Be Still, My Bleeding Heart

Tuning Out the Valentine's Day Hype

By Erica D. Rowell

(Page 2 of 2)

I Confess, An English Beat

To wind down a quiet evening of angst, anger and perhaps thoughts of alimony, you might want to turn to the confessionals.

These come in several different flavors, including: wanting to 'fess up (out of guilt or perhaps as payback), not wanting to 'fess up (though you should) and 'fessing up to simply using somebody.

In "Confessions," Destiny's Child asks her man, "Because I just came clean, what you feel about that baby/I'm just guessing/are you through with me?" It's tough to tell through the way she puts it, but it seems like breaking up might be what she wants.

Much more clear is the disturbing yet almost comical gist of Shaggy's "It Wasn't Me." Having been caught "red-handed" "with the girl next door," the singer turns to his mentor, who tells him to simply deny it. Of course, you have to listen to the whole song to get the kicker — "Gonna tell her that I'm sorry for the pain that I've caused. ... You may think that you're a player/But you're completely lost."

From Crosby, Stills and Nash's free-love anthem "Love the One You're With" to Marilyn Manson's more current "User Friendly," singers have admitted to their lovers they're simply not in love. You might also try Tina Turner, who added her piece to this less-than-feel-good message with "What's Love Got to Do With It?"

Bill Withers' "Use Me" — which is being used in a Pringles commercial! — delivers the unexpected. When told he is simply being used by his woman, the singer comes clean in a delicious admission of enjoyment. "Oh, I want to spread the news, if it feels this good getting used. You just keep on using me, 'til you use me up."

Chances are he'll be needing an anti-love song list very soon.

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