At the moment, I’m reasonably happy. But as that will change, I will need music.
I’m defining “torch song” as a song where
[list=1]
[li] the singer loves someone, is in love with someone, or is obsessed with someone[/li][li] the object of the singer’s affection does not love the singer as much (or how) the singer wants to be loved[/li][li] Opal joins in on the chorus[/li][li] the singer is not happy about the state of affairs[/li][/list=1]
Any suggestions?
Marlene Dietrich singing “Falling in Love Again” (the classic)
And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls. Jennifer Holliday tears that song up.
Good Morning Heartache Billy Holliday. What is it with those Holliday women.
Oh and on a different track, Janis Joplin’s *Piece of My Heart.
Suppertime by Irving Berlin
Sinatra:
**Where or When
One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)
In the Wee Small Hours
Night & Day**
the slooooow version found on “Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music” (1965)
Number 2 is the most debateable point here (though I’d argue that having suicided fulfills not loving back as protagonist desired):
Queensryche, “I Don’t Believe in Love”
Morning DJ of WOLD - Harry Chapin
and
Kayleigh - Marillion
come to mind (I do have a broad taste…)
“When a Man Loves a Woman” by Percy Sledge. Or, from the distaff side, “Ain’t No Way” by Aretha Franklin.
Don’t know if these satisfy your requirements, but definitely make my ‘torch song’ list(modern) :
Dot Allison - ‘Did I Imagine You’
Cat Power - ‘Wild is the Wind’ (Nina Simone)
Ani diFranco - ‘Falling is Like This’, ‘When You Were Mine’(Prince), ‘Untouchable Face’
Everything But The Girl/Tracey Thorn - ‘Walking Wounded’, ‘Protection’
Nina Gordon - ‘Tonight and the Rest of my Life’
Lisa Loeb - ‘Stay’ (a bit poppy, but fits)
Beth Orton - ‘Stars All Seem to Weep’, ‘She Calls Your Name’
Poe - ‘If You Were Here’
Portishead - ‘Only You’, ‘It Could Be Sweet’, more
Guys -
Chris Isaak - ‘Wicked Game’
If you like old standards being sung by a more modern singer, try the album “What’s New” with Linda Ronstadt and the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. There’s a lot of torch song classics on that, like “Someone to Watch Over Me,” “Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry” and “What’ll I Do.” Her Greatest Hits album has a nice selection of the more modern type too, like “Long Long Time” and “Love Has No Pride.”
Having already exposed myself as a lover of bad (i.e. trite and sentimental) music, you must remember to take any and all suggestions I may make with that in mind.
Without You by Harry Nilsson
All By Myself by Eric Carmen
I Should Have Never Let You* Go - Neil Sedaka (*or HIM go, by Bernadette Peters)
Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers
Pieces of April by Three Dog Night
You Take My Breath Away by Queen (NOT the totally different song by Rex Smith… even I think that’s a bad one)
Try K. D. Lang’s Absolute Torch and Twang or Shadowland. Yeah, it’s kinda twangy, and she’s kinda androgonous, (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but what a voice!
Otherwise, for my money anyway, ya gotta go back to the classics; Patsy Cline, Peggy Lee, Julie London, et. al.
romansperson, I have that album (CD actually) great stuff!
My knee-jerk reaction to this was “The Man That Got Away” by Judy Garland.
I can think of a million, but the one I love best is (You Made a) Fool Of Me by Me’shell Ndegeocello. That song has carried me through many a rough moments.
Nan, by Ween
romansperson, I like the Linda Ronstadt CD and her version of Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry is good, but Diane Schuur’s version of the same song on her In Tribute CD is great. Oh my God, that woman can sing.
Anything on Frank Sinatra’s Only the Lonely album would fit the bill. I’m partial to “Only the Lonely,” “Angel Eyes,” “Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry,” and “Where or When.”
Ella Fitzgerald’s got some good ones, too. “I’ve Got It Bad (and That Ain’t Good)” and “Why Was I Born?” come to mind.
Perfidia-Glenn Miller Orchestra
I Can’t Make You Love Me-Bonnie Rait
This Boy-the Beatles