Few things hurt more than betrayal.
Learning that a significant other, be it a boyfriend; girlfriend; school friend; or family member, has let us down permanently is indeed a tearful experience.
Unfortunately, it can happen to anyone. It has happened to many talented musicians as well.
The good news is that such an event has led to the creation of wonderful songs. Here we have gathered 25 of them.
I sincerely hope they help you heal faster.
1. Cry! Cry! Cry! – Johnny Cash
Appearing on Cash’s debut album With His Hot & Blue Guitar. Cry! Cry! Cry! is about a woman who has left her husband for another man.
But it’s not the singer who’s crying because of the betrayal. In reality, the woman will cry once her sugar daddy breaks with her.
Cash sings confidently, knowing that the woman will come back begging for a second chance, which luckily, the narrator won’t provide.
2. Sandcastles – Beyoncé
After breaking up with rapper Jay-Z, Beyoncé dedicated almost an entire album to him and her frustrations regarding her situation.
Sandcastles is a bit different, though. It’s emotionally moving but shows that she will stand up again eventually.
3. Rolling In The Deep – Adele
One of Adele’s most well-known hits.
The singer said Rolling In the Deep is just about her making a “bit of a statement” regarding her ex-boyfriend.
4. Tragic Magic – Falling In Reverse
Ronnie Radke formed Falling In Reverse when he came out of prison in the early 2010s.
Before that, he was the main singer of Escape The Fate. Unfortunately, he was replaced by another singer after landing in jail.
Falling In Reverse’s debut album is full of resentful lyrics toward Radke’s ex-band members.
Fortunately, both sides have shaken hands and buried the hatchet years ago.
5. How Do You Sleep? – John Lennon
Lennon wrote this song to no other than his Beatles co-writer Paul McCartney.
John went as far as claiming that the only good thing Paul ever wrote was Yesterday.
Ouch…
Needless to say, it was just Lennon’s way to vent out his anger. After all, classics such as Eleanor Rigby, Hey Jude, and Helter Skelter show that Lennon was wrong.
6. July – Katatonia
Off the album, The Great Cold Distance comes this melancholic song.
One can’t help but feel alone and freezing when listening to it.
7. Keelhauled – Alestorm
A pirate metal song that narrates the story of a traitor among the ship crew (kinda sus).
He’s caught by his comrades, then punished with keelhaul.
Keelhaul was a pirate torture that consisted of tying someone with a rope, then throwing him off the board. They would play with him, taking the man in and out of the water.
The man would suffocate (without dying) and hit his body against the ship over and over.
8. Get Behind Me Satan and Push – Billie Jo Spears
Country singer Billie Jo Spears is “mad like a hornet” after finding out her husband left her for a “sassy lassy”.
Satan works as a metaphor. She means she wants to avoid passivity and let loose to her inner demons.
9. The Others – Hardcore Superstar
A friendship was broken after one told secrets to “the others”.
The “You don’t rat on your brother” line in the chorus portrays perfectly the emotions behind betrayal: anger and sadness.
10. Throne – Bring Me The Horizon
Successful people see opportunities everywhere. The premise of Throne is realizing the potential for learning that comes alongside failure.
“So you can throw me to the wolves / Tomorrow I will come back leader of the whole pack”
The pre-chorus even “forgives” the betrayer because of it.
After all, successful people also let go of grudges.
11. Judas – Lady Gaga
Gaga can’t help but be in love with her boyfriend, despite being betrayed by him.
The pop star claimed this track was done really quickly, as most of her songs. She says her method involves “vomiting” the skeleton of the song, then working on them for days, weeks, months, or even years.
12. Picture To Burn – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift never officially dated the man to whom this song is dedicated. But still, seems that the country-pop singer felt her relationship ending like a betrayal, one way or another.
13. Terrible Lie – Nine Inch Nails
There’s a lot of pain in NIN’s album Pretty Hate Machine.
In Terrible Lie, Reznor shouts with anger and agony after finding out a special relationship has been built with nothing but lies.
14. The KKK Took My Baby Away – The Ramones
Imagine dating a girl, finding out your bandmate “stole” her from you, then writing a song about the experience where you use the Ku Klux Klan as a symbol to refer to your co-worker.
Only The Ramones could come out with that.
Yes. This was a real event, and the way singer Joey Ramone could pour his emotions down after discovering her lover replaced him for guitarist Johnny Ramone.
15. Pretty Face – Rival Sons
16. My War – The Skints
17. You’re Gonna Break My Heart Again – Whitesnake
18. I Hate Everything About You – Three Days Grace
19. Who Needs Friends – Royal Blood
20. Lickin’ Dog – Crashdïet
21. Sweet True Lies – Beast In Black
22. For a Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic – Paramore
23. Cry Me A River – Justin Timberlake
24. Over You – Daughtry
25. The First Cut Is The Deepest – Sheryl Crow
Hello there, my name is Ramiro and I’ve been playing guitar for almost 20 years. I’m obsessed with everything gear-related and I thought it might be worth sharing it. From guitars, pedals, amps, and synths to studio gear and production tips, I hope you find what I post here useful, and I’ll try my best to keep it entertaining also.
