Breakup songs in Western music that were hits in the 80s. World-famous classics and popular tracks.
Heartbreak songs are often poignant and lyrical, with many featuring beautiful melodies.
They’re very captivating.
Among them, Western songs—mostly in English—can be even more enjoyable if you listen while checking a translation site.
The real charm lies in thinking about the singer’s feelings and interpreting the expressions that a straightforward Japanese-to-English translation can’t fully capture.
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Breakup songs in Western music that were hits in the 80s: World-famous and popular songs (1–10)
Love BitesDef Leppard
The title “love bites,” if translated literally as “love biting,” sounds a bit like a horror movie and feels odd, but in the song they sing “Love bites, love bleeds” — something like “love bites and makes you bleed.” Are they trying to say that love is something that requires that much resolve?
Misty HeartQuarterflash
This song that starts with a saxophone gives off a slightly more grown-up vibe, doesn’t it? It keeps repeating “I’m gonna harden my heart, I’m gonna swallow my tears,” emphasizing the resolve to stay strong and hold back the tears.
Is it like, even after a heartbreak, you’ve got to be tough?
Hold Me NowThompson Twins
I like how this song begins with a sound like a xylophone.
I ended up having a fight with my girlfriend, but it keeps repeating, “Hold me now, warm my heart”—hold me and warm my heart.
It kind of feels like a woman’s line, but there are probably more men like this than you’d think.
Breakup songs in Western music that were hits in the '80s. World-famous classics and popular tracks (11–20)
Didn't We Almost Have It AllWhitney Houston
Whitney Houston’s singing ability is exceptionally outstanding.
She scores a perfect 100 even when singing love songs, but her breakup songs are powerful too, and that strength seems to express anger.
If you could sing along with her, it feels like the anger from a breakup would just fly away.
The WinnerABBA
Speaking of ABBA, they’re a group that produced numerous hits in the ’70s, but this song has a calmer tone compared to their other hits.
The lyrics liken romance to a card game, portraying it in terms of winners and losers.
It’s also famous for being used in the musical “Mamma Mia.”
Love stinksThe J. Geils Band
“Stinks” can mean “smells bad,” but in the case of this song it seems to carry a different sense—something like “a fuss” or “a commotion.” It’s saying that romance can be a hassle and a nuisance in many ways.
Playing on the word “stinks,” it’s as if a broken heart gives off a nasty odor you want to get rid of as soon as possible.
If You LeaveOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
This song, which became a big hit thanks to the movie Pretty in Pink, has a bright feel, but it’s actually a breakup song, isn’t it? I love the way the vocals are sung on the line “I touch you once, I touch you twice.” In the song, she says that even if they break up, they’ll be able to be friends someday, but that sounds like a pretty common line, doesn’t it?