Sad songs- We love them- We need them


Hello everyone,

I was listening the other day to a sad song on my playlist and realized their ability to invoke a powerful emotional reaction. Usually about someone in your life. Your children, your special lady or man or maybe someone who is no longer living. I realized we need these songs to remind us life is short and to remember what is most important to us. I thought I would ask everyone to list a song or two that is special to them. It doesn’t necessarily need to be a sad song. I have children so I will start with a few songs that remind me to tell them I love them more often or give them an extra hug or two. 
 

Cats in the cradle- Harry Chapin

Jacobs Dream - Allison Krause 

Hell Is for Children- Pat Benetar

Ron

ronboco

Genesis - Fading Lights

Phil Collins - I Don't Care Anymore

Rush - Losing It

Interstellar Soundtrack - Stay

The Fountain Soundtrack - Stay With Me

 

 

Pet Shop Boys - Being boring

Alan Parsons Project - Time

George Michael - A different corner

Michael Martin Murphy - Wildfire

"Jolie Louise"  Daniel Lanois

"Pancho and Lefty" Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard

"Goodbye"  Steve Earle

"Sam Stone"  Johh Prine

(I am absolutely positive that Hair Of The Dog/Nazareth & "My Boyfriends Back"/The Angels should definitely get honorable mention; however that maybe the  Testors talking.  I may reconsider after I sober up.)

 

I would also add "Tecumseh Valley" by Townes" Van Zandt,

& perhaps

"Waiting Around To Die" by the same artist.

As my memory was jogged to think of Townes, maybe I would consider adding

"Fort Worth Blues"/Steve Earle.

Maybe.

No Time To Cry, Iris DeMent, covered splendidly by Merle Haggard. I love both versions.

 

 

Wow, what a great question and as I ponder it thinking of all my wife and I have lost in the last 2 years the list of songs would be to many to list. In short, as much as I love Bob Dylan I just have to stay away from him for a while, as it seems he is talking directly to me. Enjoy the music

I personally love depressing music!  Is that an oxymoron?? Old Jackie Greene (before he got married and had a child), LLoyd Cole - a 'pleasant' mix of depressing and sarcastic! 

Queen -The show must go on

Rolling Sones - Angie

Peter Hammill- Alice

Black Sabbath - Solitude

Johnny Cash - Hurt

Massive Attack -Teardrop......

 

A good half the cuts on Emmylou Harris' records of the 1970's.  Such as "Making Believe" and "Pancho and Lefty."  And don't forget R.E.M.  It didn't hurt that Michael Stipe simply has a mournful voice. The band itself could musically express mournfulness to the proverbial T. Think of cuts like "Cuyahoga."  How about "I Wanted Everything" by the Ramones?

Going way back.

I've Got Tears in My Ears from Lying on My Back in My Bed While I Cry Over You
 

 

"Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness"   John Prine.

When we lost John Prine, we lost a great one.

"I Need a Man to Love" - Big Brother & the Holding Company (Cheap Thrills version)
"I Heard It through the Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye
"Ramblin' Man" - Hank Williams
"The Needle and the Damage Done" - Neil Young
 

Elton John - Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Jason Isbell - Songs That She Sang in the Shower

Many more but these are two of my favorites. 

Some others:

Insensatez- Stacy Kent

What's New - Linda Ronstadt

It was a Very Good Year - Sinatra

At Seventeen - Janis Ian

If I loved You Tierney Sutton

Blue and Green Tierney Sutton

 

With A Memory Like Mine - Darrell Scott from the album Real Time by Darrell Scott & Tim O'Brien.

"Lonelier Than This" Steve Earle

"Me And Bobby McGee" whether performed by Kris Kristofferson or covered by Janis Joplin

"The Last Resort" The Eagles

 

I just lost my wife of 40 years 3 months ago.  So Bob Welch/ Sentimental Lady,Foreigner/ Waiting for a girl like you. RIP Pam.

The soundtrack from Schindler's List, especially the track "I Could Have Done More." Achingly beautiful and exquisitely heart-wrenching.

the Castilian Spanish version of Timi Yuro’s "Hurt" ["Agonado"]. gawd almighty, that one aches in the <3 in a way the English version only hinted at. you don’t even have to understand Spanish to FEEL what she is singing. you can "hear" hurt in her delivery. then there is Tim Buckley’s "once i was" which is the male version of that. then there is the Basque lullaby "Nana" sung by Victoria De Los Angeles. poignant! then there is "Vesti La Guibba" from "I Pagliacci" [Leoncavallo operetta] sung by a tenor whose name escapes me but you'd swear there were real tears [he was emoting like gangbusters] dripping from his eyes in the video. almost intolerably sad. "Since i fell for you" by Lenny Welch is yet another where he sells the song in his emotional delivery. if he recited the NYC phone directory in that voice it would have almost as much pathos.

Lyin' Eyes - Eagles

The Sound Of Your Memory - Willie Nelson

You Used to Love to Dance - Melissa Etheridge

Step Inside This House - Lyle Lovette

 

@dvddesigner  'Losing it' ... nice one!  One can't help contemplate the irony of the lyricist's final years

Vincent - Don McLean

Seasons in the Sun - Terry Jacks

Tears - Rush

 

That’s the way - Led Zeppelin

Robert would later (with LZ and solo) sometimes write some lyrics where he expressed some quite profound sadness, more in the form of tributes.

@tooblue 

 

Deepest condolences. You are one of the unlucky ones, we usually go first. Wish I could hug you. 

@knighttodd 

I’m very sorry to hear about your wife. You must have many wonderful memories to keep her right there with you. 
 

Ron