Comments on: Songs about a bad man/woman

Question: Songs about a bad man/woman

reenum — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:38:14 -0800

I need songs about cheating partners / lovers

I recently found out that an ex I had been concerned about and mildly pining for turned out to be a slut. It hit me hard, but now I'm moving on. I thought that music therapy might be just the thing.

I'm looking for songs about a partner or lover (man or woman) who turned out to be no good, cheated, or were just bad news in general. The more anguished and heartfelt the lyrics or song, the better.

I'm not a big fan of country, but all other genres are welcome.

Thanks a ton, MeFi!

By: genefinder

genefinder — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:43:34 -0800

I Saw Her Again Last Night is a good example. John Phillips wrote it after he discovered that Michelle and Denny Doherty were having an affair. He said in an interview that he got satisfaction knowing that they would have to sing it over and over again to remind them of their indiscretion.

By: onhazier

onhazier — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:47:29 -0800

It's Not Right But It's Ok by Whitney Houston.
Lyrics
Video

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:48:24 -0800

Without my computer or music collection hand, I recommend that you start with "Your Cheatin' Heart" on repeat until I can find some more answers.

By: Fuzzy Monster

Fuzzy Monster — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:50:22 -0800

See this thread. Or this one. Or this one. And also this one.

By: odi.et.amo

odi.et.amo — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:53:17 -0800

It's a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll: Carrie Underwood's "Before he Cheats"

By: bullitt 5

bullitt 5 — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:54:46 -0800

Cake's cover of Willie Nelson(?): "Sad Songs and Waltzes"

By: HotPatatta

HotPatatta — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:59:12 -0800

Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under (video) by Shania Twain

By: HotPatatta

HotPatatta — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 08:59:47 -0800

Oops. Misread your question. You don't like country. Scratch Shania off your list.

By: sunshinesky

sunshinesky — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:02:03 -0800

As someone who's ex insisted on listening to sappy breakup music in the end- I suggest you forget about it. You can ruin a lot of otherwise good music for yourself by focusing on the stupid one-size-fits-all-breakups lyrics.

By: rhizome

rhizome — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:06:20 -0800

You're asking about probably one-third of all music ever written.

By: heartquake

heartquake — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:06:28 -0800

Don't use my broken heart to pick up other girls by Leona Naess

Caught Out There by Kelis

Not The Only One by Amerie

By: adamrice

adamrice — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:09:32 -0800

Elvis Costello, complete works.

By: iamkimiam

iamkimiam — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:15:11 -0800

Falling Out - surprise, it's Ween
Baby Bitch - also, Ween
You fucked up - Ween
(Ween kinda had a bad run)

Meaningless - Magnetic Fields
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right - Bob Dylan OR Mike Ness
Promises - Buzzcocks

By: iamkimiam

iamkimiam — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:15:56 -0800

haha, hasty reordering of Ween = nonsense commentary

By: duckstab

duckstab — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:19:58 -0800

frank zappa - bamboozled by love

By: thirteenkiller

thirteenkiller — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:20:13 -0800

Johnny Cash - Delia's Gone
Guns N Roses - Used to Love Her
Frank Zappa - Bamboozled By Love
Eazy E - Only If You Want It

By: vito90

vito90 — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:25:19 -0800

Robert Cray has about one song per album. "Strong Persuader", "Porch Light", "The Forecast Calls for Pain" are among my favorites.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:26:23 -0800

Franz Ferdinand, "Cheating on You"
Eagles, "Lyin' Eyes"
Marvin Gaye, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
Clarence Carter, "Slip Away"
James Carr, "The Dark End of the Street"

At the dark end of the street
That is where we always meet
Hiding in shadows where we don't belong
Living in darkness, to hide alone
You and me, at the dark end of the street

All Time Best Songs About Cheating

By: rfs

rfs — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:28:52 -0800

Harry Nilsson - You're Breaking My Heart (from Son of Schmilsson) :

You're breaking my heart, you're tearing it apart, so FUCK YOU!

By: Neiltupper

Neiltupper — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:36:49 -0800

Steely Dan - Everything You Did

By: cashman

cashman — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:52:35 -0800

Offspring - Self Esteem

By: rmm

rmm — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:52:54 -0800

The Other Man - Sloan

nthing rhizome's and sunshinesky's comments - those are your best answers both right there :)

By: hydrophonic

hydrophonic — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:00:08 -0800

Lies - The Knickerbockers
You Tore Me Down - The Flamin' Groovies or Yo La Tengo
Tom Drunk - U Roy & Hopeton Lewis
A Cheat - Lee Hazelwood (actually, most of Requiem for an Almost Lady)
You've Been Cheatin' - The Impressions

By: luriete

luriete — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:13:24 -0800

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover - Paul Simon

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:16:35 -0800

Offspring, Shania Twain... wow. Some musical giants being thrown out up in here.

Guns N Roses - Used to Love Her

it's about his dog, but still a good song. always fun to re-live 80s controversies.

"I want by my money back" by Ben Folds 5 is not 100% about cheating but in the ballpark.

'Does he love you?" by Rilo Kiley is really really good.

By: wtdoor

wtdoor — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 10:44:21 -0800

Misunderstanding - Genesis

By: i less than three nsima

i less than three nsima — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:14:58 -0800

It is pretty ubiquitous right now on Top 40, so forgive me for stating the obvious, but Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good" sounds exactly like what you're looking for.

Here's the YouTube video, in case you've been in a cave recently.

By: backwards guitar

backwards guitar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:40:08 -0800

Other Woman by Nina Simone deals more with the other woman than the cheater, but might fit the bill.

By: ob

ob — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:47:36 -0800

One of my favorites if you like a bit of country is Gram Parsons Kiss the Children. What I love about it is that you have to wait for the last chorus to understand exactly how hurt he is...
I'll second Elvis Costello. If you want a song then one of the best is I Want You -one of the best angry love songs there is. If you like your music a little on the easy side then you could also go for the album Painted by Memory that Elvis did with Burt Bacharach. One album all about divorce is Here, my Dear by Marvin Gaye -angry, smooth and funky in equal measure.

By: ob

ob — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:49:13 -0800

Oh also check out It should have been Me. The Yvonne Fair version from the album The Bitch is Black is great.

By: sad_otter

sad_otter — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:34:45 -0800

This seems to be the unstated theme of Shellac's Prayer to God.

By: sad_otter

sad_otter — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:38:06 -0800

Though, of course, that may not be the kind of "anguished and heartfelt" that you were going for.

By: zoomorphic

zoomorphic — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:49:08 -0800

Dudley - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

By: zoomorphic

zoomorphic — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:50:42 -0800

And, for that matter, Cheated Hearts - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

By: PeterMcDermott

PeterMcDermott — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 17:08:08 -0800

I'm not a big fan of country

Shame, because you're missing out on the best cheating song of all time -- Hank Williams 'Your Cheating Heart'

By: SisterHavana

SisterHavana — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 18:20:35 -0800

"Never Wanna F'n See You Again" - Rich Hardesty
"Want Ads" - Honey Cone
"I Know There's Something Going On" - Frida
"Feel A Whole Lot Better" - The Byrds or Tom Petty

By: hydrophonic

hydrophonic — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 20:43:21 -0800

I Can See for Miles - The Who
Run For Your Life - The Beatles
Wendy - The Beach Boys
I Know About Her - The DC Blossoms
Cry Me a River - Julie London, or tons of others

By: mynameismandab

mynameismandab — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:01:18 -0800

"What Goes Around"-- Justin Timberlake

By: mynameismandab

mynameismandab — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 21:10:57 -0800

Also, "What Goes Around" -- Alicia Keys

"Beautiful Liar" -- Shakira and Beyonce

"Walkin' After Midnight" and "Crazy" -- Patsy Cline (who, whether you like country music or not-- is amazing and an expert on suffering)

"These Boots Were Made for Walkin" -- Nancy Sinatra

"I Will Survive" -- Gloria Gaynor

By: krikany

krikany — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 21:33:50 -0800

Even So - Rachael Yamagata