"It could've been good if you only..."

June 4, 2008 5:12 PM

I need "It could've been good if you only..." songs, in the vein of New Slang by The Shins. Does anyone know any good ones?

I need this for a project on lyrics translation into Spanish. You know the type: "If only you had stayed/respected/not-left/taken out-the-trash it would have been ok" songs, mostly rock/pop songs from any era. I do not want or need recomendations for dance/hiphop/rap/heavy-metal/corny-pop-songs. Folk is ok, but I prefer Folk-Rock.

Any help would be greatly and sincerely appreciated.

posted by omegar to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 comments total)

The two that immediately came to mind are Should've Been in Love and I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, by Wilco.

Also, The Temptation of Adam by Josh Ritter.
posted by arianell at 5:35 PM on June 4, 2008

Lyle Lovett's Ought To Be Easier and Dylan's Don't Think Twice It's All Right come to mind.
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:28 PM on June 4, 2008

Apparently, this kind of song is easy for me to find in my music folder. Howsabout:

Badly Drawn Boy - Didn't Mean to Fall in Love
Damien Rice - Rat Within the Grain
Billy Bragg - Looking for New England
Her Space Holiday - Tech Romance
posted by lauranesson at 11:32 PM on June 4, 2008

Okkervil River - A Stone
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
The National - Slow Show
Broken Social Scene - I'm Still Your Fag
Stars - One More Night or Big Fight
Weakerthans - Tournament of Hearts
posted by heeeraldo at 12:03 AM on June 5, 2008

Los Lobos - If You Were Only Here Tonight
posted by Tacodog at 1:11 AM on June 5, 2008

Colin Raye did:

It's not that it was so bad/
It just could have been so good.
posted by SlyBevel at 9:09 AM on June 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

Thanks, these are all really good!
posted by omegar at 10:24 AM on June 5, 2008