This is the third and final part of my musical series on abuse (Parts 1 & 2). Abuse doesn’t end when the abuser stops. It will always be with us. For those of us who are lucky enough to survive, the end of abuse marks the beginning of a lifelong struggle to thrive. Sometimes, it gets the best of us. These songs are dedicated to anyone who has survived abuse, because sometimes, we forget how strong we really are.

Billy Bragg – Valentine’s Day Is Over

Some day, boy, you’ll reap what you’ve sown
You’ll catch a cold and you’ll be on your own
And you will see that what’s wrong with me
Is wrong with everyone that
You want to play your little games on

Poetry and flowers pretty words and threats
You’ve gone to the dogs again and I’m not placing bets
On you coming home tonight anything but blind
If you take me for granted then you must expect to find
Surprise, surprise

Valentine’s day is over, it’s over
Valentine’s day is over

If you want to talk about it well you know where the phone is
Don’t come round reminding me again how brittle bone is
God didn’t make you an angel the devil made you a man
That brutality and economy are related now I understand
When will you realize that as above so below there is no love

For the girl with the hour glass figure
Time runs out very fast
We used to want the same things but that’s all in the past
And lately it seems that as it all gets tougher
Your ideal of justice just becomes rougher and rougher

Thank you for the things you bought me thank you for the card
Thank you for the things you taught me when you hit me hard
That love between two people must be based on understanding
Until that’s true you’ll find your things
All stacked out on the landing, surprise, surprise

Nina Simone – Ain’t No Use

Ain’t no use, baby
I’m leaving the scene
Ain’t no use, baby
You’re too doggone mean

Yes, I’m tired of paying dues
Having the blues
Getting bad news
Ain’t no use, baby

Ain’t no use, baby
I’m leaving town
Ain’t no use, daddy
I’m putting you down

I’m gonna change my name
Things won’t be the same
‘Cos I’m tired of playin’ your game
Ain’t no use, baby, I tell you ain’t no use

I tried all these years, Lord knows, I’ve tried
Yes, and I cried deep down inside
But, daddy, why complain?
It’s all over and you’re to blame, yeah yeah

Ain’t no use, baby
Shed them tears
Ain’t no use, baby
I cried for years, for too many years

You done had your fun
It’s all over and done
Now I gotta run
You done had your fun

Ain’t no use
Ain’t no use
Ain’t no use, daddy
Ain’t no use

Aretha Franklin – Nobody Knows The Way I Feel This Morning

Nobody knows, nobody knows
The way I feel this morning
I said, nobody knows
The way I feel this morning

Well, if I only had my way
Let me tell you that
The graveyard would be the place
Where my man would lay

Nobody, nobody knows
The way I feel this morning

Well, I pawned everything
Pawned everything I had this morning
Everything, everything
Said that I pawned everything
Everything that I had this morning, yes, I did

I pawned my ring
My gold watch and chain
Let me tell you I mighta pawned myself
But I’ve got just a, just a little bit of shame

Nobody knows, nobody knows
The way I feel this morning

Well, I feel like screaming
Screaming and crying this morning
Yeah, this morning
Said that I feel like I could scream and cry
Oh, yes, I do, scream and cry this morning
Screaming this morning

I feel like I could scream and cry
Don’t you know I’m just a little too cold hearted
I’d, I’d rather lay right down here and die
Nobody, nobody knows, nobody understands
How I really, really feel this morning
Oh, early this morning

And I’m, and I’m
And I’m leaving here, leaving
Leaving here on a southbound train this morning
Oh, yes, I am, early this morning

Said that, I’m, oh, oh, oh yeah
I’m leaving here, yeah, yeah
Leaving here on a southbound train
This morning, oh, yes, I am
I’m going all the way south

Well, I am leaving here
Leaving here on a southbound train
And let me tell you that nothing is
Ever gonna bring your sweet, sweet baby back again
Nobody, nobody knows, nobody knows
The way I feel this morn, morning, morning

Lauryn Hill – I Get Out

I get out, I get out of all your boxes
I get out, you can’t hold me in these chains
I’ll get out
Father free me from this bondage
Knowin’ my condition
Is the reason I must change

Your stinkin’ resolution
Is no type of solution
Preventin’ me from freedom
Maintainin’ your pollution
I won’t support your lie no more
I won’t even try no more
If I have to die, oh Lord
That’s how I choose to live
I won’t be compromised no more
I can’t be victimised no more
I just don’t sympathize no more
Cause now I understand
You just wanna use me
You say “love” then abuse me
You never thought you’d loose me
But how quickly we forget
That nothin’ is for certain
You thought I’d stay here hurtin’
Your guilt trip’s just not workin’
Repressin’ me to death
Cause now I’m choosin’ life, yo
I take the sacrifice, yo
If everything must go, then go
That’s how I choose to live

That’s how I choose to live…No more compromises
I see past your disguises
Blindin’ through mind control
Stealin’ my eternal soul
Appealin’ through material
To keep me as your slaveBut I get out
Oh, I get out of all your boxes
I get out
Oh, you can’t hold me in these chains
I’ll get out
Oh, I want out of social bondage
Knowin’ my condition
Oh, is the reason I must change

See, what you see is what you get
Oh, and you ain’t seen nothin’ yet
Oh, I don’t care if you’re upset
I could care less if you’re upset
See it don’t change the truth
And your hurt feeling’s no excuse
To keep me in this box
Psychological locks
Repressin’ true expression
Cementin’ this repression
Promotin’ mass deception
So that no one can be healed
I don’t respect your system
I won’t protect your system
When you talk I don’t listen
Oh, let my Father’s will be done

And just get out
Oh, just get out of all these bondage
Just get out
Oh, you can’t hold me in chains
Just get out
All these traditions killin’ freedom
Knowin’ my condition
Is the reason I must change

I’ve just accepted what you said
Keepin’ me among the dead
The only way to know
Is to walk then learn and grow
But faith is not your speed
Oh, you’ve had everyone believed
That you’re the sole authority
Just follow the majority
Afraid to face reality
The system is a joke
Oh, you’d be smart to save your soul
Oh, when escape is mind control
You spent your life in sacrifice
To a system for the dead
Oh, are you sure…
Where is the passion in this living
Are you sure it’s God you’re servin’
Obligated to a system
Getting less then you’re deserving
Who made up these schools, I say
Who made up these rules, I say
Animal conditioning
Oh, just to keep us as a slave

Oh, just get out
Of this social purgatory
Just get out
All these traditions are a lie
Just get out
Superstition killing freedom
Knowin’ my condition
Is the reason I must die
Just get out
Let’s get out
Knowin’ my condition
Is the reason I must die
Just get out

The Clash – I’m Not Down

If it’s true, a rich man leads a sad life
That’s what they say from day to day
Then what do all the poor do with their lives
On Judgment Day, with nothing to say

I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown out
But I’m not down, no I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, no I’m not down

On my own, I faced a gang of jeering in strange streets
When my nerves were pumping and I
Fought my fear in, I did not run
I was not done

I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown out
But I’m not down, no I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, no I’m not down

And I have lived that kind of day
When none of your sorrows will go away
It goes down and down and hit the floor
Down and down and down some more depression

But I now there’ll be some way
When I can swing everything back my way
Like skyscrapers rising up
Floor by floor, I’m not giving up

So you rock around and think that you’re the toughest
In the world, the whole wide world
But you’re streets away from where it gets the roughest
You ain’t been there

I’ve been beat up, I’ve been thrown out
But I’m not down, no I’m not down
I’ve been shown up, but I’ve grown up
And I’m not down, no I’m not down

I’m not down, no I’m not down
No I’m not down, no I’m not down
No I’m not down, no I’m not down
No I’m not down, I’m not down

Tom Petty – I Won’t Back Down

Well I won’t back down, no I won’t back down
You could stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won’t back down

Gonna stand my ground, won’t be turned around
And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down

Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down

Well I know what’s right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around
But I’ll stand my ground and I won’t back down

Hey baby there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down

David Bowie – Heroes

I, I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins
Like dolphins can swim

Though nothing, nothing will keep us together
We can beat them, forever and ever
Oh, we can be heroes just for one day

I, I will be King
And you, you will be Queen
Though nothing will drive them away
We can be heroes just for one day
We can be us just for one day

I, I can remember
Standing by the wall
And the guns, shot above our heads
And we kissed, as though nothing could fall

And the shame, was on the other side
Oh, we can beat them, forever and ever
Then we could be heroes just for one day

We can be heroes
We can be heroes
We can be heroes just for one day
We can be heroes

Ben Harper – Better Way

I’m a living sunset
Lightning in my bones
Push me to the edge
But my will is stone

I believe in a better way

Fools will be fools
And wise will be wise
But I will look this world
Straight in the eyes

I believe in a better way

What good is a man
Who won’t take a stand
What good is a cynic
With no better plan

I believe in a better way

Reality is sharp
It cuts at me like a knife
Everyone I know
Is in the fight of their life

I believe in a better way

Take your face out of your hands
And clear your eyes
You have a right to your dreams
And don’t be denied

I believe in a better way

Queen – The Show Must Go On

Empty spaces – what are we living for
Abandoned places – I guess we know the score
On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for?
Another hero, another mindless crime
Behind the curtain, in the pantomime
Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore

The show must go on,
The show must go on

Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on.
Whatever happens, I’ll leave it all to chance
Another heartache, another failed romance
On and on, does anybody know what we are living for?
I guess I’m learning, I must be warmer now
I’ll soon be turning, round the corner now
Outside the dawn is breaking
But inside in the dark I’m aching to be free

The show must go on
The show must go on

Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on
My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies
Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die
I can fly – my friends

The show must go on
The show must go on

I’ll face it with a grin
I’m never giving in
On – with the show –
I’ll top the bill, I’ll overkill
I have to find the will to carry on
On with the –
On with the show –
The show must go on…

Sly & The Family Stone – Stand!

Stand!
In the end you’ll still be you
One that’s done all the things you set out to do
Stand!
There’s a cross for you to bear
Things to go through if you’re going anywhere
Stand!
For the things you know are right
It’s the truth that the truth makes them so uptight
Stand!
All the things you want are real
You have you to complete and there is no deal
Stand, stand, ooh!
Stand!
You’ve been sitting much too long
There’s a permanent crease in your right and wrong
Stand
There’s a midget standing tall
And a giant beside him about to fall
Stand, stand, ooh!
Stand, stand, ooh!
Stand!
They will try to make you crawl
And they know what you’re saying makes sense and all
Stand!
Don’t you know that you are free
Well at least in your mind if you want to be
Everybody, stand!
Stand!

Frank Sinatra – That’s Life

That’s life
That’s what all the people say
You’re riding high in April, shot down in May
But I know I’m gonna change that tune
When I’m back on top, back on top in June

I said that’s life
And as funny as it may seem
Some people get their kicks stomping on a dream
But I don’t let it, let it get me down
‘Cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin’ around

I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king
I’ve been up and down and over and out and I know one thing
Each time I find myself flat on my face
I pick myself up and get back in the race

That’s life
I tell you, I can’t deny it
I thought of quitting, baby but my heart just ain’t gonna buy it
And if I didn’t think it was worth one single try
I’d jump right on a big bird and then I’d fly

I’ve been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate, a poet, a pawn and a king
I’ve been up and down and over and out and I know one thing
Each time I find myself layin’ flat on my face
I just pick myself up and get back in the race

That’s life
That’s life and I can’t deny it
Many times I thought of cutting out but my heart won’t buy it
But if there’s nothing shaking come this here July
I’m gonna roll myself up in a big ball and die, my, my

Gloria Gaynor/Cake – I Will Survive

The ultimate survivor anthem. While I love the original, there’s something about Cake’s cover that I love more. It’s the stuttering sort of delivery that adds emphasis and that he changes the phrase “stupid lock” to “fucking lock.”

At first, I was afraid. I was petrified.
I kept thinking I could never live without you by my side.
But then I spent so many nights
Just thinking how you done me wrong.
I grew strong
I learned how to get along

And so you’re back from out of space.
I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face.
I should have changed my fucking lock
I would have made you leave your key
If I’d a’ known for just one second you’d be back to bother me.

Oh, now, go, walk out the door.
Just turn around now‚
you’re not welcome any more.
Weren’t you the one who tried to break me with desire?
Did you think I’d crumble?
Did you think I’d lay down and die?

Oh, not I. I will survive!
As long as I know how to love I know I’ll be alive.
I’ve got all my life to live, I’ve got all my love to give.
I will survive!
I will survive! Hey, hey.

It took all the strength I had just not to fall apart.
I’m tryin’ hard to mend the pieces of my broken heart.
And I spent oh so many nights just feeling sorry for myself.
I used to cry!
But now I hold my head up high.
And you’ll see me somebody new.
I’m not that stupid little person still in love with you.

And so you thought you’d just drop by,
and you expect me to be free,
but now I’m saving all my loving for someone who is loving me.

Bonus Video: Ozzy Osbourne covering the Bee Gees.

This is surprisingly good: