2000s songs, breakup songs

#149 I Don’t Wanna Hurt- Anouk

I don’t wanna hurt no more…/
We’re breaking things we can’t repair/
None of us will take them blame.

In “I Don’t Wanna Hurt”, Anouk has come to the realization that her relationship has come to an end. Once there may have been love between them, now there is only bitterness and sadness and they are clearly not right for each other.

There is nothing more to talk about…just some minor logistics to settle like who leaves who. So, in the morning Anouk will leave.

Why can’t she get the life she’s dreamed of? Will she ever be happy? All she knows it that they bring each other pain and it is time to end. Hopefully this will end the pain as well.

The great thing about “I Don’t Wanna Hurt” is the emotion in Anouk’s voice when she sings this song. We believe her words and we know these are her feelings she is expressing. She sounds exhausted from the relationship and sounds like she needs a break.

She feels resolute in her decision and will not be changing her mind. She always kind of felt it might end this way. But does this mean she will never have the life she always wanted? That remains to be seen.

I Don’t Wanna Hurt Lyrics

We’re breaking things we can’t repair,
None of us will take them blame,
No nothing can be done this time.
All the memories that we’ve made,
I threw them all away,
There’s no need to talk it over.
Don’t let me get you down,
Let’s just move on,
I am setting you free.

‘Cause I don’t wanna hurt no more.
I don’t wanna make you go
Through one more rainy day.
No I don’t wanna hurt no more.
Strange enough I always knew
I’m taking off today.
Don’t wanna hurt no more.

Darkness you left in my soul,
Now do we know how much we’ve lost?
Will the moon be shining as bright as before?
And as I am singing this song,
The tears went up in my eyes.
And I will always wonder
Why I will never have the life I wanted-
Now I’m letting it go.

‘Cause I don’t wanna hurt no more.
I don’t wanna make you go
Through one more rainy day.
No I don’t wanna hurt no more.
There’s not much more to say
‘Cause it’s to late now
I won’t hurt no more.

So I’ll wait till morning comes
You made it clear it’s been only pain loving me.
Things that we don’t do for love,
I am setting you free.

‘Cause I don’t wanna hurt no more.
I don’t wanna make you go
Through one more rainy day.
No I don’t wanna hurt no more.
Strange enough I always knew
I’m taking off today.
I’m letting you go.

written by Anouk Teeuwe / Daniel Hill

1990s songs, memories

#148 Fields of Gold- Eva Cassidy/ Sting

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You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley.

Think about a beautiful place. A field, a lake a park, whatever. Think of all the love stories that have taken place there. The promises made by young lovers that were so earnest at the time. It makes every visit to that place bring back those memories. That is what “Fields of Gold” is about.

Fields of Gold Meaning eva cassidy — Eva Cassidy

A woman is in a field of barley where she remembers she once had a lover who she had spent happy times with in this field—a long time ago. While some things have changed, many things have not. She begins to be filled with feelings from the past as she looks at the field and the memories come rushing back.

Both Eva Cassidy and Sting’s versions of “Fields of Gold” are great, but Cassidy’s version is superior. It is sad that she never saw success during her lifetime. Her vocals are very restrained. You never hear vocal runs: she allows the purity of her voice to carry the melody. There really is a lot of music coming from just her voice and an acoustic guitar. It is remarkable. This is about as stripped down as you can get, but we don’t feel as if anything could be added to enhance the recording.

Fields Of Gold Lyrics

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley
You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold
So she took her love for to gaze awhile upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me, will you be my love among the fields of barley?
We’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we lie in fields of gold
See the west wind move like a lover so upon the fields of barley.
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth among the fields of gold

I never made promises lightly and there have been some that I’ve broken
But I swear in the days still left we’ll walk in fields of gold
We’ll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down among the fields of gold
You’ll remember me when the west wind moves upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky when we walked in fields of gold
When we walked in fields of gold, when we walked in fields of gold

written by Sting

1970s songs, songs about exes

#147 Operator- Jim Croce

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There’s something in my eyes, you know it happens every time/
I think about a love that I thought would save me.

Jim Croce’s “Operator” might sound dated to some. It mentions a phone operator, payphones and a matchbook, which are not things that we really use that much these days. But the sentiment is the same as today. Croce is thinking about dialing up an ex. He found out his ex is dating his ex-best-friend. His roller-coaster of emotions is similar to what any of us today would experience.

Also, didn’t his ex hate his friend? Now she’s with him?

As he talks to the operator, he begins to tear up remembering the love that they once had. Midway through the call he begins to get second thoughts. What is he going to say to her anyways that doesn’t sound desperate? In the end he decides against it. He doesn’t call her.

Croce’s voice is smooth and comforting, and he effortlessly conveys humor and pain in the same song. The song is also a lovely example of a cross between folk and soft rock. Notice the dual guitars—both of which are finger picking. That is an amazing amount of sound coming mostly from two guitars and one voice. He is another singer that we lost way too young. It is sad to imagine all the music we missed out on.

Operator Lyrics

Operator, well could you help me place this call?
See, the number on the matchbook is old and faded.
She’s living in L.A. with my best old ex-friend Ray.
A guy she said she knew well and sometimes hated.

Isn’t that the way they say it goes? Well, let’s forget all that
And give me the number if you can find it.
So I can call just to tell ’em I’m fine and to show.
I’ve overcome the blow, I’ve learned to take it well.
I only wish my words could just convince myself.
That it just wasn’t real, but that’s not the way it feels.

Operator, well could you help me place this call?
Well, I can’t read the number that you just gave me.
There’s something in my eyes, you know it happens every time.
I think about a love that I thought would save me.

Isn’t that the way they say it goes? Well, let’s forget all that.
And give me the number if you can find it.
So I can call just to tell ’em I’m fine and to show.
I’ve overcome the blow, I’ve learned to take it well.
I only wish my words could just convince myself.
That it just wasn’t real, but that’s not the way it feels.

No, no, no, no – that’s not the way it feels.
Operator, well let’s forget about this call.
There’s no one there I really wanted to talk to.
Thank you for your time, ah, you’ve been so much more than kind.
And you can keep the dime.

written by Jim Croce

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