely worth it.
posted by Elminster24 at 10:37 AM on October 13

The Past Is A Grotesque Animal - Of Montreal
posted by bunnytricks at 10:43 AM on October 13

Would you mind expanding on your question a bit? When I read the first part (acceptance of interpersonal regrets), it brings to mind moving on, letting things go. But the second part of your question brings to mind working things out. They seem somewhat contradictory to each other. Could you explain?

In any case, reading the title of your post made me think of a song by Kelly Clarkson:

Already Gone
Remember all the things we wanted
Now all our memories, they’re haunted
We were always meant to say goodbye

And here’s a lovely, haunting song of hers that might fit:

Sober
Three months and I’m still sober
Picked all my weeds but kept the flowers
And I don’t know
I could crash and burn but maybe
At the end of this road, I might catch a glimpse of me

You might also like “In Repair” by John Mayer or “Details in the Fabric” by Jason Mraz.
posted by yawper at 10:46 AM on October 13

The hardest part is things already said
Getting better? Worse? I cannot tell
Why do good things never wanna stay?
Some things you lose, some things you give away

Good Things by Sleater-Kinney
posted by 23skidoo at 10:54 AM on October 13

Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime, by Beck. Haven't been able to listen to this version, but I'm gonna bet it's o.k.
posted by hue at 10:55 AM on October 13

Dylan has some heart-wrenching songs about lost love or losing love -- Girl from the North Country (with or without Johnny Cash, though I prefer with -- Cash's deep voice is the killer) is that wistfulness about a past love. Sara is a plea for his wife to stay but you can already hear it's doomed -- it always makes me want to yell "stop singing and just go to her! She's halfway out the door already!"
posted by pised at 11:01 AM on October 13

Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris, "Goodbye"/Emmylou's version here.

"I only miss you here every now and then
Like the soft breeze blowin; up from the Caribbean
Most Novembers I break down and cry
But I can't remember if we said goodbye "

Townes Van Zandt's version of "Dead Flowers"

"And you can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the us mail
Say it with dead flowers at my wedding
And I wont forget to put roses on your grave
No I wont forget to put roses on your grave"


Lucinda Williams's "Jackson" (no studio version, sorry)

"All the way to Jackson
I don't think I'll miss you much"

Elbow, "The Bones of You"

"And I dealt with this years ago
I took a hammer to every memento
But image on image like beads on a rosary
pulled through my head as the music takes hold
and the sickener hits; I can work till I break
but I love the bones of you
That, I will never escape"

And, God help me, Dan Fogelberg's "Same Old Lang Syne"

"Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain --"

(Finally, the poem that should be a song... Elizabeth Bishop's "One Art," which has long been a comfort when contemplating interpersonal regrets and people, places and lives that have slipped away.)
posted by MonkeyToes at 11:12 AM on October 13

Dylan's Mama, You Been On My Mind is a good one in this genre:

I don't mean trouble, please don't put me down or get upset,
I am not pleadin' or sayin', "I can't forget."
I do not walk the floor bowed down an' bent, but yet,
Mama, you been on my mind.

Also, You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go.
posted by EarBucket at 11:13 AM on October 13

Scott Walker - The World's Strongest Man (from Scott 4)
posted by porn in the woods at 11:27 AM on October 13

Love is Lighter Than Air, the Magnetic Fields?
posted by phoenixy at 11:46 AM on October 13

Seconding Sam Phillips, and adding Morphine's "In Spite of Me."
posted by dlugoczaj at 12:01 PM on October 13

Oingo Boingo - Can't See (Useless)
posted by team lowkey at 12:58 PM on October 13

Most of the Time by Bob Dylan
posted by jadepearl at 1:07 PM on October 13

William Shatner, Ben Folds and Aimee Mann's That's Me Trying. It's about an estranged father and daughter. The words were written by Nick Hornby.
posted by wackybrit at 1:25 PM on October 13

Most Beautiful Widow in Town by Sparklehorse, one of my favorite songs of all time.
posted by shakespeherian at 1:27 PM on October 13 [1 favorite has favorites]

How Many Times by Ryan Montbleau. Probably some other of his stuff too, though I can't think offhand of specifics.
posted by still_wears_a_hat at 1:49 PM on October 13

The Greatest by Cat Power: "Once I wanted to be the greatest / No wind or waterfall could stall me / And then came the rush of the flood / The stars at night turned deep to dust..."

Coming Back to Me by Jefferson Airplane: "The summer had inhaled and held its breath too long. / The winter looked the same, as if it had never gone. / And through an open window where no curtain hung / I saw you, I saw you / Comin' back to me."
posted by cocoagirl at 2:03 PM on October 13

Waiting for My Real life to Begin by Colin Hay
posted by granted at 5:04 PM on October 13

I Let A Good Thing Go by Gemma Hayes.
posted by scottandrew at 6:40 PM on October 13

Perhaps "Your Wildest Dreams" by The Moody Blues, and "Try to Remember" from "The Fantasticks."
posted by bryon at 8:51 PM on October 13

"These Days". I prefer the Mates of State version to Nico, though...
posted by Jinkeez at 6:49 AM on October 14

Northbound 35. Richard Shindell's cover is also killer.

Sun in an Empty Room, best accompanied by the Edward Hopper painting of the same name. If I'm catching your drift correctly and this is the sort of thing you're looking for, Night Windows will be too, and probably a lot of other Weakerthans songs.
posted by clavicle at 9:02 AM on October 14

Joni Mitchell - California, Circle Game, Both Sides Now....
posted by dreamphone at 4:46 PM on October 15

Slip slidin' away-Paul Simon
All the Umbrellas in London-Magnetic Fields
Busby Berkeley Dreams-Magentic Fields..mmmkay, there is a lot of stuff by them in that vein!
So long Marianne-Leonard Cohen
Heart of Gold-Neal Young
posted by iabide79 at 12:48 AM on October 26