# Most achingly beautiful songs ever **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584 "2010-08-17T23:15:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/381 "2013-06-27T01:46:59Z")
There has to be some explanation why the 70s was an unbelievable treasure trove of acoustic artists. And many of their songs are works of genius. From time to time try youtube for “House at Pooh Corner” (Loggins and Mesina) and you’ll wonder why there are so few songs like that today. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/382 "2013-06-27T04:02:49Z")
Epica: “Run For a Fall” [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/idhxEPvG4rc/hqdefault.jpg "Epica - Run For a Fall (acústica - acoustic) (with lyrics y subtítulos en español)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idhxEPvG4rc) ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/383 "2013-06-29T06:08:25Z")
[Angel Eyes](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agN7oQYxD3Q) ~ Ella Fitzgerald. [Tomorrow is a Long Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diFH3cDQCXE) ~ Bob Dylan ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/384 "2013-06-29T08:02:19Z")
> [@SaharaTea](#): > > We all know the Irish own the category of Songs That Make You Want to Kill Yourself, but one of the most heartbreaking songs I’ve heard is [“My Youngest Son Came Home Today”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k0xQDY0F5Q) performed by Billy Bragg. I just finished a biography of Townes van Zandt, in which I learned he toured Ireland often in the last years of his life. His first serious song was “Waitin’ Round to Die” and it was a joke, really, when he called one of his albums _The Late Great Townes van Zandt_. But he was young when he recorded “[If I Needed You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaP8NGML_QE).” (We all were.) The 50th anniversary of the death of the great Pedro Armendáriz was commemorated last weekend on a Spanish language TV station. Unlike other stars of the Golden Age, he could not sing. In _Enamorada_, he went to court Maria Felix. And brought the Trio Calaveras to sing [Malagueña Salarosa](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx-AWMFGAeo)… [Cancion Mixteca](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJM2Hd_ET5c)–which sounds homesick, even if you don’t understand the lyrics. The Chieftains,\* et al\*… ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/385 "2013-06-29T08:15:31Z")
“Flower Duet”, from Lakme, by Delibes. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Qx2lMaMsl8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgXihFMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDXJ-9m-ZPo-9Q73o_z7B66JLUt7g "The Flower Duet (Lakmé)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qx2lMaMsl8) ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/386 "2013-06-29T12:24:01Z")
“True Love Never Runs Smooth” by Gene Pitney. European-sounding, mandoline maybe? Achingly beautiful and romantic, if you like that kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/387 "2013-06-29T13:39:59Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > [Agnus Dei](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkObnNQCMtM), the choral version of _Adagio for Strings_ by Samuel Barber Oh yeah! Adagio for Strings is the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/388 "2013-06-29T14:14:33Z")
> [@meanoldman](#): > > “Without You” by Harry Nilsson Opened this thread thinking of “Without You” by Harry Nilsson so I did a search and found your post. [“Without You” by Harry Nilsson](http://youtu.be/_bQGRRolrg0) (YouTube) Actually written by Badfinger but Nilsson’s version won a Grammy in 1973. There are other covers—many, in fact—but Nilsson’s is still the best, IMO. An amazingly heart-wrenching song. _Can’t live if living is without you…_ ---
**Author:** ![tbook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/df705f/32.png) [@tbook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbook)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/389 "2013-06-29T14:18:46Z")
> [@Spoke](#): > > Hey, speaking of Roy Rogers, how about some stuff from **Sons of the Pioneers**? Some “achingly beautiful” harmonies here: > > [Tumbling Tumbleweeds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UiSMyyj-Ac&feature=related) - Sons of the Pioneers > > [Blue Shadows on the Trail](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-jOOFw-ITA) - Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers Thank you for this. And to all the other posters who have taken the time to share. ---
**Author:** ![Evin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@Evin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evin)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/390 "2013-06-29T14:42:11Z")
Rachmaninov: Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op 31 [- YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6ebE9GBSdQ) (excerpt) Sublime ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/391 "2013-06-29T16:45:00Z")
Well I don’t know if anyone mentioned these two yet, since it’s such a long thread. But whenever I listen to these, and really listen to the lyrics I end up crying. They’re both poetry turned into ballad songs. [The Lady of Shalott](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttv0ljOiPSs)~ Loreena McKennitt [The Highwayman](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teq2m0BN-Wo)~ Loreena McKennitt ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/392 "2013-06-29T21:36:16Z")
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig6JOQtxyTQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig6JOQtxyTQ) _Ali D’oro_ by Zucchero with John Lee Hooker ---
**Author:** ![Fugazi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f08c70/32.png) [@Fugazi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fugazi)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2013, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/393 "2013-06-29T22:41:35Z")
My daughter described this song as beautiful and powerful when I played it for her. I think that describes it very well. [Anathema - Thin Air](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZYlmBOcqdM) ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/394 "2013-06-30T01:36:30Z")
Long thread, don’t know if this one has been posted. Marisa Monte, with her voice like liquid gold, sings one of the most achingly beautiful songs in the whole furshlugginer universe: [Lenda das Sereias](http://mais.uol.com.br/view/d59ed6yyr67a/lenda-das-sereias-marisa-monte-04024D983560E0812326?types=A&%22) ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2013, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584/395 "2013-06-30T05:42:05Z")
One of the best blues songs ever. [Decoration Day](https://myspace.com/johnleehooker/music/song/decoration-day-album-version-11933) ~ John Lee Hooker [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-achingly-beautiful-songs-ever/550584.md?page=19)