5. "Full Color Love Affair" by The Shimmer Kids Underpop Association

Why: A mellow song about the not-so-mellow experience of being dumped for another person. It perfectly captures the beaten-down tone of self-loathing and hatred that accompanies this experience.
Key lyrics: "When I saw you in the library, well then I knew that it was all over, 'cause he was showing you that book by e.e. cummings. And I had on my favorite shirt, but it didn't seem to make a difference 'cause all the poetry in Paris will never hide my shortcomings. And if our paths cross in a little while, if I should see you at a party, maybe you'll apologize...but you'll still be a bitch."

4. "Recommendation" by Mirah

Why: This is a good one for the defiant, I-am-so-getting-over-you-but-I-still-want-you stage of a breakup. It's a brilliantly compact song about things that you can only write down in letters and the agony of an uncertain ending drawn out by tense long-distance correspondence. In the end Mirah decides that she's doing "Fine. Just fine."
Key lyrics: "You drove so far, but now you know how rough it is to let me go. Let me recommend that you think twice, and I always give the best advice."

3. "True Affection" by The Blow

Why: A perfect expression of that painful sense that you're drifting out of each other's leagues. As always, The Blow combines heartfelt vocals with electronic blips to great effect. There's such a sadness to this song in its recognition of how sometimes genuine affection isn't enough.
Key lyrics: "True affection floats. True affection sinks like a stone. I never felt so close. I never felt so all alone."

2. "I Don't Want to Get Over You" by The Magnetic Fields

Why: Perhaps the most miserable and pathetic breakup emotion is the terrible knowledge that you're not ready for the person to leave your life, despite the fact that they're clearly moving on. This one just comes out and says it: I'm not ready for this, I don't want anyone else, I feel like sulking around and smoking clove cigarettes, etc. Stephin Merritt's sad, dead vocals are basically the sound of being dumped.
Key lyrics:" I could make a career of being blue, I could dress in black and read Camus, smoke clove cigarettes and drink vermouth like I was 17. That would be a scream, but I don't want to get over you."

1. "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac

Why: So this is pretty obvious. It's kind of the go-to song for major life changes, but there's a reason why it's so popular among the depressed and broken-hearted. Stevie Nicks is at once vulnerable, honest, and willing to acknowledge that things have to change, though not without some hesitation. Everything about it is perfect for post-breakup sadness.
Key lyrics: "I've been afraid of changing 'cause I've built my life around you."

Star Wars isn't at all an uncommon object of affection on Youtube, but, as it turns out, even the most ubiquitous of subjects can inspire the kind of rarefied oddities to which this feature is dedicated. This week's videos, while perhaps lacking novelty of subject, definitely exemplify the most crucially weird elements of the form: song choices that are incongruous and downright puzzling, thoughtful editing, and—most importantly—unparalleled earnestness. Just when you thought the Star Wars universe could never unite with the bittersweet sounds of K Records' horniest singer/songwriter, just when you figured that the Darth Vader saga was impervious to the atmospheric melodies of Phil Collins, these videos come along and render your notions of order and chaos utterly invalid:

Song: "Cold Cold Water" by Mirah
Concept: Star Wars as timpani-heavy lament of Anakin's amorous feelings toward the Dark Side.
This clip is a prime example of two seemingly unrelated elements combining to make something truly creative. Portions of are among the best-edited I've ever seen (in a YouTube tribute)—how perfect is that steady snare beat for the first thirty seconds? Many of the images are matched well with the tone of the song: romantic, outdoor scenes for the airy, string-heavy moments; grave, dimly lit indoor shots for the guttural guitar strums.And that's just in the first 90 seconds.
The only drawback: clips from the Star Wars cartoons are distracting and unnecessary, though they do serve as a good reminder of the clip's general absurdity. Otherwise, the song is well-suited to images of people looking serious, kissing purposefully, letting their hair blow in the wind, and dueling to the death—all of which the Star Wars series offers in abundance. The only real gripe I have with this video is the cartoon clips; otherwise, despite the vast chasm between Star Wars culture and MIrah's general vibe, "Cold Cold Water" and the movies are matched well, because they're both very epic.
Best music-to-image sync-up moment: The first twelve seconds, where Mirah sings "I saddled up my pony right and rode into the ghostly night" as Anakin hops on his vehicle and speeds off.
Silliest music-to-image sync-up moment: Halfway through as Mirah sings, "I'm so number one that it's a shame, a shame that you let other numbers in the game," there's a shot of Darth Vader with his arms crossed, shaking his head, as if to imply that he's very displeased with a recent development in his love life.

Song: "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
Concept: Star Wars as the story of that time Anakin Skywalker witnessed someone drowning.
This video is interesting conceptually, focusing on the parallels between the Luke and Anakin storylines, but the dialogue and music from the movies often drown out "In the Air Tonight." (No pun intended.) However, when this clip works, it works. The cleverest element is the editing: the transitions are very slow and creeping, perfectly complementing the song's foggy mood and tempo. And even though a lot of the sound elements are missteps, there are a few that work, like the entrance of the drums being synced up with the battle between Luke and Darth Vader. This video is definitely weird enough to be compelling, and at times the visuals are superbly matched with the music, but overall it's got too many distractions to be truly successful.
Best music-to-image sync-up moment: The shot at 1:18 of a hooded Anakin looking out upon some wreckage against a cloudy, red sky. You can just tell by the look on his face that something is definitely coming in the air tonight.
Silliest music-to-image sync-up moment: Any time Mark Hamill opens his mouth to deliver a line. Yikes!

Verdict: Though both contenders have their merits, the force is much stronger with the Mirah video, making it the best Jedi this side of the Dagobah system and the winner of this week's match-up.