FATHER’S SONG (11): Country Break-Up Songs (Prophets)

There is the right song for every situation.  There is music for every mood.  And everyone’s musical library should include a good collection of quality break-up songs.  Country music provides plenty of options for this category.  My go-to-guy for heart-wrenching, gut-punching break-up songs is without question Chris Isaak.

I bought Chris Isaak’s Forever Blue album back in ’95 when I was 16-years old.  Every single track is a tale of romantic woe, heartache and a hopeless outlook on love.  Isaac’s matchless Elvis-Orbison-like voice and soothing acoustic guitar makes this otherwise painfully depressing collection of songs enjoyable.  My friend, Peter, is still upset a decade and a half later that I made him listen to the entire album start to finish in my car as part of his “healing” the night he broke up with his girlfriend.  I thought it would provide some solace and sympathy reminding him he wasn’t alone.  He claims it was pure torture and only threw salt on his wounded heart.

The stars have all stopped shining,
the sun just won’t break through.
Each days the same, more clouds more rain.
You’re left forever blue.

(Chris Isaak, Forever Blue)

On second thought, maybe he was right.

Unfaithful lovers.  Wounded hearts.  Longing and regret. Fighting and forgiveness.  Pain and sorrow.  Long, lonely nights. All core elements of a good break-up song and all part of the universal human experience — going back thousands of years by the way. As we continue our melodious trek through the Bible, tracing the theme of The Father’s Song, we come now to the books of the prophets of Israel.