# Saddest song of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756 "2003-11-23T00:32:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/21 "2003-11-23T08:13:28Z")
Another vote here for _Honey_ by Bobby Goldsboro. _Softly, As I Leave You_ (I don’t remember the artist at the moment) always made me blue. _Is That All There Is_ by Peggy Lee was downright depressing. Haven’t heard any of them in a long time, and don’t hope to. ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/22 "2003-11-23T08:28:36Z")
Anything by Portishead. Noby loves me is a good example ---
**Author:** ![Gmork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f19dbf/32.png) [@Gmork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gmork)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/23 "2003-11-23T08:41:48Z")
**The Whitlams - ‘You Gotta Love This City’** - suicide in Sydney Harbour on Olympic Opening Night. **The Whitlams - 'Cries Too Hard’** **The Whitlams - 'The Curse Stops Here** **Don McLean - Vincent** **Art Garfunkel - Bright Eyes** - I think I like this mostly because of my obsession and frequent watching and re-watching of ‘Watership Down’ when I was small. Have to second Gloomy Sunday. And perhaps Billie Holiday’s ‘Strange Fruit’ - though it IS sad, maybe it should be under the ‘Eerie’ category. And ‘And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ I know the OP was looking for our individual one ‘sadDEST song’ - but I’ll just, you know, nominate these and proclaim myself indecisive. Does anyone else take a look at threads like this and then just **have** to go and find copies of everything mentioned? ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/24 "2003-11-23T08:53:28Z")
“All of My Love” by Led Zeppelin, which is supposedly about the death of Robert Plant’s son. And just about anything by Joy Division. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/25 "2003-11-23T13:30:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ranchoth \* > \*\*" > “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones \*\* Seconded. Oddly it is one my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/26 "2003-11-23T13:39:36Z")
> [@](#): > > And just about anything by Joy Division. I find JD’s lyrics depressing, not particularly sad. Not saying that you don’t find them sad, however. ---
**Author:** ![alexandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@alexandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandra)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/27 "2003-11-23T15:09:44Z")
Probably something by the Smiths. Maybe “Last Night I Dreamt…” which has the most excellent beginning or “I Know It’s Over”. ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Husker\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Husker_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/28 "2003-11-23T17:02:49Z")
**The Mountain Goats - No Children** This incredibly bitter song is the center piece on John Darnielle’s concept album **Tallahassee** , which narrates the lives of a troubled couple who’s decided to drink themselves to death somewhere out in the countryside. With dark, yet brilliant lyrical gems like: “I hope that our few remaining friends/ give up on trying to save us/ I hope we come up with a failsafe plot/ to piss off the dumb few that forgave us,” and “I hope it stays dark forever/ I hope the worst isn’t over/ and I hope you blink before I do/ yeah I hope I never get sober.” **Minutemen - History Lesson pt. II** A nostalgic song from the sprawling **Double Nickels on the Dime** , where D. Boon looks back at the humble beginnings of Minutemen, which he started with his best friend Mike Watt, when they were teenagers: “our band could be your life/ real names be proof/ me and Mike Watt/ we played for years.” What makes this song so sad is the fact that D. Boon died in a car crash a year after the album was released. The final line: “me and Mike Watt, playing guitar,” breaks my heart every time. **The Replacements - Here Comes A Regular** This song reminds me of fall, and all of my old loser drinking buddies who I’ve turned my back on lately: “and sometimes I just ain’t in the mood/ to take my place in back with the loudmouths/ you’re like a picture on a fridge that’s never stocked with food/ I used to live at home, now I stay in the house.” **Tim** is the most depressing album I own, but I still play it often. ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/29 "2003-11-23T17:15:09Z")
Do you live in the Twin Cities, Husker Dude? ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Husker\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Husker_Dude)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/30 "2003-11-23T17:26:34Z")
Nope, I live in Norway. But I have family there, which I’m actually planning on visiting sometimes next year. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/31 "2003-11-23T17:30:03Z")
**Gollum’s Song** , from the LOTR:TTT soundtrack. [Lyrics here](http://www.visionsfromthepalantiri.com/music/gollumssong.html) ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/32 "2003-11-23T17:30:55Z")
Oh, right. That Norwegian family in Minnesota. I know them! 😉 I live in Minneapolis, so I noticed your tastes for local music (Replacements, Husker Du). ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/33 "2003-11-23T17:34:40Z")
**I Don’t Like Mondays** by The Boomtown Rats ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Pittiful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Brad\_Pittiful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Pittiful)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/34 "2003-11-23T17:54:13Z")
seasons in the sun - terry jacks get my vote ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/35 "2003-11-23T18:29:25Z")
**I Can’t Make You Love Me** by Bonnie Raitt **Send in the Clowns** always made me sad. ---
**Author:** ![eli\_the\_fanatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ccd318/32.png) [@eli\_the\_fanatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eli_the_fanatic)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/36 "2003-11-23T18:43:21Z")
“Send in the Clowns” is a good choice. Another good one about divorce is Gordon Lightfoot’s “If You Could Read My Mind.” ---
**Author:** ![TJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@TJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/37 "2003-11-23T18:47:32Z")
Another Boomtown Rats one: Diamond Smiles - I remember lying on the floor listening to this over and over again when I was about 8 years old. You can read the [lyrics here](http://www.geocities.com/~sdsundstrom/diamond.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Chavardz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Chavardz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chavardz)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/38 "2003-11-23T19:37:42Z")
Gary Jules - Mad world (donnie darko soundtrack) Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody R.E.M. - Everybody Hurts U2 - If god would send his angels Lou Reed - Perfect Day The Wallflowers - I started a joke (or the bee gee’s original version) Foo Fighters - Everlong Isreal Kamamawiwo’ole - Somewhere over the rainbow/it’s a beautiful world That’s what’s on my sad songs playlist anyway ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/39 "2003-11-23T19:40:03Z")
Yesterday,when I was young-Roy Clark [http://www.lyricsdepot.com/roy-clark/yesterday-when-i-was-young.html](http://www.lyricsdepot.com/roy-clark/yesterday-when-i-was-young.html) ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756/40 "2003-11-23T20:22:33Z")
How could we have gotten this far and not mentioned the Ultimate Sad Song? **Puff the Magic Dragon.** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/saddest-song-of-all-time/214756.md?page=3)