11 Songs About Divorce That’ll Help You Cope and Heal
Are you currently going through a divorce yourself or maybe just thinking about starting the process sometime in the near future? Divorce is one of the hardest things we go through as human beings because you have to mourn a loss.
Thankfully, music can help us through some of our hardest times, which is why I put together this list of songs about to divorce that’ll hopefully not just make you feel seen and understood, but truly help you cope and eventually heal.
1) D-I-V-O-R-C-E by Tammy Wynette
As someone who was married five times, Tammy Wynette knows quite a lot about divorce, and you can hear it in the way she sings.
Tammy was not someone who was lucky in love. Arguably her worst divorce was with her song writing partner and husband with whom she had several children. This particular song, D-I-V-O-R-C-E is about that marriage.
In the song, we really get to hear the pain that comes along with getting a divorce. Throughout the song, Tammy spells out the word divorce instead of saying it because she is insinuating that she doesn’t want her children to hear that she and their father are splitting up.
It also seems that Tammy hasn’t come to terms with the fact that her husband wants a divorce either, and through spelling out the word instead of saying it, she can deny it for just a little longer.
In the song Tammy mournfully communicates her reluctance to get a divorce, saying that her husband is the one who wants them to separate, not her.
2) Breaking Up Slowly by Lana Del Rey
If there is one universal truth to be said about the divorce process, it is that it is slow. Whether you want to get it over with as fast as possible and are frustrated with the lethargic process, or you’re reluctant to divorce and want to stretch it out as long as possible, this is a song that will resonate with you.
Why? Because this song has a duality that plays to both aforementioned mindsets upon interpretation.
This song is about a toxic relationship between two people and it highlights that sometimes even though breaking up is the best thing for both people to do, it doesn’t make the reality of the situation easier to swallow.
3) We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift
OK, so this isn’t technically about divorce. But it’s certainly about a breakup. And, popular with the younger generation, this song is great to jam out to on a long drive–or just to dance around your house and rock out.
It features a bright, energetic, upbeat tempo with catchy lyrics that will have you singing along in no time. This song reminds the listener that sometimes it is okay to close the book on an old chapter of your life. And sometimes, ending the relationship is worth celebrating.
More than anything, this song reminds us that the future is bright and there are endless possibilities ahead. There’s always more fish in the sea. So don’t toss away your fishing rod.
4) 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon
This song is a playful reminder that if you are unhappy in your current relationship, the best move is to leave. Through some vaguely humorous suggestions, this song gives many possible ways to “leave your lover.”
Every once and in a while, it’s good to get a reminder that it is okay to exit a relationship. This song delivers that message perfectly, as it’s carried by a beautiful tune that will be stuck in your head for days.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
5) Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
Sometimes in a relationship, two people drift away. And maybe that space between two people becomes too big for either party to cross and reconnect.
This song delivers the message that if you have grown apart, maybe it is for a reason. Sometimes we enter a relationship unsure of ourselves, and during the relationship we grow into the individuals we are supposed to be.
This song is the perfect reminder that while the individual you have become might not resonate with your partner, at least you will walk away from the relationship a stronger, better person..
6) Somebody That I Used to Know by Elliott Smith
The gentle guitar strumming of this song helps to carry the melody that tells the same story we have all heard before. When we move on from someone we used to know and love in our lives, the sensation of forgetting them can feel so odd and foreign—but also completely natural at the same time.
This song bottles up that feeling in a neat and concise way, accompanied by fast-paced guitar playing.
What more could you ask for?
7) Forget Her by Jeff Buckley
In my opinion, this is the ultimate song about a breakup. It will absolutely tear at your heartstrings. Only listen to this song if you are okay with crying.
Sometimes after losing someone you love (perhaps due to irreconcilable difference or something much more serious), it can feel like the world is ending and nothing will ever be the same. This song, so artfully sung by Jeff Buckley, will let you experience that feeling to the fullest.
Just make sure you got a box of tissues at the ready.
8) The Winner Takes It All by Abba
Divorce is not always a neat and tidy affair. In fact, it can often be messy and filled with intense emotion on both sides.
This song highlights what it feels like to be on the receiving end of ill treatment from another person and to feel like they are winning in some way. Divorce can often feel like an expensive, high stakes game of poker, especially when important things hang in the balance, like your bank account’s bottom line or custody and property battles.
Divorce, at its worst moments, is war. And when it comes to war, someone is always trying to emerge the undisputed winner.
9) So What by Pink
If you’re just looking for a song to jam out to, this song is absolutely packed with attitude. “So What” is great to listen to if you just need a moment to get some anger out.
Divorce can be stressful, frustrating, and just downright overwhelming. If you are experiencing any of those feelings, then this is the song for you.
10) I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
This song is a gentle reminder that while you may have come to the end of your relationship with your significant other, it is okay to have a part of yourself that will always love them. You can still honor and appreciate the times you had together in the relationship while also acknowledging that the relationship has reached its natural endpoint.
Parting ways does not always have to be a bad thing.
Of course, like a handful of other songs on this list, this isn’t a song that’s genuinely about divorce explicitly. But the lyrics are such that they work very well for anyone dealing with a divorce and looking for some comfort music in these trying times.
And while we certainly have to appreciate the fact that Dolly Parton was the one to originally make this song in the early 1970s, it was Whitney Houston who took this track (and its popularity) to another stratosphere in the 1990s.
I mean, the official music video has over a billion views!
11) Rent Money by Mary J. Blige
This track is all about the fallout of a divorce. Sure, we all know that emotions are highly charged during divorce proceedings, but what happens when the judgements have been handed down and the dust has settled?
Well, that’s basically the premise behind “Rent Money” by Mary J. Blige, a song where Mary talks about the pain of being deceived and taken advantage of by someone she once loved. It’s so bad for Mary that she’s not just singing about the sting of divorce, but the reality that she was the one who was forced to pay alimony.
Therefore, her “rent money” is what’s due every month.
Not only is this a song about the pain (and reality) of divorce, but it’s also a warning to always make sure you do your due diligence (as best you can) on your potential spouse before you walk down the aisle.
Conclusion
Going through a divorce can be hard, but thankfully music will always be there for us.
No matter how your day is going or how sad you might be feeling, take solace in knowing that there is an immense variety of songs about divorce that depict men and women going through the same trials and tribulations that you’re experiencing.
These songs illustrate the fact that you’re not alone. And that you will indeed triumph in the end.
