# Survey: Songs that make you sad but you don't know why **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 12, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228 "2008-01-12T02:17:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![uncle\_squeegee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5e925/32.png) [@uncle\_squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uncle_squeegee)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/1 "2008-01-12T02:17:33Z")
“Four Strong Winds” (the Neil Young and Johnny Cash versions). I only started paying attention to this song recently, but once I did, boyohboy. I always get a little choked up. I don’t know why. I’ve never been to Alberta. I haven’t suffered too greatly in the life the way the narrator has. Why it hits me so hard (other than it just being a great song) I don’t know. What songs do this to you? ---
**Author:** ![Pixilated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pixilated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixilated)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/2 "2008-01-12T02:53:38Z")
Hollow - Godsmack I Love You - Sarah McLachlan The Bonny Light Horseman - Cherish the Ladies Those are the only 2 off the top of my head ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/3 "2008-01-12T03:00:07Z")
The Rare Auld Times – version by Flogging Molly. – Never been to Dublin – I’m not too much nostalgic for any city. – Neither too nostalgic for old tradesmen. But I guess any poignant Irish music makes me a bit weepy. I think the singing style of weepy Irish ballads influenced power pop/new wave whiny songs and through that emo. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/4 "2008-01-12T03:21:22Z")
Damn you, **uncle squeegee**. I just got choked up thinking about “Four Strong Winds.” I have a King’s Singers CD of British folk songs, and their arrangement of “Down by the Sally Gardens” also does it for me. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/5 "2008-01-12T04:18:31Z")
Damn. “Four Strong Winds” is one difficult song to sing along to and not get choked up, and you’re right: for what reason? I know a lot of songs that do choke me up, but the reason is apparent. The only other one that I can think of that fits the OP is “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen. Both songs written by Canadians. Maybe there’s a trend… ---
**Author:** ![Harry1945](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Harry1945](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harry1945)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/6 "2008-01-12T04:22:05Z")
John Stewart’s “Mother Country,” and I’ve been listening to it for 35 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/7 "2008-01-12T05:29:30Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/8 "2008-01-12T05:34:28Z")
Another vote for “Hallelujah.” Also “Eli the Barrow Boy” by the Decemberists, even though I don’t know anyone who dresses in corduroy and pushes a wheelbarrow for a living. ---
**Author:** ![beanpod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9adbd/32.png) [@beanpod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beanpod)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/9 "2008-01-12T07:52:42Z")
Fields of Gold - Eva Cassidy or Sting (I prefer the Sting cover, myself. Perfect song when you just need a good cry.) ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/10 "2008-01-12T08:06:57Z")
“Russians” by Sting. Maybe it’s a downbeat song, but I don’t know why it makes me just as sad as it does. I think I was influenced by the [video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rk78eCIx4E&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/11 "2008-01-12T16:10:23Z")
[A Change Gone’ Come](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRkh5oQl40k) by **Sam Cooke** is very moving. And yet, I was not born by the river in a little tent, nor have I faced racism. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/12 "2008-01-12T16:22:06Z")
“Solitude” by VNV Nation. It’s not really a slow song, it’s got a bit of a dance beat. It’s a remix of a song called “Solitary”, which doesn’t sound sad to me, and shares most of the lyrics. But that version just has a string line and vocal delivery that sounds sad to me. Clips of both tracks are available [here](http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:avfixqukldfe) (see the “Signals Edit” version of Solitary as a decent representation of that song). ---
**Author:** ![Pixilated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aeb1de/32.png) [@Pixilated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixilated)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/13 "2008-01-12T16:53:24Z")
[QUOTE=Pixilated] Hollow - Godsmack I Love You - Sarah McLachlan The Bonny Light Horseman - Cherish the Ladies Those are the only 2 off the top of my head [/QUOTE] erg… I just realized I had a lapse in my ability to count. That would be 3 songs… There are several Irish ballads that will make me choke up… Where are You Tonight (I Wonder) is one in particular. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/14 "2008-01-12T18:15:23Z")
[QUOTE=beanpod] Fields of Gold - Eva Cassidy or Sting (I prefer the Sting cover, myself.) [/QUOTE] Sting’s version is the original, not a cover. I usually know why a song makes me cry (Sting’s _Fragile_, Pogues’ _Band Played Waltzing Matilda_ cover, many others), but I have no clue why Fleetwood Mac’s\* Go Your Own Way\* makes me a little sad - lyrically, there’s no reason. ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/15 "2008-01-12T18:41:59Z")
Almost every kinda slow blues-y tune with a bit of a twang makes me somewhat sad, regardless of lyrical content. There’s just something about such music that always makes me think of wasted lives and unfulfilled dreams. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/16 "2008-01-12T18:52:51Z")
“Always on my Mind” No Matter who sings it What Mr Dibble said about “Waltzing Matilda” ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/17 "2008-01-12T19:35:00Z")
[QUOTE=chowder] “Always on my Mind” No Matter who sings it [/QUOTE] Even the [Pet Shop Boys](http://www.amazon.com/Discography-Collection-Pet-Shop-Boys/dp/B000002UZ4/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1200166407&sr=8-2)? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![yoyodyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a9a28c/32.png) [@yoyodyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yoyodyne)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/18 "2008-01-12T21:53:51Z")
Chevy Van - Sammy Johns No clue as to why. ---
**Author:** ![WoodenTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/45deac/32.png) [@WoodenTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WoodenTaco)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/19 "2008-01-12T22:16:51Z")
Mother Nature’s Son by the Beatles Yellow by Coldplay Desolation Row by Robert Allen Zimmerman. The first two were the first songs I heard after particularly sad times - leaving a group of friends and knowing I’d never see them again in one case, and learning about the suicide of a friend in the other. Desolation Row? Who knows. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2008, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228/20 "2008-01-12T23:52:29Z")
‘Hello in there’ John Prine [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/TSufO2FlpAQ/hqdefault.jpg "Hello in There.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSufO2FlpAQ) ‘Angel’ Sarah McLachlan [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDkcJ-62uuY) We in the UK didn’t get exposed to this with the SPCA advert, in fact not many folk here know it, so we aren’t overexposed. ‘A rainy night in Georgia’ Brook Benton [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XFjEqP8zpA) ‘Who Knows where the time goes’ Sandy Denny [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xag3vLtsO-k) ‘Hurt’ - Johnny Cash [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go) You can argue about the Nine Inch Nails original version, but its clear both vocalists had their own life experiences to draw on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survey-songs-that-make-you-sad-but-you-dont-know-why/433228.md?page=2)