The Dark Heart of Bread.

While rummaging through some old boxes in the attic, I came across a CD by the Californian rock band, Bread. It was a 'greatest hits' CD, you know, a compilation of all the songs by a popular band that cretins (or kareoke enthusiasts, as they're known) know the words to.

While looking at the track listing, I've become increasingly worried about what it is implying. Let me show you...

1)Dismal Day
We've all had one of those day. Maybe his boss yelled at him, or he just lost the big account, it's normal. Maybe he'll hit the bar to calm down.

2)Any Way you Want Me
3)It Don't Matter to me
4)Make it With You
Hmm, alright, he met a girl, he thinks he's hit it off and they decide to go back to his place...

5)Look What You've Done
6)I Want You With Me
An accusation. This is turning ugly; things are moving fast. Perhaps too fast?

7)Let Your Love Go
8)Too Much Love
There's some reluctance, and someone gets cajoled...overpowered, even.

9)If
If? If what?! The real truth of what happened that evening remains hidden to us.

10)He's a Good Lad
Ah, denial. The first stage of coping with a traumatic event.

11)Mother Freedom
12)Baby I'm - A Want You
13)Down On My Knees
14)Everything I Own
Hmm, begging. So when violence fails, you must manipulate her into staying, is that it?!

15)Diary
16)Guitar Man
17)Aubrey
As the situation worsens, our damsel's only escape is into a worl of fantasy, as real life is know too much to bear.

18)Sweet Surrender
My god...you drove her to do it, didn't you?

19)She's the Only One
AND NOW SHE'S GONE, BECAUSE OF YOU!

20)Lost Without Your Love
It's too late for regrets now. You don't deserve absolution.

21)Soap (I Use The)
No matter how much you wash, you'll never be clean.

22)Ann
That was her name...

23)Never Let Go
I guess you'll just have to live with it.

24)Goodbye Girl
Years later, an lone elderly man leaves flowers on a grave, as he does every week, and has done for all these long years.

*** ***

Now, I'm not claiming that the Lyricist of Bread drunkenly forced a girl into sex, then held her in an abusive and bitter relationship before driving her to suicide to escape the misery and never truly being able to live with the knowledge of what he'd done...



...but I'm not saying he didn't, either.