Before I begin the episode, I just want to let you all know that I have begun an e-mail newsletter for queer country music called Rainbow Rodeo! You can subscribe at the link in the shownotes (press the button twice.) In just 2 weeks, the newsletter has gotten over 100 subscribers. And that’s a good thing, because I’m now taking pre-orders for the second issue of the Rainbow Rodeo zine! Check out the shownotes for the link!
It is February, so you know what that means…a collection of my favorite breakup songs! I’ve been wanting to put these all together for a few months now, but some of these songs aren’t even on Spotify, so here we are. It’s no stretch to say that these songs were the soundtrack of my 20s. Like everyone else, I had that first love that went sideways for seemingly no rhyme or reason, and spent much of the next ten years trying to figure out what was wrong with me by stumbling into and recreating that relationship over and over.
It’s the kind of sad softness that got me into country music and Americana – but, more importantly, the intersection of country and pop punk, and Southern hardcore that spawned the core of the music scene I still love. So our first mini-set is going to start off with that!
First up is a song from a little-known split EP called Fool’s Gold by two of punk’s biggest names: Elway’s Tim Browne performing as Soviet Bear and the Holy Mess’ Steve-O performing as Foul Weathered Friend. Of the songs, I lean towards Steve-O’s, and this one, “Kristina’s Last Song,” was the one I listened to when I finally felt ready to move on after every breakup.
- Foul Weathered Friend — “Kristina’s Last Song” (Fool’s Gold)
- Sad And French (Makewar) – “Cheers to you” (Sad and French)
That was Sad and French, who now tour as a more hardcore act called Makewar. Man, I remember when I felt everything on this album so keenly – it helps that Sad and French had an electric live show, one that truly merited opening for Two Cow Garage twice. Listening to it now, it’s…fine? But I’m also viewing it in the rearview as the precursor to bands like Mumford & Sons, who suck. That said, the album is a poignant study of young heartbreak and coping mechanisms.
Speaking of young, these next two songs are ones I heard for the first time when I was in middle school, before I really knew that I was gay, much less dating. But they’re so sad that I felt them and they stayed with me when I finally did need them. First up is a weird sort of ska jam band from New England, Zox, that featured an electric violin. Their music is very sweet and fun and I think they were about 15 years too early: they would’ve done great if they were starting out today. I do see, however, that they released a set of B-sides and such last year, so they’re apparently still around sort of! Anyway, this is “Leaving Me” from Take Me Home.
- Zox – “Leaving Me” (Zox)
- Cowboy Mouth – “How Do You Tell Someone?” (Easy)
That was Cowboy Mouth’s “How Do You Tell Someone?” – one of three versions that the band has recorded. This one is from Easy. As I discussed on Sloane Spencer on her new podcast One-Hit History, Cowboy Mouth always fought really hard to be more than a frat rock band and, with so many label switches, they often re-recorded songs both for legal reasons and probably because they were/are, at best, semi-functional and it was a way to round out the track list. I’ll link to One-Hit History in the show notes. For me, the song’s mix of acoustic and electric make this one my favorite version.
But let’s get back into the thick of my twenties angst. Two Cow Garage have a lot of great “fuck-you” songs, but nothing beats Speaking in Cursive for its sense of humor, perfect lyrics, and call-outs.
- Two Cow Garage — “Skinny-Legged Girl” (Speaking in Cursive)
- Karen and the Sorrows – “Just a Little Heartbreak” (The Names of Things)
Don’t you feel better already? That was Karen and the Sorrows’ “Just a Little Heartbreak.” It might be the song of Karen’s that I’ve listened to the most, because it was always my go-to. I feel like it’s sad enough to sing along to while you’re going through it, but it’s also comforting, a reminder that this, too, shall pass.
Before we head into our final set, thanks as always for listening.
You can catch Adobe & Teardrops on Sundays at 1 PM Eastern/10 AM PST on Lost Church Radio. You can support Adobe & Teardrops by buying merch or hitting the ol’ Patreon or Ko-fi links! Please tell your friends to like and subscribe to this podcast. Thanks to Alma Contra for making the introduction. You can also subscribe to the Rainbow Rodeo newsletter for free, or get a paid subscription at the Rainbow Rodeo website, which will enable you to get the zine twice a year for as little as $2!
Alright, so, closing us out is going to be Austin Lucas with “Go West,” probably the catchiest of his songs. I really did listen to this song on loop after my first breakup. So, thanks for being there for me, Austin.
And then we’ve got the ultimate lonely singles song, the best one there is, and the one you will hear at least five times in any gay bar situation: Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” It doesn’t get better than that.
Thanks for being sad with me!
- Austin Lucas — “Go West” (Somebody Loves You)
- Whitney Houston – “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” (Whitney)