5 pages, and no mention of ‘Sea of Love’
Last Rose of Summer by Suzan Erens http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA-RhXu1Krw
Mamma Leone by Bino http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-Ama6tltjM (original version)
Another Judy Collins selection - Send in the Clowns.
Tonight (from West Side Story).
West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys. (I have no idea why, but this song cuts right through my heart and takes me to another place altogether.)
Stand By Me by Ben E. King - yes!
I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do) by Hall and Oates.
Faure - Requiem - In Paradisum
Britten - A Ceremony of Carols - Balulow
Good call, and I’ll second that one.
I’ll add Harry Chapin’s Better Place to Be. I used to sing this while a friend of mine played guitar. The Youtube link isn’t quite the arrangement we used, but it’s close enough. You could tell who in the audience was being affected by it; depending on reactions, sometimes it was difficult to get through.
Another one I just thought of: Vimy, by Tanglefoot.
It is a piece of Canada’s history. I sang this as part of a four-part male harmony group, and it was difficult to get through at the best of times; especially so when we had veterans in the crowd. But the harmonies are beautiful to sing.
I vote for Alison Krauss’ cover of When You Say Nothing At All.
Just thought of another: “Figure Eight” - Blossom Dearie
And cheesy or no, I must admit that I have quite a soft spot for “Canada (You’re a Lifetime Journey)”, namely because it takes me right back to being 12 years old and visiting EPCOT Center (one of my favorite places to be) for the first time.
All good songs, but for my money the only one that has the “achingly beautiful” quality that the OP was looking for is Julia. And Yesterday, over exposed or not, simply ACHES.
I would put Let It Be into the ACHES category.
Ok, if you mention Linda Ronstadt in this thread, you have to mention Blue Bayou.
And my major contribution to the thread is “Waters of March” all versions of which are kind of haunting, butBasia’s rendition knocked it right out of the haunted house.
Also, for hauntingness, everything Portishead does scores, and “Glory Box” has already been cited, but I think It Could Be Sweet cranks the haunting beauty all the way to 11.
Also, Tod Rundgren’s “Bang A Drum” was cited as particularly dumb, and it is, but he goes all the way in the opposite direction with A Dream Goes On Forever.
That should do for now.
This arrangement of Shenandoahalways brings a tear to my eye. No idea if it’s ever been done professionally, but these kids do a decent enough job.
Something, written by Harrison but sung by Sinatra.
…kind of a lesser-known one, but I think it has merit: Did I Imagine You? by Dot Allison.
Not in any real particular order except the first one. No links, since I’m at work…
“One Last Goodbye” by Anathema
I wish I’d seen this thread earlier because I can think of no song that is more beautiful than this one and I’d love to get both this song and this band more exposure. There are plenty of songs that have given me chills, but this is the only song I recall that was so beautiful it actually made me cry the first time I heard it. At various times when it’s come up in a shuffle at work, where people will often tune out what I’m listening to, someone hurry over to me and ask what I was listening to, then usually request a rip or just go buy the album. It really is THAT good, and if you haven’t heard it, your life is incomplete.
“One Endless Childish Day” - Dark Suns
Absolutely beautiful too, but probably a lot less accessible than the one above because of the style is a little esoteric; in fact, I didn’t really care for it the first time I heard it, and it was only on a subsequent listening on shuffle at the gym and I was so floored by it that I had to stop in the middle of my set. It’s the last song on a concept album, and it ties it all up so beautifully with a crescendo that gives me chills every time I hear it that I honestly can’t think of a more moving moment in any song I’ve ever heard. This band also deserves a lot more exposure, it’s unfortunate their general inaccessibility will prevent that from ever happening.
“To Bid you Farewell” - Opeth
This is excellent on the album and fits the criteria, but having had the opportunity to see it live during their Damnation tour put it in a whole different league. When even at a concert where the crowd was a little assholish asking them to play death metal (even knowing it was a semi-acoustic tour), the crowd was completely silent through the entire piece. Just… wow.
“Fragile” - Swallow the Sun
This is in a different vein from the above, as it’s a pretty solid Doom song with roughly 50/50 growling/singing vocals, but when even those who self-describe as hating metal think it’s beautiful, it’s transcended that barrier. It is a pretty dark subject matter, but it really is a perfect analogy of grief and it’s very moving.
“Weiland” - Empyrium
One of the pieces on an album that lyrically musically and lyrically (though in German), tries to transcribe the natural beauty of the artists’ homeland (you guessed it, Germany) into a piece. It’s almost entirely acoustic guitar, flute, and strings. Not often can music so articulately, and beautifully, describe a natural scene.
“Departer” - Katatonia
This song is a complete departure (NPI) from their usual sound, and it’s not something I would have thought would work. This is also a little esoteric in it’s sound, like Dark Suns (these guys heavily influenced them), but I really think it perfectly captures an aspect in the relationship between brothers of which is seldom spoken perhaps precisely because it is so difficult to put into words.
I can think of a couple others, but since I can’t even really imagine anyone will listen to this, I’ll just stop there. 
“Carol of the Bells” - Boys Choir of Harlem
Well, sorry guys but I have to trump you both with The Masterpiece of Achingly Beautiful Songs: Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt
May I add my choice to some of the most beautiful music I can imagine?
This thread is likely my favourite ever. I have bookmarked so much music. I will likely be listening to recommendations for ages to come.
Thanks to you all for such joy.
KB.