Have a song that makes you sad whenever you hear it? Makes you almost cry? Makes you want to get up and dance no matter where you are/what your doing? What is it?
For some reason, the same song that does it for me does for my wife as well. I never knew what it was called until recently. Its called Suo Gan, its a Welsh lullaby. It used to (and still does) choke me up whenever I hear it.
“How Do I Live” by LeAnn Rimes. My best friend sang it to me while I was in the hospital after a really messy suicide attempt, replacing the word “baby” with “Sarah” (my name). Pretty cheesy, I know, but I loved her for it. She died in April of 2000, and the song ALWAYS makes me cry. Hell, thinking about the song makes me cry.
“How do I live without you? I want to know… How do I breathe without you, if you ever go?”
Her 19th birthday was on the 26th of this month, and I sang that next to her grave. I did last year, too. And last April, on the “anniversary” of her death. I will this April, too. I can’t get past the first few lines without choking up, but I slowly make it through the whole song.
Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.
While I lived in Tampa a friend of mine, who then lived in Jacksonville, was able to get tickets for the upcoming Pink Floyd concert. He was always a bit irresponsible and never reliable, so when he didn’t show up the afternoon of the concert, I waited, getting drunker and drunker. Finally a friend gave me a ride home. I cursed him the whole way home for “f&cking up” another evening. Figured he had met a girl.
He had, the night before, and got hit by a jeep giving her a ride home. He died instantly. That next morning when I found out, it was a cold gray fall day in Tampa…
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skys from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
[sub]It’s been about 15 years, I still miss him terribly[/sub]
“Piano Man” by Billy Joel. It’s a special song I shared with a special friend. I cry every time I hear it.
“Living Years” by Mike & The Mechanics.
It reminds me of when my father-in-law died and my son was just born. It gets to me every time I hear it.
“What’s the Matter Here?” by 10,000 Maniacs. The song is about child abuse, and though I wasn’t abused, the lyrics are so powerful, I can’t sing along without crying.
“Imagine” by John Lennon. Very personal for me.
“Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison. This song came on the radio during a road trip with my first real girlfriend (IYKWIM) back in high school. I started singing along with it to her. It sort of became our song. I still can’t help but sing along when I hear it and it always reminds me of when I was younger and had no worries.
I know this sounds really hokey, but every time I hear the Star Spangled Banner sung by a bunch of people (solos don’t do it) I tear up, always have.
Twist of Cain on Danzig I. Hail Eris do I love that song.
I’m like one of Pavlov’s freaking dogs when I hear James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain.” Rationally, I know it’s a fairly smarmy song, but whenever I hear it, I get so choked up and usually can’t help starting the waterworks.
Sheesh, some Musak version of it was being played at my grocery store, and I had to leave, lest I break down the salad dressing aisle.
I started crying once when I was walking to work, and passed a car that was playing it on the radio. I’m starting to tear up while writing this post.
When people in my office were laughing at that recent list of ClearChannel songs on the “do not play” list of suggestions, I thought to myself “well thank the LORD that someone finally did something about that Fire and Rain monstrosity, so I can live my life like a normal human being, and not spend my days like a soggy limp Kleenex.”
On a more positive note, whenever I hear the Bowie/Mercury song “Under Pressure,” I instantly become an amazingly slinky hipster chick. Simply hearing that song turns me into the coolest person on the planet. Whatever I’m wearing looks better, men race to buy me cocktails, and small household animals worship me for the Goddess of Fab that I am.
“The House At Pooh Corner” by Kenny Loggins. I sing along, and I choke up on the line I swear that old bear whispered, ‘Boy, welcome home’. I look at my daughter (who’s usually rolling her eyes by this verse) and I lose it.
“He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”, by the Hollies. Heard the Father Flanagan story when I was a little kid, and never got over the image.
I’ll think of more; I tend to tear up a lot.
Unchained Melody whether done by The Righteous Brothers or LeAnn Rimes.
Taxi by Harry Chapin.
Piano Man by Billy Joel.
The First Time(Ever I Saw Your Face) by Roberta Flack.
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Also…
Lilly, Rosemary, and The Jack of Hearts by Bob Dylan
Get It While You Can,
Cry Baby,
Try,
Piece Of My Heart all by Janis Joplin
Somebody To Love by Jefferson Airplane
Tears Of A Clown by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
…now I’m getting all chill-bumpy, choked-up, and broodily nostalgic…
“Fire and Rain”, IIRC was written about a friend of his who committed suicide. I think its a great song. It gets to me too. So it was put on a do not play list? Whats up with that?
And Vanilla Ice wrote that other song didn’t he? Just kidding.
Se me olvido otra vez by Mana
Without hijacking this thread too much, “Fire and Rain” appeared on a recent list of songs that radio stations might opt to avoid following the WTC/Pentagon attacks, in that they might be too morbid for the listeners. There’s a few threads kicking around here about that list, or you can also get the story over at http://www.snopes.com
When I applauded its inclusion on the list, I was kidding around, because I instated a personal “Fire and Rain” kibosh for myself if I’m going to be in public and wearing mascara.
Karen Carpenter. I just loved her. Whenever I hear her voice…but especially:
We’ve Only Just Begun
Superstar
Yesterday Once More
Hurting Each Other
Don’t just pick sad songs here people. If something always makes you smile or picks up your mood post it too. 
Although for some reason it always seems to be the sad ones you remember, isn’t it?
Songs that make me get up and dance, even if I’m trying to study:
Bedouin Music of Abou Horba / Et Son Ensemble
Blue Monday by New Order
Tainted Love by Soft Cell
Anything off the album Up Evil by Front 242
Ei Yaani by Amr Diab
Almost anything by Hossam Ramsey
Abadou by Zap Mama
Songs that put me in a martial mood:
Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner
1812 Overature by Tchaikovsky
The Grand March from Aida by Verdi
Bolero orchestrated by Ravel
Cat Scratch Fever by Ted Nugent
Smothered Hope by Skinny Puppy
Butterfly Wings by Machines of Loving Grace
Songs that I find soothing in a sad way:
Columbus Stockade by Doc Watson
Lonesome Moonlight Waltz by Bill Monroe
Eli, Eli Traditional Hebrew
Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult
Love Will Tear Us Apart by the Swans
The Whole World 'Round by the Dillards
Songs that pep me up no matter what my mood:
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy as covered by The Revolting Cocks
Old Man At The Mill by The Dillards
Underdog Theme Song as covered by the Butthole Surfers
Godzilla by Blue Oyster Cult
Every Humble Knee Must Bow by the Nashville Bluegrass Band**
Ok, I’m sure I can find more if I actually go through all my music but these are the prominent ones.
“Stuck in a Moment That You Can’t Get Out Of” by U2
“The Space Between” by Dave Matthews Band