Song lyrics that tear your heart out, stomp on it, and leave it weeping in the dust.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
61

I dont wanna be the one
The one who’s always left behind
Will there ever come a day
When I can turn around and say
It’s alright now, it’s alright now yeah yeah
It’s alright now

I dont wanna be the one
The one who’s always left undone
Losing more and more and drained of everything
Falling down
I’ll go see through in the sun saying
It’s all right now, Its all right now yeah yeah
It’s alright now

Waiting, watching, resting ration for those who stay
Waving to those who walk away

I dont wanna be the one
SIGH
If I could only see it
If I could only feel it
Will there ever come a day?

~The Lucy Nation-Alright

62

cygnus said:

You are not alone, mate :wink:
I hear that too. What a great song - Knopfler even makes meowing cat-sounds with his guitar. Yes, “Love over Gold” is the best DS album.
[hi-hijack] Does your name refer to the Rush song? [/hi-hijack]
And finally, I’ve remembered another lyric that always hits me. Don’t really know why, but hearing it makes me drop into a state of total melancholy rightaway:

Marillion, Bitter Suite, off the Misplaced Childhood album (yeah, yeah. Kayleigh.). It’s a spoken intro to the song. Fish sure has a way woth words.

63

And because it is so damn beautiful, another passage later in the same Marrillion song.

OK, the guy is shagging a hooker. But have you EVER seen it put into words so elegantly? Again, pure melancholy strikes instantly.

sigh

64

Thanks all for the lyric posts.

Somebody mentioned the children’s song “Puff the Magic Dragon”. I had a friend in summer camp when we were fourteen who loved that song. Now, fourteen is a little old to be grooving to a small child’s song, so we teased Joe a little bit, but no, that was his favorite and so we sung it nearly every night around the campfire.

You can see the punchline coming. Joe died in a bizarre accident (he was sleeping in a hammock and ended up accidentally strangling himself) later that same summer. That silly song makes me cry every time: “Dragons live forever, but not so little boys…”. See, it’s happening now.
Springsteen has more than a few that make me miss my not-long-gone youth. I got to see him play two months ago and I’m glad I paid the price for those tickets.
Last night I was sorting out CD’s and went to play a Melissa Etheridge disc… when I noticed a couple saying an obviously affectionate and wrenching goodbye down by a jeep in the parking lot. I skipped to track three and turned the speaker to the open window to give them “Nowhere To Go” as a soundtrack.

And, strangely, “If We Never Meet Again”, by Tommy Conwell and the Young Rumblers.

65

Mr. Cynical, I think we may be soulmates.

Have you heard the one (I think it is by Colin Raye) about the dad telling his little boy that there are holes in the floor of heaven and something about his mom being able to see him and rain being her tears? I can’t recall the exact words, and don’t have the CD. It also might be by Steve Wariner, I am not trusting my memory at this point.

All your songs are especially tearjerking for me, also, and I nominated “The Dance” over in the favorite song thread.

I love Dolly!

Scotti

BTW, are you sure you chose the correct username?

66

anything about romance, women, breaking up, love, and all of the above right now. :frowning:
:sigh:

67
  • but it’s music-related, and so is a nice way to kick things off!
68

I remembered two more that make me sad:

“(I Can’t Help)Falling In Love With You,” Elvis, and “Love Me Tender” too.

Also, “Someone Else’s Story” from the musical CHESS, which is abslutely awesome:

Crack my heart! That song is so poignant, also from that musical is “I Know Him So Well,” the chorus goes:

I’m off on a crying jag now.

69

I believe the title is “Looking through the Eyes of Love”.

Someone I had a crush on college says she used to sing it in her church choir. It’s a beautiful song in it’s own right, but there are also positive associations re the crush in my mind.

No lyrics (at least, none that I’m aware of), but I believe that the theme to the Young and The Restless (“Nadia’s theme”?) is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written.

(I’d want these played at my wedding, but I’ve pretty much given up on the idea of getting married.)

70

Might I suggest something from the Counting Crows? Seems like I am often singing their praises here…

Anna Begins

My friend assures me, “It’s all or nothing.”
I am not worried I am not overly concerned
My friend implores me, “For one time only,
make an exception.” I am not worried
Wrap her up in a package of lies
Send her off to a coconut island
I am not worried I am not overly concerned with the status of my emotions
“Oh,” she says, “you’re changing.”
But we’re always changing

It does not bother me to say this isn’t love
Because if you don’t want to talk about it then it isn’t love
And I guess I’m going to have to live with that
But I’m sure there’s something in a shade of grey,
Something in between,
And I can always change my name
If that’s what you mean

My friend assures me, “It’s all or nothing.”
But I am not really worried I am not overly concerned
You try to tell yourself the things you try to tell yourself
To make yourself forget I am not worried
“If it’s love,” she said, “then we’re going to have to think about the consequences.”
She can’t stop shaking I can’t stop touching her and…

This time when kindness falls like rain
It washes her away and Anna begins to change her mind
“These seconds when I’m shaking leave me shuddering for days,” she says
And I’m not ready for this sort of thing

But I’m not going to break and I’m not going to worry about it anymore
I’m not going to bend, and I’m not going to break and I’m not going to worry about it anymore
It seems like I should say, “As long as this is love…”
But it’s not all that easy so maybe I should
Snap her up in a butterfly net Pin her down on a photograph album
I am not worried I’ve done this sort of thing before
But then I start to think about the consequences
Because I don’t get no sleep in a quiet room and…

The time when kindness falls like rain
It washes me away and Anna begins to change my mind
And everytime she sneezes I believe it’s love and
Oh lord, I’m not ready for this sort of thing

She’s talking in her sleep
It’s keeping me awake and Anna begins to toss and turn
And every word is nonsense but I understand and
Oh lord, I’m not ready for this sort of thing

Her kindness bangs a gong
It’s moving me along and Anna begins to fade away
It’s chasing me away She disappears and
Oh lord, I’m not ready for this sort of thing

71

Coldfire -

Thanks, Mate! You’re the first one to confirm that I don’t just have an overactive imagination inflamed by the powerful and thrilling musical roller-coaster that is that song. All those subtle little effects that give the album such a rich texture still cause me chills.

And yes, unsurprisingly, my name is respectfully borrowed from the ouvre of those three Canadian dudes. “Hemispheres” and “FTK” were the albums on which I made the band’s acquaintance, so to speak, and I still think they hold some of Neil’s best writing, as well as some very strong and creative musical work. I liked their experimentation with irregular time signatures and chord progressions particularly on these. (I was delighted when they played “La Villa Strangiato” on the TFE tour, something I didn’t expect to hear live.) “We will call you Cygnus, the god of balance you shall be.” Wow. That’s pretty powerful stuff, even on the umpteenth listen. Thanks for asking :smiley: I get an odd (though admittedly inexplicable) little kick out of knowing specifically that there’s a fan over there in the Netherlands - dumb, I know, since I’m sure there are lots of them, but it’s kind of like when you’re a kid and you get a foreign pen-pal and think, wow, this letter came all the way from Japan, written by this real person who lives in a completely different world, yet is still part of the big family.

On an utterly irrelevant note, SO bought a pair of clogs (real solid wooden soles, but with leather uppers) over the weekend, made (so the seller swore) live and in person before the very eyes of said seller while traveling in your country. I called him ClogBoy several times Sunday; do I owe you any royalties?

[sorry about the hijack]

And by the way, even without the music, I was very taken with the intense and evocative feel of your lovely and melancholy hooker song. Will have to look for it at the library.

72

Scotticher sez:

Oh I sure did! You haven’t seen me get irritated in chat yet :slight_smile:

And as for more melancholy songs, I now nominate the following: (I find country music to be full of tearjerkers)

What She’s Doing Now

Last time I saw her it was turnin’ colder,
But that was years ago.
Last I heard she had moved to Boulder,
But where she’s now, I don’t know.

But there’s somethin’ ‘bout this time of year,
That spins my head around,
Takes me back, makes me wonder,
What she’s doin’ now.

‘Cause what she’s doin’ now is tearin’ me apart,
Fillin’ up my mind and emptying my heart.
I can hear her call each time the cold wind blows,
And I wonder if she knows…what she’s doin’ now?

Just for laughs, I dialed her old number,
But no one knew her name.
Hung up the phone, sat there and wondered,
If she’d ever done the same.

I took a walk in the evenin’ wind,
To clear my head somehow.
But tonight I lie here thinkin’,
What’s she doin’ now?

‘Cause what she’s doin’ now is tearin’ me apart,
Fillin’ up my mind and emptying my heart.
I can hear her call each time the cold wind blows,
And I wonder if she knows…what she’s doin’ now?

  • Garth Brooks again

The Absolute Most Depressing Song Ever
Dear God

Dear God,
Hope you got the letter, and…
I pray you can make it better down here.
I don’t mean a big reduction in the price of beer.
But all the people that you made in your image,
See them starving on their feet,
'Cause they don’t get enough to eat from God.

I can’t believe in you.

Dear God, sorry to disturb you, but…
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear.
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears.
And all the people that you made in your image,
See them fighting in the street,
'Cause they can’t make opinions meet about God.

I can’t believe in you.

Did you make disease?
And the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind?
After we made you?

And The Devil too!

Dear God, don’t know if you noticed, but…
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book.
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look.
And all the people that you made in your image,
Still believing that junk is true.
Well I know it ain’t, and so do you, Dear God.

I can’t believe in…

I don’t believe in…

I won’t believe in heaven and hell
No saints, no sinners,
No Devil as well.

No pearly gates,
No thorny crown.
You’re always letting us humans down!

The wars you bring,
The babes you drown,
Those lost at sea and never found,

And it’s the same the whole world 'round.
The hurt I see helps to compound,

That Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody’s unholy hoax.

And if you’re up there you’d perceive
That my heart’s here upon my sleeve.

If there’s one thing I don’t believe in
It’s you…

Dear God.

  • XTC
73

Oh, OK. We’re allowed to post horribly depressing stuff too now! Brace yourselves kids. It’s Roger Waters time.

Here you go kids. Ropes on the left, handguns and pills on the right. Let’s end it now :wink:

For the rock-illiterates: Pink Floyd, Mother, from the album The Wall. This MUST be one of the most disturbing and depressive lyrics ever written.
Cygnus: great to see a fellow Rush fan!
(Waiting for Wally to pop in with the obligatory Rush-nashing post, and also waiting for Falcon to smack his ass :wink: )
From your post I gather you’re actually female. I apologise for calling you mate, lassie :stuck_out_tongue:
Don’t worry about the royalties. I lost so many lawsuits already, you’re free to use the term “Clog Boy” at your own discretion.

74

For my fiancé, DRY…

Please don’t let this feeling end
It’s everything I am
Everything I want to be
I can see what’s mine now
Finding out what’s true
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

Now I can take the time
I can see my life
As it comes up shining now
Reaching out to touch you
I can feel so much
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love

And now I do believe
That even in the storm we’ll find some light
Knowing you’re beside me, I’m alright.

Please don’t let this feeling end
It might not come again
And I want to remember
How it feels to touch you
How I feel so much
Since I found you
Looking through the eyes of love.

75

I’m sitting here at work rather misty eyed from this, dammit, grown men don’t snivel at their computers. :slight_smile:

Amazing Grace always gives me shivers (even when its not played on the 'pipes), and is used at every funeral in my family…
including my mother’s… who used to sing Puff the Magic Dragon to me as a kid…

But dropzone, the lyrics to And The Band Played "Waltzing Matilda really finished me off… snivel whimper.

PS: Coldfire, if you think The Wall is depressing what’s your thoughts on The Final Cut?

My favourite:

THE GUNNER’S DREAM

floating down through the clouds
memories come rushing up to meet me now
in the space between the heavens
and in the corner of some foreign field
i had a dream
i had a dream
goodbye max
goodbye ma
after the service when you’re walking slowly to the car
and the silver in her hair shines in the cold november air
you hear the tolling bell
and touch the silk in your lapel
and as the tear drops rise to meet the comfort of the band
you take her frail hand
and hold on to the dream

a place to stay
enough to eat
somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street
where you can speak out loud
about your doubts and fears
and what’s more no-one ever disappears
you never hear their standard issue kicking in your door
you can relax on both sides of the tracks
and maniacs don’t blow holes in bandsmen by remote control
and everyone has recourse to the law
and no-one kills the children anymore
and no-one kills the children anymore

night after night
going round and round my brain
his dream is driving me insane
in the corner of some foreign field
the gunner sleeps tonight
what’s done is done
we cannot just write off his final scene
take heed of the dream
take heed…

76

I hear voices, one voice in particular,
comes into my mind perpendicular,
rectangular, eesss uhh strangular,
He’s like some kinda mental fuckin mangular. I dunno…

He tells me to punch Esham and Shaggz,
so I punch em, I even call Twiztid fags.
They get mad and slap me and smear my make-up,
I’ve named this evil voice named him Jacob.

Jacob’s tells me “Climb the ladder, and jump off,
head-first on the street, don’t worry, it’s soft!”
So I jump, thump. I’m on a gurney,
Jacob laughs at me “You’re so fuckin nerdy!”

Fuck him, I hate him, I can’t escape him!
I finally get alone, he calls me on the telephone.
“Is Violent J there?” Here. “Hey! It’s Jacob, I want you to piss in your underwear! OK bud?”

Sure, I’m pissin now, it fuckin tickles,
Jacob’s dissin again I can hear his giggles.
There’s more, but I gotta go.

Peas.

77

This song came out right after my father passed away, and I only got to know him for about 8 months due to his choosing alcohol and drugs over me growing up and me choosing not to talk to him until the last 8 months of his life. I always pictured him singing this to me on his deathbed. Makes me cry every time.

**The Last Song **
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Bernie Taupin

Yesterday you came to lift me up
As light as straw and brittle as a bird
Today I weigh less than a shadow on the wall
Just one more whisper of a voice unheard

Tomorrow leave the windows open
As fear grows please hold me in your arms
Won’t you help me if you can to shake this anger
I need your gentle hands to keep me calm

`Cause I never thought I’d lose
I only thought I’d win
I never dreamed I’d feel
This fire beneath my skin
I can’t believe you love me
I never thought you’d come
I guess I misjudged love
Between a father and his son

Things we never said come together
The hidden truth no longer haunting me
Tonight we touched on the things that were never spoken
That kind of understanding sets me free

78

most likely these lyrics will never be read by the dopers, so i fear not posting them:

“You’re an empty promise.
You’re an easy chair.
You’re the gods’ forces struck down somewhere.
you’re a secret noticed.
You’re a mystery sky.
You’re a wish floated up to the night…
Medellia of my eyes,
You’re the emptiness of I,
You’re the reason that I write.
If you say you will,
I would love you still…
And if I could,
I’d throw away this world.
I’d dress you all in pearls.
I’d giv you what you wanted.
You’re all I notice
In a crowded room.
You’re vacant motives unmoved, revealed.”
[there’s more, and half the emotion is in the presentation, of course, but that’s all I care to say now]

 "Medellia of the Gray Skies", Smashing Pumpkins

God I’m going to miss you, Billy.

79

Maybe it was just Janis’ immersion into the song. This is the “Cheap Thrills” one, but the one she sang at the Monterey Pop Festival was even more heartbreaking. I wanted to grab her and hug her and tell her it was going to be alright. Being backed by the greatest bar band of all time didn’t hurt.

Ball and Chain
by Willie Mae Thornton a.k.a. Big Mama Thornton

Sittin’ down by my window, just lookin’ out at the rain, at the rain
I said I’m sittin’ down by my window, just lookin’ out at the rain
You know somethin’ came along, grabbed a hold of me, felt just like a ball and chain

And I say, oh, oh, oh, hon’, why does every thing go wrong? It all goes wrong
And I say, oh, now tell me why, does every thing go wrong, all wrong
Say, here you gone today, an’ I wanted to love you, for so long

Love’s got a hold on me, baby, feels just like a ball and chain, hmm hmm hmm
Oh, love’s got a hold on me, baby, feels just like a ball and chain
And I don’t know why the man I’m lovin’, wanna leave me in so much pain

And I say, oh oh oh, hon’, tell me why, tell me why, tell me why, oh tell me why, why, why
And I say, oh, honey why, why, oh why, tell me why, I thought our love would last
Honey, gonna last, last, till the day I die

And I say oh, whoa, whoa, hon’, it ain’t fair, it ain’t fair what you can do, what you can do, Lord
And I say oh whoa, Lord, it ain’t fair, it ain’t fair what you can do, Lord, you can do
Oh suddenly you broke my heart, oh when I was givin’ my love to you

Sittin’ down by my window, just lookin’ out at the rain
I said I’m sittin’ down by my window, just lookin’ out at the rain
Somethin’ came along, grabbed a hold of me, felt just like a ball and chain

And I say oh, hon this can’t be, this can’t be all in vain, no, no, no
And I say whoa, whoa, this can’t be, honey, it can’t be all in vain
Hope there is someone that could tell me, hon’, tell me why love is like a ball and chain

80

lover lay down, dave matthews band

spring sweet rhythm dance in my head
slip into my lover’s hands
kiss me won’t you kiss me now
and sleep i would inside your mouth
don’t be us too shy
knowing it’s no big surprise
that i will wait for you
i will wait for no one but you

oh please lover lay down
spend this time with me
together share this smile
lover lay down
spend this time with me

walk with me, walk with you
hold my hands your hands
so much we have dreamed
and we were so much younger
hard to explain that we are stronger

a million reasons life to deny
let’s toss them away
see you and me we
lay down look see
she and he
by my lover’s side
together share this smile
lover lay down
oh please oh please
please lover lay down
oh please lover lay down
and you weep lover lay down
cause it’s over lover lay down
say love, say love, say love, say love, say love
could i love you
could you love me
darling it’s all the same
'til we dance away
chasing me all around
leading me all around
leading me all around in circles

say…