Pick your poison — or perhaps your medicine — when it comes to dealing with heartache. Country music offers a range of songs for every stage of heartache. From sad to vengeful, or even a pick-me-up song to get you back on your boots, here are a few songs to comfort you through it all:
“Written in the Sand” by Old Dominion
Grieving potential or imagined relationships is equally important as mourning real ones. This track is a catharsis of all these harbored feelings directed at that one special person, beautifully vocalizing them in repetitive what-if questions and metaphors that poetically evoke the uncertainty of where this relationship is headed. This song can also resonate with individuals that feel unsettled in their relationship, pondering with questions like, “Are we last-call kissing or will we be reminiscing / with each other for the next forty years? / Are we written in the stars, baby, or are we written in the sand?”
“Wasted On You” by Morgan Wallen
With lingering heartbreak and the frustrations that come with getting over someone, this track comes from a place of anger. The track’s name reinforces what some might feel after reflecting on past relationships, especially if there’s regret for investing too much of oneself. This feeling is captured by the lyrics, “All of this time and all of this money / All of these sorrys I don’t owe you, honey.” This track isn’t meant to antagonize you for wasting time with this person, through fueling your anger it’s meant to recognize your worth, therefore cutting off the problem and not your losses.
“Trouble with a Heartbreak” by Jason Aldean
Easing listeners in with “Don’t let anybody tell you it’s going to be easy,” Jason Aldean narrates what to expect in the aftermath of a breakup with this powerful ballad. Navigating the troubles of a heartache can feel lonely at times, and if being surrounded by friends and family isn’t comforting, then singing along with this track might help start the process of accepting the journey ahead.
“Ocean” by Lady A
Wearing their heart on a sleeve throughout “Ocean,” Lady A offers a beautiful piano ballad for those who feel that their relationship parallels the complexity and depth of the ocean. A relationship needs two people to sustain it, and with the lyrics, “Like a lighthouse, I’ve been shining’ bright / Through the dark for the both of us,” yearning and heartache can stem from the one-sided dynamic of the current relationship.
“Die From A Broken Heart” by Maddie & Tae
Sometimes heartbreak doesn’t have to be lonely, because while many can relate to the lyrics “I wanna kick myself for falling so hard,” this track narrates the female protagonist dealing with heartbreak through a phone call to her mother. There are many ways to receive and interpret the lyrics of this track. It might only remind you that sometimes your mother’s wisdom on love is valid, or evoke a time in which a phone call home could fix everything. In whichever way experienced, this track is timeless in its poignant appeal.
There’s no better pairing for heartache than country. With this in mind, go on and indulge in the millions of country songs out there to linger in your feelings after a breakup, and eventually reclaim yourself to move on.
