As a companion post to our teeth-achingly sweet post about Valentine's Day from 2012, here are a selection of songs from the John Arpin Sheet Music Collection featuring scorned lovers, sad sops, shallow cads, and general romantic ne'er do wells.

If you're looking for something more romantic for Valentine's Day browsing, do not proceed with this post, dear reader.  Instead, view our posts of sugar-sweet pop songs from the 1910s  or our posts from an #AskArchivists event on twitter in 2012 for #loveheritage.

Bring Back My Lovin' Man

Link to sheet music here.

Link to a 1912 recording by Ada Jones here courtesy of the Library of Congress.

Telltale hearts

If You Talk in Your Sleep Don't Mention My Name

I can see that you are married | And you know I'm married too! | And nobody knows that you know me and nobody knows that I know you and, if you care to, we'll have luncheon | Ev'ry day here just the same | But sweetheart if you talk in your sleep | Don't mention my name.

Link to sheet music here and here.

Link to a 1911 recording of the song here.

She's A Patient of Mine

Link to sheet music here.

I'm a-leavin' song complete with shout-out to the President and a customizable lyric

Maybe I'll Come Back

I will come back when the elephants roost in the trees, I will come back when the whales make love to the bees | I will come back when the sun refuses to shine | And President Taft is a cousin of mine | I will come back when the fish walk a round on two feet | And promenade up and down [any local street] | When the show has turned from white to blue, Then maybe I will come back to you, Yes maybe I'll come back to you.

Link to sheet music here.

Bridal Brawls: beware the scorned gang of lovers

They Gave Me Something To Remember Them By

They all gave me something to remember them by, Just a token of their esteem | They kept it hidden till after the weddin' | Then they presented it to me. | Just what I got, I never knew But the doctors said, "If you pull through, You will have one eye in instead of two." | That was something to remember them by.

Link to sheet music here.

Stop the Wedding March

Cancel that wedding march and play a funeral dirge right now | When I see that gal and her yellow pal | There sure will be some row. | I'll carve him like a Christmas fowl | There'll be a massacre | Cancel the wedding march and play a funeral dirge for me.

Link to sheet music here.

Gothic Melodrama

Ashes of Roses

Ashes of Roses once so red | Clear is their meaning, Love is Dead. | Wildly my heart is singing, Over and over again.|  There could be no Ashes of Roses now, | Had you not loved me then.

Link to sheet music here.

Emo-much?

I am wearing a mask of gladness

I am wearing a mask of gladness that is hiding a broken heart |The game that you played was a "love masquerade" | And you were untrue from the very start | I still love you dear tho' you've shattered my pride | You played angel then devil like Jeckyll and Hyde | I am wearing a mask of gladness that is hiding a broken heart

Link to sheet music here.

Sad Sack Love Songs

Now She's Anybody's Girlie

Now she's anybody's girlie | Anyone who dines, and buys the finest wines; | When the lights burn late and early | She's anybody's little girl but mine. |

Link to sheet music here.

Every Girl I Get The Other Fellas Steal

Every girl I get the other fellow steals | That's the reason why I always sigh | My own pal steals my gal | Takes her right away, doesn't leave her stay | I'm awf'lly angry boys, I don't know what to do, | Tell you, boys, you don't know how it feels | I feel blue, so would you, For ev'ry girl I get the other fellow steals.

Link to sheet music here.

The Passive Aggressive Pursuer

If I don't get you I'll get your sister

If I don't get you, I'll get your sister | And she's as sweet as you | If you don't watch out some day, you'll miss her, | And then you'll miss me too | Oh your sister's charming, she's without a flaw | But I'd make a better husband than a brother-in-law | If I don't get you I'll get your sister | Then you'll only be my sister-in law.

Link to sheet music here.

Bitter Tears

I'll Be Smiling When You're Crying

I'll be smiling when you're crying, | I'll be happy when you're sad | There'll come a time some day when you'll be longing for the old love you once had | You'll never really know just what I've gone through | Until you love someone who doesn't love you | Then I'll be smiling when you're crying | Smiling all the while.

Link to sheet music here.

...when all hope is gone, sad songs say so much.

Just a Little

Link to sheet music here.

All on account of you

Link to sheet music here.

After a Tear Comes A Smile

Link to sheet music here.

It's awfully hard to say good bye to someone you love

Link to sheet music here.

I'm Just Pining For You

Link to sheet music here.

My Dreams Are Now No More of Thee

Link to sheet music here.

Sources:

“National Jukebox LOC.gov.” ; available from : http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/ ; Internet; accessed 14 February 2013.