# Exceptionally Powerful Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2007, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760 "2007-09-28T01:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/61 "2007-10-02T19:43:28Z")
[Mad World](http://youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4) by Gary Jules, originally by…was it Tears for Fears? I just remember the original version was upbeat and it didn’t suit the lyrics at all, but this slower version is just lovely. I remember hearing it in the car during a period of time when I was unemployed and depressed, and I had to pull over the car I was crying so hard. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2007, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/62 "2007-10-02T19:53:34Z")
_Footsteps_ by Pearl Jam. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2007, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/63 "2007-10-02T20:04:08Z")
I nominate another Reba McEntire song, “Fancy.” I first heard it when I was a teenager, about the same age as Fancy in the song, and didn’t realize, until years later, that Fancy’s mom was pimping her out. As soon as I realized that, the true desperation of the family’s circumstances hit me (“Here’s your one chance, Fancy, don’t let me down…”). That’s why I find it powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Sunrazor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sunrazor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunrazor)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2007, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/64 "2007-10-02T20:14:09Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Cat Stevens’s _Trouble_ is always powerful to me. [/QUOTE] I can’t listen to “Father and Son” without tears coming to my eyes. I don’t know if that’s what the OP meant by “powerful,” but that’s what it does to me. Another one is “Long Black Veil,” especially the Dave Matthews live version. Goes straight to my heart. In fact, my son and I once had a long discussion about the idea of honor and how it could cause a man to give up his own life rather than let anyone know he’d cuckolded his best friend. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/65 "2007-10-02T20:50:12Z")
\*Angel of Montgomery \* as done by Bonnie Raitt _Mother_ by John Lennon _It Doesn’t Matter Anymore_- Buddy Holly _The End_ -The Doors _Dilate_- Ani DiFranco That’s just the tip of the iceberg of songs that really move me. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/66 "2007-10-02T21:17:44Z")
There are many many songs that are powerful to me. (none by Harry Chapin though). The one I’ll mention in this thread is “My Old Man”, sung by Steve Goodman. I just can’t make it through listening to it anymore. Wish I could hear my father’s take on Iraq, on Bush, on anything… ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Ryle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8dc957/32.png) [@Mark\_Ryle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Ryle)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/67 "2007-10-03T01:37:23Z")
[QUOTE=Lucky 13] I nominate another Reba McEntire song, “Fancy.” [/QUOTE] I can see I was entirely wrong spelling it “McIntyre” (Post 53). I was wondering, does Reba have a signature song? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/68 "2007-10-03T02:08:27Z")
[QUOTE=well he’s back] There are many many songs that are powerful to me. (none by Harry Chapin though). The one I’ll mention in this thread is “My Old Man”, sung by Steve Goodman. I just can’t make it through listening to it anymore. Wish I could hear my father’s take on Iraq, on Bush, on anything… [/QUOTE] For some reason _The Internationale_ and _The Red Flag_ remind me of my late father, he wasn’t actually a socialist or communist. They make me bawl every time I hear them. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/69 "2007-10-03T03:23:27Z")
_Only in Dreams_ by Weezer. From the Blue album. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2007, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760/70 "2007-10-03T03:50:24Z")
Maybe it’s just powerful to me because it closes such a crushing movie, but The Cardigans’ version of “The Bluest Eyes In Texas” that plays over the closing credits of _Boys Don’t Cry_ is almost unbearably poignant to me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/exceptionally-powerful-songs/420760.md?page=3)