There are certain necessities when you are female and going through a break-up. Whether you met on an internet dating or through more traditional means, you need friends to bitch to, chocolate to eat, and a firm belief that your ex magically doesn’t exist anymore and/or will be miserable without you forever and ever.
You need those things, yes, you do! You also need a brilliant mixed CD, full of the best fiery, scream-them-in-your-car, girl songs there are. Honestly, I don’t know how anyone goes through a period of man-related emotional strife without such mixtape magic.
Here are a few choice picks. Rage on, ladies:
Track 1 -“You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette
Tried and true. Trust this.
Track 2 – “Volcano Girls” by Veruca Salt
Damsel in distress be damned! This is the kick-ass girl song, if you ask me. And it has nothing to do with boys. It just preaches the awesome.
Track 3 – “Just A Girl” by No Doubt
Remember when Gwen Stefani was a badass? She was all, “hey, I’m blonde and hot and will maybe beat you up and I hang out with boys and I’m way cooler than other girls but in a non-threatening sort of way that lets you know I have no interest in your boyfriend because I don’t need a man so let’s be friends.” Yeah, that was her.
Maybe she’s all grown up and domesticated now, but this song isn’t a “predictable” addition to an Angry Girl Mix, it’s an obligatory addition, as in, there’s no way this could be left off. I’m not sure where we’d be without this can’t-keep-us-down anthem.
Track 4 – “My Girls” by Animal Collective
I have this theory that in the middle of any Angry Girl Mix, you need a buffer, an intermission from rage, if you will. And this song fits perfectly. After screaming the first few tracks and feeling properly enraged, this song from Animal Collective’s new album Merriweather Post Pavilion will lift you up on a swirling swing of oh-my-god-the-world-is-actually-still-totally-amazing-ness. You’ll feel good and positive as you dive back into the dark, twisty music you so deserve to indulge in.
Track 5 – “Nude As The News” By Cat Power
Cat Power is basically my hero. She has almost two decades of killer music and an attitude that never sacrifices femininity for independence. Her music isn’t even about fighting against men or struggling to be respected as a woman; she just owns it.
So while this song isn’t necessarily about a break-up or heartache, having her on this kind of mix is a simple reminder to re-center and never exist in action or re-action to a man. Be who you are and let them fall into place around you. Plus, this song is a driving, fierce song…so it still feels like an angry break-up song.
Track 6 – “The Bitch is Back” by Elton John
Sometimes the only way to get over a man is to channel another one. A bitchy, gay one. Elton gets to be an honorary male guest on this mix, for no other reason than he makes us want to lace up a pair of roller skates, scream “I can bitch, I can bitch, cuz I’m better than you!” and roll off laughing into the sunset. It doesn’t matter what this song is about; the spirit is there. Just go with it.
Track 7 – “Shadowboxer” by Fiona Apple
Sometimes you want to get loud and defiant and, well, angry. Sometimes you want to laugh it off. And then sometimes, you want to (for just a moment) surrender your better senses and sink into the surly, dark, brooding side of break-up emotions. And for that purpose, we have Fiona Apple.
No one does the girl-bites-back thing better. I honestly think very few songwriters have managed to so comprehensively articulate the range of feelings women go through at the hand of a significant other. So sit back, get moody, and think “hell yes” after every line of this song.
Track 8 – “Special” by Garbage\
Oh man! I almost forgot about this one! If the Order of Scary-Cool Girls was a political party, Shirley Manson would be their candidate for president. And I would probably vote for her. This song should never be overlooked. So perfectly angry.
Track 9 – “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin
This is a no-brainer. No one, I repeat, no one sings with the pained passion of a woman-done-wrong like Mama Janis. This song is ferocious and, again, another song that is an Angry Girl Mix staple. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel; no need to leave off songs this great just because they’re obvious.
Track 10 – “Losing a Whole Year” by Third Eye Blind
Completely classic story of “this is how it was and this is how it is now and how much does that suck?” all tied up in a rockin’ package.
Track 11– “Love is a Battlefield” by Pat Benetar
Because it just is.
Quietly
24 / Male
Comments: 1
Posted on October 2, 2009, 5:59 pm
You forgot 'I will survive', Thats the point of this isnt it?
