About The Song
Some guys take pride in the heartbreak they inflict after a breakup, imagining their exes reading those old love letters and still wearing their sweaters. In this song, Patty Loveless wants the guy to know that she’s moved on and might even go out tonight to celebrate. But if it makes him feel better to think she’s still hung up on him, she’s happy to let him live in that fantasy land. Or as she puts it, “You can feel bad if it makes you feel better.”
The song was written by the professional songwriters Matraca Berg and Tim Krekel. Berg’s other hits include “Strawberry Wine” by Deana Carter and “Hey Cinderella” by Suzy Bogguss. Tim Krekel, who died in 2009, often co-wrote with Berg, including the Martina McBride song “Cry On The Shoulder Of The Road.”
The song was a #1 Country hit in 1996, a big year for Loveless, who also topped the chart with “Lonely Too Long” that year. Both songs are from her album The Trouble With The Truth.
Loveless has a lot of songs where she’s forlorn in love – “Nothin’ But The Wheel” and “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me” are examples – but she also recorded some defiant, empowering songs like this one. Other examples include “Blame It on Your Heart” and “I’m That Kind of Girl.”
You have to squint to hear him, but Vince Gill is one of the backup singers. Both were signed to MCA Records and are good friends.
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Lyric
The car is runnin’ and your bags are packed
I guess that says it all
Your head is hangin’ and you look real sad
Maybe you shoud’ve called
You say you think you need a brand new start
You’re really sorry that you broke my heart
Well I’m not really fallin’ apart but baby
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
Picture me cryin’ reading all your love letters
Walkin’ around in your old sweaters baby
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
Maybe I’ll go out tonight yeah I’ll paint the town
And maybe I’ll run into you while I’m runnin’ ’round
There’s a good chance I’ll be alone
An even better one that you won’t
And when it’s time for me to go home baby
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
Picture me cryin’ reading all your love letters
Walkin’ around in your old sweaters baby
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
If it makes you feel something
Yeah take another look at these tears I’m crying
They’re not fallin’ on your shoulders they’re fallin’ on mine
Yeah I’ve seen this comin’ for a long long time
Now I’ll be just fine
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
Picture me cryin’ reading all your love letters
Walkin’ around in your old sweaters baby
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
Picture me cryin’ reading all your love letters
Walkin’ around in your old sweaters baby
You can feel bad if it makes you feel better
If it makes you feel something
If it makes you feel better