Unrequited love. Sleepless nights, foodless days, and usually it all comes to nothing.You wouldn’t think there’d be much to add on the topic, given how exhaustively it’s explored in music, literature and film (my favourite is the young boy Sam’s line in Love Actually – ‘[what could be] worse than the total agony of being in love?’]. However, reading this post by Gala Darling, I discovered something new.Wikipedia’s unrequited love entry lists four songs by Damien Rice that, apparently, are all about the same girl – the daughter of his clarinet teacher.I can only assume that I’ve been living under a rock, because finally the ‘blower’ part of ‘The Blower’s Daughter’ makes sense! How could this little fact have escaped my knowledge before?Anyway, here are the tunes for you to enjoy – hopefully they’ll comfort your wounded heart.Damien Rice:The Blower’s Daughter ( ‘The pupil in denial/ I can’t take my eyes off you’)I Remember ( ‘I remember it well/ The first time that I saw/ Your head around the door/ ‘Cause mine stopped working’)Elephant ( ‘Well, this has got to die/ This has got to stop/ This has got to lie down/ With someone else on top’) Accidental Babies ( ‘But do you really feel alive/ Without me?/ If so: be free/ If not: leave him for me’)And finally, not mentioned by Wikipedia but one of my favourite Damien Rice songs, which definitely fits the ‘unrequited love’ theme, is:Cheers Darlin’ ( ‘I die when he comes around /To take you home/ I’m too shy/ I should have kissed you when we were alone’)Listening to music to drown your sorrows may not be as cathartic as taking the following action though:And remember – you deserve to be loved by someone who doesn’t want to be with anyone but you.

These album covers make me go ‘oh’ – so beautiful in their simplicity.

Emilana’s song ‘Easy’ may just be perfect – wistful yet assertive, and with a deceptively simple storytelling thread (basically, you’ve led me to this point, I want you, so ‘why should we take it easy?’) that she brings a gossamer touch to. In an instant, the girl has ‘20 years in sight’… and who doesn’t spin off into daydreams like this after even the briefest of encounters?!

Emiliana Torrini – Easy

Leona Naess is a brand-new discovery for me, so I’m still in the process of really absorbing her, but I’m loving this track from her debut album:

Leona Naess – New York Baby

From the warm tones of those album covers, to the icy-cool shades of Feist.

The combination of her shadowy, ballerina-like self (long neck, bare shoulders, gentle bun), and those rainbow beams refracting behind her creates a purity that draws you in.

This tune perfectly displays Feist’s crystal vocals – her lilting delivery chimes like a bell.

Feist – So Sorry

And speaking of album covers, does anyone else see a striking resemblance between the girl on The Cars’ debut album, and actor Anne Hathaway?!!

The Cars – Just What I Needed

(Adore the line, ‘I don’t mind you hangin’ out, and talkin’ in your sleep’ – in no small part because I talk in my sleep too!)

#12: You think in status updates#35: Instead of checking Facebook for the millionth time, you sign in to your email account (pretending to yourself that you’re checking your emails). Of course, you’re really checking for Facebook email notifications, which helpfully inform you if someone has sent you a message, added you as a friend, written on your wall, tagged you in a photo, invited you to join a group, invited you to an event, etc. If there’s any, then clearly you can log into Facebook guilt-free (it’d be just plain rude not to reply). If there isn’t, then there’s no need to check Facebook, thus you have successfully avoided feeding your addiction, yet still cleverly managed ascertain whether you’ve had any Facebook-related action.Note: This thinly-veiled attempt to trick your conscious mind into believing that you’re not checking Facebook works about as well as setting your clock 15 minutes fast, hoping that when you glance at it, you’ll leap into action thinking you’re running horribly late. Which is to say, it doesn’t work at all. We all know that by day two, you’re mentally subtracting those 15 minutes. So, let’s celebrate (musically) the addict in all of us, shall we? Super songs by some modern-day addicts (who unfortunately are troubled by more than just zealousness for a certain social networking site):Amy Winehouse – ValerieI adore ‘Wino’. I don’t care how many shabby pictures of her I see in the mags – I just hope she’s happy (or gets happy). Your chances of hearing her sing this sunshiny Zutons cover live, however, are somewhat limited by the fact that she keeps cancelling concerts. Which is a real shame.The Libertines – Don’t Look Back Into The SunPoor Pete’s problems have been comprehensibly chronicled by the world media. But there was a heady time when The Libertines were the darlings of the English music press (such as NME), anointed as The Best Thing Since Sliced Bread (or similar). Here’s why – hard to believe this is a B-side.Rufus Wainwright – Cigarettes And Chocolate MilkLet’s face it – Rufus is a godsend. And I’m not even religious. This song (one of his best) finds him confessing that everything it seems he like’s a ‘little bit harmful for me’. No matter our vices, I’m pretty sure we can all relate to that. So please be kind if he’s a mess.Now, if you’ll excuse me…