# Needed: A sad, mournful song-poem **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 18, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129 "2008-09-18T12:08:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/1 "2008-09-18T12:08:31Z")
For complicated reasons I want a sad song-poem (a poem that can be sung if nessacery). Something sombre, like this: [http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=MQP6CAwnYPw&feature=related](http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=MQP6CAwnYPw&feature=related), but not cheesy and made by Disney:) Anyone know of some good laments? Preferably something old. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/2 "2008-09-18T12:29:10Z")
If you want something old and mournful, can’t beat [The Wanderer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanderer_(poem)): [QUOTE=Some Anglo-Saxon dude] Oft him anhaga are gebideð, metudes miltse, þeah þe he modcearig geond lagulade longe sceolde hreran mid hondum hrimcealde sæ wadan wræclastas. Wyrd bið ful aræd! Swa cwæð eardstapa, earfeþa gemyndig, wraþra wælsleahta, winemæga hryre: … Hwær cwom mearg? Hwær cwom mago? Hwær cwom maþþumgyfa? Hwær cwom symbla gesetu? Hwær sindon seledreamas? Eala beorht bune! Eala byrnwiga! Eala þeodnes þrym! Hu seo þrag gewat, genap under nihthelm swa heo no wære. [/QUOTE] [bilingual version](http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Wdr) ---
**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:** [September 18, 2008, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/3 "2008-09-18T12:37:28Z")
How about Caoineadh Airt Ui Laoghaire/The Lament For Art O’Laoghaire? [http://frontpage.montclair.edu/dennisk/poetry/gael/caoineadh.html](http://frontpage.montclair.edu/dennisk/poetry/gael/caoineadh.html) ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/4 "2008-09-19T01:12:22Z")
I was thinking of something in English - I couldn’t even pronounce the first one. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/5 "2008-09-19T02:12:16Z")
How about a little Gilbert O’Sullivan? I swear this guy started the emo thing… This is a great song to sing, especially if you’re Guitar Guy at a party and President Blutarsky isn’t around… 😛 [Alone Again, Naturally](http://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/v/thevirginsuicideslyrics/aloneagainnaturallylyrics.html) > [@](#): > > In a little while from now > If I’m not feeling any less sour > I promise myself to treat myself > And visit a nearby tower > And climbing to the top will throw myself off > In an effort to make it clear to who > Ever what it’s like when you’re shattered > Left standing in the lurch at a church > Where people saying: “My God, that’s tough > She’s stood him up” > No point in us remaining > We may as well go home > As I did on my own > Alone again, naturally > > To think that only yesterday > I was cheerful, bright and gay > Looking forward to well wouldn’t do > The role I was about to play > But as if to knock me down > Reality came around > And without so much, as a mere touch > Cut me into little pieces > Leaving me to doubt > Talk about God and His mercy > Or if He really does exist > Why did He desert me in my hour of need > I truly am indeed Alone again, naturally > > It seems to me that there are more hearts > broken in the world that can’t be mended > Left unattended > What do we do? What do we do? [Listen to it here…](http://www.last.fm/music/Gilbert+O'Sullivan/_/Alone+Again+(Naturally)) ---
**Author:** ![sinjin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@sinjin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sinjin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/6 "2008-09-19T02:17:29Z")
Amazing Grace? ---
**Author:** ![Harry1945](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Harry1945](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry1945)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/7 "2008-09-19T02:34:42Z")
How sad and mournful do you want? [Baptism by Joan Baez](http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Joan-Baez-Baptism-Album/E0706406C968AA2748256C9C0023184E) is full of them. I’ve always regretted not playing _No Man Is An Island_ from it at my father’s funeral. There is also _Who Knows Where The Time Goes_, by Judy Collins. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/8 "2008-09-19T04:47:21Z")
It’s not old, but you might want to check out “[Fire of the Mind](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMJI1hFif9M)” by Coil. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/9 "2008-09-19T05:42:04Z")
On the Willows from Godspell, from Psalm 137, but w/o the bashing babies heads against the rocks part. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/10 "2008-09-19T05:48:54Z")
The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Buttons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Mr\_Buttons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Buttons)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/needed-a-sad-mournful-song-poem/464129/11 "2008-09-19T06:41:48Z")
As a Smashing Pumpkin afficienado, I’ll donate some helpful mourning songs. Hopefully one will fit the circumstance you’re looking for. Drug-related mournful song: [This Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-2ZfdFrAHM) Car Crash related mournful song: [Tear](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha6173IA75s) Just plain Mournful: [Behold! The Nightmare](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGeXsfRdPM4) [For Martha](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-URifHF7_fs) sorry for the anime vid, but was the first one I found on youtube search. Edit: These mostly fit the poem scheme OP was looking for, Billy Corgan did/does consider himself a poet. Spare yourself the trouble of reading his book of poetry book though, utter _bleh_. ☹