For my second audio assignment, I decided to do the Storytime! SongTag Style assignment. I decided my story would be about The 5 Stages of Loss & Grief, specifically following a break-up.

The process of selecting tracks was a bit tricky as some stages of break-ups are written about more often than others. Fortunately, I was able to find a song that fit each stage in my music library and I imported it into Audacity. Then it was just a matter of trimming and lining up the clips, which I found to be a much easier process this time around. Finally, after giving it one last once-over, I exported it as an mp3 and uploaded it to SoundCloud.

Here are the songs & lyrics and their corresponding stage:

[Denial & Isolation] “Elvis Ain’t Dead” by Scouting For Girls

I chose this song, because it is the quintessential song of denial. The singer is adamant that Elvis isn’t dead and the relationship isn’t over.

I wish it was me you chose
I wish it was me you chose
cause Elvis ain’t dead
and you’re coming back
and Elvis ain’t dead
and you’re coming back

[Anger] “Radio” by Alkaline Trio

This is one of my favorite break-up songs as it has gorgeous, jarring imagery throughout. I picked the angriest part, in which the singer basically tells the girl that he wishes she’d electrocute herself.

I’ve got a big fat fuckin’ bone to pick with you my darling
In case you haven’t heard I’m sick and tired of trying
I wish you would take my radio to bathe with you,
plugged in and ready to fall

[Bargaining] “Betrayed By Bones” by Hellogoodbye

This was probably the hardest song to choose as bargaining isn’t a really popular stage of breaking up that I’ve seen covered in music. However, I think this song gets into that with the idea of staying that he’ll stay still and not leave her and that his was wrong for leaving her beforehand.

Oh, I could lead a stationary life
Oh, you will see and you’ll believe
My love is carried to you by my feet
My bones are wrong sometimes
Sometimes my bones are wrong

[Depression] “Winter Passing” by The Academy Is…

While there are plenty of depressing break-up songs, I think this one adds to depression by setting it in winter around the holidays. There’s something about the cold and loneliness contrasted with a time of cheer and being around your loved ones that makes this song sell the depression of a relationship coming to a close.

But your voice rang clear.
You said, “For all I thought I’d ever need,
It’s hard to face the holidays without.”
Well I’ve left my last message on your machine.
It’s hard to face the holidays
When you’re looking for the words to say.
When you’re looking for the words to say.

[Acceptance] “To Love and Back” by This Century

This is such a great track as this post-relationship optimism is rarely sung about. Since this is the closing part of my story, I chose the end of the song to be the clip I selected from this song to include in my story.

Ooh, Ooh, Ooh I went to love and back
Ooh, Ooh, Ooh
I’m not giving up
I’m just starting over
You’re the one I loved
Thought it would last forever
I can’t be with you
When you want me to
I fell off track, I fell off track
I fell off track, I fell off track
I went to love and back

This Project is based on the Storytime! SongTag Style assignment from the DS106 bank. This assignment asked that we create a story using at least 5 songs. For me some of the most annoying music can be the ones about relationships, however they can be some of the most in depth. So as a challenge to my self I decided to do a dialogue style narrative with different songs. That way it would be, as if a man and woman couple were talking to each other through song and going through the motions. The guy confronts the girl, she answers back, and back and forth till they admit their embedded love, bleh I say.

Below are some popular romantic comedies in recent years so you can get a better idea of the direction I’m going :

Bottom: The Proposal (2009), Top: Life As We Know It (2010), Mid: That Awkward Moment (2014)

For this project, I decided to go to vast library of YouTube videos to download some Mp3 versions of the songs I wanted to use. The songs and more specifically the corresponding lyrics are as follows with the music:

Bob Marley – Waiting In Vain Lyrics (Man talking to woman)                                             It’s been three years since I’m knockin’ on your door,
And I still can knock some more:
Ooh girl, ooh girl, is it feasible?
I wanna know now, for I to knock some more.
Ya see, in life I know there’s lots of grief,
But your love is my relief:
Tears in my eyes burn – tears in my eyes burn
While I’m waiting – while I’m waiting for my turn,
See!

Beyonce – Single Ladies lyrics  (Woman’s response to man)                                       You decided to dip, but now you wanna trip
Cause another brother noticed me
I’m up on him, he up on me
Don’t pay him any attention
Cried my tears, for three good years
Ya can’t be mad at me

Chorus:
Cause if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
Don’t be mad once you see that he want it
If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it
Ooo, ooooo, oooo

I put gloss on my lips, a man on my hips
Fit me tighter than my in my Dereon jeans
Acting up, drank in my cup
I could care less what you think

Trey Songz – Say Ahh lyircs (Man’s response to woman)                                              Go girl,
Its your birthday
Open wide, I know you’re thirsty
Say Aah (Aah, Aah, Aah, Aah)
Say Aah (Aah, Aah, Aah, Aah)
We don’t buy no drinks at the bar
We pop champagne cuz we got that dough
let me hear you say Aah (Aah, Aah, Aah, Aah)
If you want me say Aah (Aah, Aah, Aah, Aah)

Rihanna – Rude Boy lyrics (Woman’s response to man)                                            Come here rude boy, boy
Can you get it up
Come here rude boy, boy
Is you big enough
Take it, take it
Baby, baby
Take it, take it
Love me, love me

Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers – Why Do Fools Fall In Love? lyrics   (Man’s response to woman)                                                                                                        Love is a losing game
Love can be a shame
I know of a fool you see
For that fool is me
Tell my why
Tell me why

Mariah Carey – Love Takes Time lyrics (Woman’s response to man)                     Love takes time
To heal when you’re
Hurting so much
Couldn’t see that I was blind
To let you go
I can’t escape the pain
Inside

‘Cause love takes time
I don’t wanna be here
I don’t wanna be here alone

You might say that it’s over
You might say that you don’t care
You might say you don’t miss me
You don’t need me
But I know that you do
And I feel that you do
Inside

Babyface – Everytime I Close My Eyes lyrics   (Man’s response to woman)               And every time I close my eyes
I thank the lord that I’ve got you
And you’ve got me too
And every time I think of it
I pinch myself ’cause
I don’t believe it’s true
That someone like you
Loves me too