The Cure - To Wish Impossible Things
Every time I listen to *Goodbye My Lover * by James Blunt it sends a shiver down my spine. His song *You’re Beautiful * is also very sad and ethereal.
For me, it’s Sinéad O’Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U.
I always think this is worth a sniffle or two.
What the heck…either Why Can’t He Be You by Patsy Cline, or That’s All I’ve Got to Say from The Last Unicorn. First things that came to mind.
Ooh, that’s a good one. Traveling further along the traditional music route, we have Bill Monroe’s Body and Soul. The combination of the powerfully sad music, the lyrics, and Bill Monroe’s singing is something else. And, joy of joys, it’s available on I-Tunes.
Well, considering that everyone who has listened to GLOOMY SUNDAY has committed suicide soon after, I guess that won’t get any mentions.
(One day, I listened to every version I could find on the Net and, well…
BOO!)
“Ne me quitte pas” Jaques Brel
I forgot how sad this song is until I re-read the lyrics. Damn!
I’m partial to “Forever Autumn” by Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues.
“The summer sun is fading as the year grows old
And darker days are drawing near…
The winter winds will be much colder
Now you’re not here”
Ooh yeah, that’s cheery.
Soft Shoulder by Ani Difranco is my saddest love song.
Two people pulled over on the same night
To look up at the same stars
They both found their wheels were spinning
In a soft shoulder
When they got back into their cars
And they missed fate’s appointed rendezvous
It’s all about love that was just off in the timing/circumstances but knowing that the person could have been the whole world to you.
Gotta back this one up. Knopfler hit something just as universal with this song as Shakespeare did.
The casual dismissal by Juliet breaks my heart.
Came here to say this. We saw Knopfler and Emmylou Harris at the Charter One Pavilion in Chicago last year. He did “Romeo & Juliet”, and about halfway through I looked over at my wife, and saw her eyes watering (and she never cries because of music). That made it a little less embarrassing that I was openly weeping. Beautiful song.
The Winner Takes It All by ABBA. Given what they were going through.
Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell.
George Jones’s He Stopped Loving Her Today
He stopped loving her today
They placed a wreath upon his door
And soon they’ll carry him away
He stopped loving her today
I’ve never heard this song, but I suspect it’s disqualified, as even happy Cure songs are depressing.
You win.
Some others:
"I Can’t Help It if I’m Still In Love With You" - Hank Williams (Hank sees his ex with another man.)
"You Don’t Know Me" - as performed by Ray Charles (He’s too shy to tell his friend he loves her. Now she’s with another man.)
"4th of July" - X (the death of love) This lyric kills me:
She gives me her cheek
When I want her lips
Oh, but I don’t have the strength to go
On the wrong side of town
In a dark apartment
We gave up trying so long ago…
The Day you Went Away by Wendy Matthews - always makes me a bit teary.
- hey there’s not a cloud in sight
it’s as blue as your blue goodbye
and I thought that it would rain
the day you went away*
sniff
Have you heard Aaron Lewis’ version? It’s worth tracking down.