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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Mt Holyoke chapter.

For a long time now, listening to music has been my way of escaping stress. Over the years I’ve listened to probably thousands of songs on the radio, but there have only been a handful that have really hit close to home, or have made my emotions go in all different directions.

Below, I’ve decided to present some of my all time favorite songs. It would take me forever to explain why I love each of them, but for the most part they are all, to an extent, telling a sad story. I tend to fall for songs that are sad because they evoke deep emotions from the heart. For each song, I’ve chosen the part of the lyrics that I believe best capture the essence of each song. I hope you take a listen to these songs and find them as beautifully moving as I do!

 

1. “Story of Another Us”- 5 Seconds of Summer

I got a long-term plan with short-term fixes

And a wasted heart that just eclipses

And I push my luck from trust to dust enough

That’s the story of another us

One last ditch, a new beginning

So take this heart, put yourself in it

This surprise ending I’m depending on

 

2. “I’m With You” – Avril Lavigne

I’m looking for a place

I’m searching for a face

Is anybody here I know?

‘Cause nothing’s going right

And everything’s a mess

And no one likes to be alone

 

3. “How to Save a Life” – The Fray

Let him know that you know best

‘Cause after all you do know best

Try to slip past his defense

Without granting innocence

Lay down a list of what is wrong

The things you’ve told him all along

Pray to God, he hears you

And I pray to God, he hears you

 

4. “Clean” – Taylor Swift

There was nothing left to do

When the butterflies turned to dust that covered my whole room

So I punched a hole in the roof

Let the flood carry away all my pictures of you

The water filled my lungs

I screamed so loud but no one heard a thing

 

5. “Infinity” – One Direction

Down to Earth

Keep on falling when I know it hurts

Going faster than a million miles an hour

Trying to catch my breath some way, somehow

Down to Earth

It’s like I’m frozen, but the world still turns

Stuck in motion, and the wheels keep spinning ’round

Moving in reverse with no way out

 

6. “Nothing Without Love” – Nate Ruess

Three years at sea after the storm

On this sinking ship that love had put me on

God I wish a gust of wind would come and carry me home

But I, I got nowhere to go

Now here you show up with the force of a wave

And so I’m setting my sail, I’m headed for the empire state

Hey hey lord, I don’t want to lose this one, she make me feel whole

You know I am, I am nothing without love

 

7. “Dark Side” – Kelly Clarkson

Everybody’s got a dark side

Do you love me?

Can you love mine?

Nobody’s a picture perfect

But we’re worth it

You know that we’re worth it

Will you love me?

Even with my dark side?

 

8. “Stay”- Rihanna

Not really sure how to feel about it.

Something in the way you move

Makes me feel like I can’t live without you.

It takes me all the way.

I want you to stay

 

9. “It Will Rain” – Bruno Mars

Cause there’ll be no sunlight

If I lose you, baby

There’ll be no clear skies

If I lose you, baby

Just like the clouds

My eyes will do the same, if you walk away

Everyday it’ll rain, rain, ra-a-a-ain

 

10. “Secret Love Song” – Little Mix

We keep behind closed doors

Every time I see you, I die a little more

Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls

It’ll never be enough

It’s obvious you’re meant for me

Every piece of you, it just fits perfectly

Every second, every thought, I’m in so deep

But I’ll never show it on my face

 

11. “Young and Beautiful” – Lana Del Rey

I’ve seen the world, lit it up

As my stage now

Channeling angels in the new age now

Hot summer days, rock ‘n’ roll

The way you play for me at your show

And all the ways I got to know

Your pretty face and electric soul

 

12. “Boston” – Augustana

She said I think I’ll go to Boston…

I think I’ll start a new life,

I think I’ll start it over, where no one knows my name,

I’ll get out of California,

I’m tired of the weather,

I think I’ll get a lover and fly him out to Spain…

 

13. “Iris” – The Goo Goo Dolls

And I don’t want the world to see me

‘Cause I don’t think that they’d understand

When everything’s made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am

And you can’t fight the tears that ain’t coming

Or the moment of truth in your lies

When everything feels like the movies

Yeah, you bleed just to know you’re alive

 

14. “Chasing Cars”- Snow Patrol

Forget what we’re told

Before we get too old

Show me a garden that’s bursting into life

All that I am

All that I ever was

Is here in your perfect eyes, they’re all I can see

 

15. “Jar of Hearts” – Christina Perri

And it took so long just to feel alright

Remember how to put back the light in my eyes

I wish I had missed the first time that we kissed

‘Cause you broke all your promises

And now you’re back

You don’t get to get me back

 

16. “Safest Place” –  Echosmith

Run straight through the valley

And end up where you’ve wanted to be

Swim past the shadows

And the words that echo off the street

If you’re looking for truth

Don’t come looking for me

You’re better off not knowing

Cause your own story

Is the safest place you’ll ever be

 

17. “Praying”- Kesha

Well, you almost had me fooled

Told me that I was nothing without you

Oh, and after everything you’ve done

I can thank you for how strong I have become

‘Cause you brought the flames and you put me through hell

I had to learn how to fight for myself

And we both know all the truth I could tell

I’ll just say this is I wish you farewell

 

18. “Nothing” – The Script

So I stumble there, along the railings and the fences

I know if we’re face to face then she’ll come to her senses

Every drunk step I take leads me to her door

If she sees how much I’m hurting, she’ll take me back for sure

 

19. “The Only Exception” – Paramore

I’ve got a tight grip on reality,

But I can’t let go of what’s in front of me here.

I know you’re leaving in the morning when you wake up.

Leave me with some kind of proof it’s not a dream.

Oh-oh-oh-ohhh.

 

20. “My Immortal” – Evanescence

You used to captivate me by your resonating light

Now I’m bound by the life you left behind

Your face, it haunts my once pleasant dreams

Your voice, it chased away all the sanity in me

 

21. “Therapy” – All Time Low

My ship went down

In a sea of sound.

When I woke up alone I had everything:

A handful of moments I wished I could change

And a tongue like a nightmare that cut like a blade.

In a city of fools,

I was careful and cool,

But they tore me apart like a hurricane…

A handful of moments I wished I could change

But I was carried away.

 

22. “Terrible Things” – Mayday Parade

Now, most of the time we’d have too much to drink

And we’d laugh at the stars and we’d share everything

Too young to notice, and too dumb to care

Love was a story that couldn’t compare.

I said, “Girl, can I tell you a wonderful thing?

I made you a present with paper and string.

Open with care now, I’m asking you, please.

You know that I love you, will you marry me?”

 

23. “Fix You” – Coldplay

When you try your best, but you don’t succeed

When you get what you want, but not what you need

When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep

Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can’t replace

When you love someone, but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

 

24. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” – Green Day

My shadow’s the only one that walks beside me

My shallow heart’s the only thing that’s beating

Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me

‘Til then I walk alone

 

25. “Sweet Creature” – Harry Styles

Sweet creature

Running through the garden, oh, where nothing bothered us

But we’re still young

I always think about you and how we don’t speak enough

And ohhhh, we started

Two hearts in one home

I know it’s hard, we argue

We’re both stubborn, I know

 

26. “Halo” – Beyonce

Hit me like a ray of sun

Burning through my darkest night

You’re the only one that I want

Think I’m addicted to your light

I swore I’d never fall again

But this don’t even feel like falling

Gravity can’t forget to pull me back to the ground again

 

27. “Breathe (2 AM)” – Anna Nalick

There’s a light at each end of this tunnel,

You shout ’cause you’re just as far in as you’ll ever be out

And these mistakes you’ve made, you’ll just make them again

If you’d only try turning around.

2 AM and I’m still awake, writing a song

If I get it all down on paper, it’s no longer inside of me,

Threatening the life it belongs to

 

28. “Collide” – Howie Day

I’m quiet you know

You make a first impression

Well, I’ve found I’m scared to know

I’m always on your mind

Even the best fall down sometimes

Even the stars refuse to shine

Out of the back you fall in time

I somehow find

You and I collide

 

29. “Drops of Jupiter” – Train

But tell me, did you sail across the sun?

Did you make it to the Milky Way to see the lights all faded

And that heaven is overrated?

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star–

One without a permanent scar?

And did you miss me while you were looking for yourself out there?

 

30. “Two is Better Than One” – Boys Like Girls

I remember every look upon your face

The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste

You make it hard for breathing

‘Cause when I close my eyes and drift away

I think of you and everything’s okay

I’m finally now believing

 

31. “Impossible”- Shontelle

Falling out of love is hard

Falling for betrayal is worse

Broken trust and broken hearts

I know, I know

Thinking all you need is there

Building faith on love and words

Empty promises will wear

I know, I know

 

32. “Supermarket Flowers” – Ed Sheeran

Oh, I’m in pieces. It’s tearing me up but I know

A heart that’s broke is a heart that’s been loved

So, I’ll sing Hallelujah,

You were an angel in the shape of my mum

When I fell down you’d be there holding me up

Spread your wings as you go

And when God takes you back

He’ll say, “Hallelujah, you’re home.”

 

33. “Lay Me Down” – Sam Smith

And it’s hard

The days just seem so dark

The moon and the stars

Are nothing without you

Your touch, your skin

Where do I begin?

No words can explain

The way I’m missing you

 

34. “Haunting” – Halsey

I was as pure as a river

But now I think I’m possessed

You put a fever inside me

And I’ve been cold since you left

I’ve got a boyfriend now and he’s made of gold

And you’ve got your own mistakes in a bed at home

I’m hoping you could save me now but you break and fold

You’ve got a fire inside but your heart’s so cold

 

35. “She Will Be Loved” – Maroon 5

Tap on my window, knock on my door

I want to make you feel beautiful

I know I tend to get so insecure

It doesn’t matter anymore

It’s not always rainbows and butterflies

It’s compromise that moves us along, yeah

My heart is full and my door’s always open

You come anytime you want, yeah.

 

There are millions of other beautiful songs in the world, but I hope some of these were your favorites as well!

 

If you would like to write for Her Campus Mount Holyoke, or if you have any questions or comments for us, please email mt-holyoke@hercampus.com.

ABOUT ME Name: Olivia Hobert Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Age: 20 Birthday: March 6 Astrological Sign: Pisces College/Year: Mount Holyoke College 2020 Major: Psychology & Education Hometown: Framingham, MA Hobbies: Writing, Reading, Photography
Mount Holyoke College is a gender-inclusive, historically women's college in South Hadley, MA.