Damn straight, eli. Hank’s songs go straight to the heart. I love his music because its just one guy singing how he feels, and everyone can relate.
I don’t know if I can pick one song to be the saddest, but I think “A Night to Remember” by Joe Diffie is rather sad. Actually, pretty much every sad country song could be said to be one of the saddest songs of all times. Maybe thats just me being a country fanatic, I dunno.
How Do I Live Without You - Leann Rimes
I think that song’s hilarious
What about Still in Saigon by the Charlie Daniels Band?
Danny Boy.
The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
They Shoot Horses Don’t They?
Definitely:
Dust in the Wind by Kansas
When I saw this thread title, I immediately thought of “Here Comes a Regular” by the Replacements…so I would like to second Huskerdudes nomination
Fallen Embers by Enya
“Cats In the Cradle”…Harry Chapin.
It pertains to a little boy and his dad…but reminds me of all I missed with my own father who died when I was six.
I love that song…and cry every time I hear it.
**bobkitty wrote: **
That’s not a sad song. It’s a song about getting high on marijuana. Even Tipper Gore knows that. Sheesh.
[Robert De Niro voice]Are you a pothead, Fokker?[/Robert De Niro voice]
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.
The saddest song (in terms of being truly emotionalyl draining and not maudlin) is Al Green’s cover of “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?”
The Beatles’ For No One does have the most wonderfully sad horn solo ever.
I’ve got to disagree on Clapton’s Tears in Heaven.
I’ll add Jim Croce’s Operator to the list.
This is embarrassing to admit, but since I haven’t been getting much sleep and I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, a lot of John Denver’s canon makes me cry.
The Bee Gees: New York Mining Disaster 1941
Elvis Presley’s ‘You were always on my mind’
I’m going to nominate two:
One, Got to Begin Again by Billy Joel.
And either Goodnight, Elisabeth or Raining In Baltimore by Counting Crows.
Goodnight Elisabeth:
To me, these are all about ultimate longing. And Raining In Baltimore reminds me of my dad, who died almost three years ago.
I have to second Art Garfunkel’s Bright Eyes– when I was little, I loved the Watership Down movie, which was quite macabre and heady for an animated talking-rabbit flick.
Also, I must nod to Cash’s interpretation of Hurt as well-- he sounds so…weary in it. Especially knowing that the single came out around the time June died (and not too long before his own death). Having an old, weathered voice singing it lends so much more personality and subtext than Trent Reznor’s slimy whisper.
At the top of my list would be “It Makes No Difference” by The Band, from Northern Lights-Southern Cross.
Lyle Lovett’s “She’s Already Made Up Her Mind” is up there as well.
I’ll second the nomination above of “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda”.
“Padraic My Prince” by Bright Eyes
“Kilkelly, Ireland” performed by whoever, it’s Rita and Mary Rankin to me
“I’m so Lonesome I could Cry” by Hank Williams
“The Cellar Song” by The Palace Brothers
“Black Dog” by Nick Drake
“Mr. Banker” by Lynyrd Skynyrd or “Four Walls of Raiford”
“Family Reserve” by Lyle Lovett or “Baltimore”
“Where the Wild Roses Grow” by Nick Cave
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot
“I am Stretched on your Grave” by Dead Can Dance
“The Foggy Dew” by anybody but mine is The Chieftains with Sinead O’Connor
“Starlight and Saxophone” by Tom Smith
“Marie” Townes Van Zandt
“The Fall of Troy” Tom Waits
“Red Water” by Type “O” Negative
Those are the saddest in my collection. My wife refuses to listen to a couple of them.
“Exit Music (From a Film)” by Radiohead is simply the most depressingly sad thing I have ever heard.