It is once again that time of year when teddy bears and chocolate and pink and red heart-shaped decorations begin manifesting their destiny across every inch of campus real estate, store aisle, and corner of the internet. All of a sudden, that cute guy in that finance club soft launches his girlfriend on Instagram, couples decide to assault everyone’s eyes with bold displays of PDA, and you start missing that guy you never dated. Yes, it’s the horrific national holiday known as Valentine’s Day. But fear not, single people–what better way to cope with the feeling that you may be forever alone than with the company of Mitski? Without further ado, here are the top five Mitski songs that will provide the perfect background music to your holiday-fueled existential spiral.
1. “Nobody”
Perhaps Mitski’s magnum opus. This song features oddly relatable lyrics for any situation, especially Valentine’s Day. Feeling isolated and sad? Undesirable and ugly? A little depressed about the impending doom from the climate crisis? “Nobody” has got your back. For optimal sadness, play this as you look forlornly outside your dorm window at the couples en route to their Valentine’s Day dinner plans. Don’t fret; even though it might feel like everyone else is cuffed, you’re definitely a part of the silent majority. It still feels good to wallow in self-pity, though.
2. “Pink in the Night”
This one’s for when you start missing your ex. I’m not sure how Mitski managed to load this song up with 100 percent pure, unadulterated yearning, but somehow she did. With lyrics like, “And I hear my heart breaking tonight / I hear my heart breaking tonight / Do you hear it too?,” and, “And I know I’ve kissed you before, but / I didn’t do it right / Can I try again, try again, try again,” this song is guaranteed to unearth some deeply repressed memories of heartbreak. “Pink in the Night” feels like a hopeless attempt to broadcast a radio signal to a certain someone, but it never reaches the intended audience. Warning: side effects of listening to this song may include romanticizing your old relationships and sending that “I miss you” text. Don’t do it.
3. “A Loving Feeling”
One of Mitski’s more underrated songs, in my opinion. Maybe the other person just refuses to make the situationship official and you have to pretend you don’t care, but deep down you really do. Or maybe you’re just suffering from a bad case of unrequited love. Either way, the lines “What do you with a loving feeling / If the loving feeling makes you all alone,” will stab at your heart ferociously.
4. “Carry Me Out”
Another underrated Mitski song, also about missing someone. This time the setting is a dark rooftop at night. “And I / Say your name / In hopes you’ll hear it in the stars,” Mitski sings desperately. Will they hear their name? No, because you’re sitting by yourself in the cold grasp of the mid-Atlantic February air. But hey, there are worse places to be down bad—at least a rooftop is kind of peaceful. Might I suggest the Jes Res one? The Arrupe patio is also a strong contender. Surrender yourself to the cold night air; it’s the only embrace you’re getting tonight.
5. “Heat Lightning”
It would be doing Laurel Hell (2022) a massive disservice to not mention a song off of Mitski’s new album. “Heat Lightning” perfectly describes a deep-seated sense of apathy and helplessness, making it a flawless finale to a good moping session. It’s basically the fifth stage of grief in song form. Play this one while you sadly accept your sorry situation and make peace with the fact that another Valentine’s Day has come and gone and you are still single. Don’t ponder too long and lose sleep over your love life, though–they definitely aren’t thinking about you.
