Playlist: Kansas City Suffers Year Of The Broken Hearted

This year it seems like both the Chiefs & Royals are leaving Kansas City proper in desperate hope better economic opportunities as the local homicide count moves along at a steady pace going into the Spring warmup with little proof of sustainable progress in lowering the local quotient of killing. For anyone watching closely, this seems like a year of disappointment. 

It goes both ways . . .

Our conservative friends confront the "MAGA Civil War" wherein podcasters are starting to turn against the Prez and the K-shaped economy erodes a great deal of the populist voter support.

Meanwhile . . . 

The only advancement we've noticed from progressives comes at a horrible cost by way of martyrdom or a sketchy showdown with federal authorities that exposes American instability overall. 

Below the radar . . .

China looking to replace the dollar as the world's reserve currency threatens to change American life more than most people could possibly understand and that's why the news almost never mentions it.  

There's an upside here . . . 

Heartbreak and disappointment offer important opportunities to learn and improve. Tragically, losing at loves provides much better inspiration than success or fleeting happiness.

We won't get too maudlin on this night dedicated to amour . . . But all of our best memories end in heartbreak. From tragic romance to lost relatives . . . Everything ends badly. Any real self-awareness comes with the realization that life is little more or less than a series of mostly pointless events punctuated by anguish, desolation, misery, sorrow, and suffering until the lights go out. Thankfully, low expectations, big booty white women and a plentiful supply of vulgar jokes make it seem worthwhile, most of the time. 

But I digress . . . 

Here in Kansas City we can only hope that heartbreak provides important lessons so that we might improve this cowtown that we love. 

A few pointers to ponder . . .

Paying activists barely garners political support and won't ever solve crime or homelessness. 

There is no progress without public safety. 

Local political hopefuls would much rather focus on culture war issues than what's happening in neighborhoods; leveraging national issues might be the dumbest way to confront problems right down the block. 

Sadly, again, because we're no stranger to heartbreak . . . 

We understand that Kansas City might be doomed to repeat mistakes over and over if only because infatuation with charismatic leaders is far easier than confronting endemic problems.  

And all of this inspires our www.TonysKansasCity.com Valentine's Day 2026 playlist on the topic of broken hearts . . .

Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin is a foundational hard rock song that might represent the pinnacle of the genre. Record producer Rick Rubin has remarked that the song achieved, "one of the greatest riffs in rock." With respect to Brit guitarist Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen once claimed the "Heartbreaker" solo as the inspiration behind his adoption of the tapping technique he later popularized.

"What About Love" was originally written by the Canadian band Toronto in 1982, Heart's version became a signature rock anthem.

Fun fact . . . Until putting this list together, we didn't know that Bob Seger co-wrote "Heartache Tonight" by The Eagles which is the best & only song that TKC has done a line dance to . . . At the behest of a white lady of course.

For the bridge . . . "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" originally written by the Bee-Gees in 1971 and perfected by Al Green is one of the most emotionally honest tunes we've ever heard on the topic of love and loss and its gut-wrenching, forthright confrontation of disappointment offers a teachable moment with every listen.

This one was obvious . . . From the 1968 Comeback Special . . . There is nothing more American than tugging at heartstrings by way of Elvis Presley singing "Heartbreak Hotel" in his iconic leather suit.

As always, thanks for reading this week and have a safe & fun Saturday night.