Top 10 Sad Songs
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Let’s get one thing straight: I’m a man. A tough-as-nails manly man who lifts weights and watches Sportcenter and kills spiders with my bare hands – unless, of course, I’ve just gotten my nails done. And I am secure enough in my manhood to publicly acknowledge that the following songs can make me sob like a jilted prom queen (but, you know, a manly prom queen). What other songs would you add to this list?
Way to Blue (Nick Drake)
“Have you seen the land living by the breeze?”
English acoustic brooder Nick Drake lived the kind of short, sad life that seemed designed to produce tear-jerking anthems, and Way to Blue brings on the waterworks like no other in his tragically slim body of work. With a less gifted singer at the helm, the results would have been a strings-laden sap-fest, tailor-made for early 70’s am pop; Drake takes us on a deeper journey – one that doesn’t spare us the scenic route of his broken soul.
Mother (John Lennon)
“I needed you. You didn’t need me.”
When the Fab Four parted ways at the close of sixties, the band’s chief frienemies John Lennon and Paul McCartney both saw their divorce as a liberation, a chance to pursue their true artistic callings. For The Cute Beatle this meant finding a home atop Billboard’s charts with a fun but forgettable series of silly love songs. Meanwhile The Smart Beatle sought a nobler path and created some of the most earnest, achingly humorless songs ever put to wax. I guess it’s true that the children (in this case, fans) suffer the most in divorce.
Still Lennon’s solo library is not without a few gems. Mother is not the feel-good hit of the summer, but good luck keeping the eyes dry during this searing ode to parental abandonment.
Angel of Harlem (U2)
“Lady Day got diamond eyes; she sees the truth behind the lies.”
Yes kids, before U2 became a bloated, self-important arena rock machine, they could deliver heartfelt, personal tunes, like this love letter to the legendary Billy Holiday.
Redemption Song (Bob Marley)
“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds.”
So powerful is the spell that Marley casts with this song of freedom that even his amusingly Jamaican syntax (”Old pirates, yes, they rob I; Sold I to the merchant ships”)
can’t distract us. Give I a hanky, mon. Me wants to cry.
Autumn in New York (Billie Holiday)
“So on this gray and melancholy day, I’ll move to a Manhattan hotel.”
Penned and recorded a half century prior to the nightmarish events of September 11th, Lady Day’s touching torch song was obviously not intended as an homage to the darkest Autumn day in New York’s history, but tell that to my (manly) tear ducts.
Card Cheat (The Clash)
With a card up his sleeve, what would he achieve?”
Is Mick Jones singing about an actual down-on-his-luck gambler or is there a surprisingly sophisticated metaphor at work here? You be the judge, while I get the kleenex… uh, yeah, there’s something in my eye, that’s all…
Already Dead (Beck)
“Days turn to sand, losing strength in every hand.”
This obscure cut from Sea Change (aka The ‘Beck Gets Sad’ album) best embodies its author’s efforts to escape the world of irony-driven dance pop. The broken-hearted Beck doesn’t just confront the grim reaper’s sullen stare; he’s already surrendered to it.
She Wanted to Leave (Ween)
“I couldn’t believe… she wanted to leave.”
This unapologetically dorky novelty band — best known for such cannabis-fueled tunes as ‘Touch my Tooter’ and ‘Push th’ little Daisies’ – are fairly unlikely candidates to contribute to this list of tear duct openers. Add to that the awkward fact that ‘She wanted to leave’ is about a pirate having his long-time captive stolen from him and you’d be right to question my sanity for including it. But who knows, maybe this tale of kidnapping on the high seas is really just a metaphor for the enslavement of the human spirit and the unleashing of –
Oh, who am I kidding? It’s just a sad song about pirates.
Everyone Says Hi (David Bowie)
“Don’t stay in a sad place where they don’t care how you are.”
What could be more truly heartrending than a cordially phrased open letter to a recently relocated friend, complete with obligatory greetings from all those left behind –especially when the letter’s unspoken subtext is something closer to please, please come back.
Big John Shaft (Belle and Sebastian)
“I won’t play another heavyweight; I won’t play another big John Shaft.”
Yes, it’s a song about that Shaft – the black private dick who’s a sex machine all the chicks. Well, kind of. It’s really a tale of a burned out actor fed up with being typecast as – among other things – a cat who won’t cop out when there’s danger all about (right on!).
I’ll never watch Superfly the same way again.
Written by Copper Smith
Related top 10 lists
Ok, so I know if you open this list up to country songs it would be a Top 100 list(and Im really not a huge fan of country music). However, there is a country song that makes me sob every time I hear it. Its called “Streets of Heaven” by Sherrie Austin. Anyone with kids would definitely understand.
man…no offense, but non of those are nearly sad enough…they don’t touch me….
my top whatever:
David Bowie and M.J. Keenan-bring me the disco king
NIN-great below, hurt, something i can never have, right where it belongs….
the cure-lost…..
joy division-she’s lost control…
korn-alone i brake…
moby-extreme ways, natural blues…
placebo-twenty years…
radiohead-paranoid android, creep…
slipknot- they are so deranged of sadness-scissors…
staind-outside….
and instrumental-clint mansell- requiem for a dream soundtrack, together we will live forever, the last man….
tired of writing….get the picture??
You’re missing one of the saddest songs of all time, Last Kiss by Pearl Jam. I cry BUCKETS all the time. It’s sooooooo sad!
OMG the song last kiss by pearl jam made me cry after i listened to it and read the lyrics
Even though it’s from a cartoon (Toy Story 2), everytime I hear Sarah McLachlan sing “When Somebody Loves You” makes me misty-eyed. “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton makes me sad too, especially after finding out why he wrote/sang it.
Every time I hear Martina McBride’s Concrete Angel I just… If you listen to it you’ll understand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLwwy-g2wkc
omg i say this video and thought man this should be the song for people against abusing children i am only a teenager and have been abused and i thank god it wasnt horrible and i got out of it
Very surprised the Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes” didn’t make the list. Isn’t that the ultimate sad song?
A second for Tears in Heaven and Last Kiss. I don’t think it gets much sadder than those.
No Leonard Cohen? No Smiths or even solo Morrisey? No Sullivan Street by Counting Crows? I, as a former music journalist, declare this list horribly flawed and thus, null and void.
a list like this isnt complete without elliott smith
when Wes Anderson needed a song to play during an attempted suicide he knew where to turn to
and my favourite
soaked pillow
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4cJv6s_Yjw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pyBB7y8fDU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0YrIPvWC0A
I hate sad song.. I don’t want to be sad..
Come discuss it in the Forum http://www.toptenz.net/forum/
The thing with music is that its very subjective. One mans tale of woe is another mans huge belly laugh. I doubt you could get two people in a room full to agree on exactly the same 10 songs!
what about chrismas shoes? thats so sad. and theres this 9/11 song sung by a little girl who lost her father and she said she will always leave the hall light on until he returns i dont remember what its called but its so sad..
‘Vincent’ by Don McLean gets me everytime. That, to me, is the saddest, most heart wrenching song ever written.
Robyn…I don’t know what the 9/11 song is either, but I know what you’re talking about….first time I heard it….I balled like a baby!!!!!!!!!
The 9/11 song is called “Heaven 9/11″ by DJ Sammy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjZaTDp2PNo
Thanks to ZenLogan and is video review of this list.
Ditto to Tears In Heaven. The song that personally makes me cry is Let Her Cry by Hootie and the Blowfish
And there’s a song by Josh Woodward, a little known artist, called I’ll Be Right Behind You Josephine which I think is about a guy watching his best friend die and always makes me feel desperately sad. Just one line in it, “And Jesus Christ if you tore my heart out, the only thing I’d feel is less alone”
you forgot one of the sadist songs ever Whisky Lullaby.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYub1neLZmA
river by the boss himself mr bruce springsteen makes me tear up every time i listen to it
i listen to soul and R&B so the song that makes me tear up are “A million miless away” by rihanna and “Crush” by rosetta* (or something like that)
there’s “I will always love you”, by Whitney Houston or Dolly Parton (i think Dolly’s has more emotion), “Without you”, “Breakdown” and “We belong together”, by Mariah Carey, “Tears in heaven” by Eric Clapton, “The winner takes it all” by ABBA, “Nothing compares to you” by Sinead o’connor or Prince…
i think the saddest song is love in this club by usher… and moving mountains
Last kiss is not originally by pearl jam. They get credit for a song they stole.
“All I Ask” by Personality Disorder (Formerly Autopsy)
“But God won’t give you to me, when that’s all I’ve asked him for” is pretty sad to me.
http://www.myspace.com/personalitydisorder
Can I just add two more?
Mad World by Gary Jules, and Your Ex Lover is Dead by Star.
Also, Creep by Radiohead.
I think you should have included the song “One” by Metallica. It a sac song about a war injured man how lost his sight, his hearing, his legs and arms and his speech. he is breathing through a tube and longs either to die or to be in a freak show the show the horrors of war. the problem is he cannot communicate with anyone. it is the most sad song i have ever heard because i takes about a true story.
What about “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton. One of the saddest songs about a Father losing his son as a small child.
Another Auld Lang Syne…Dan Fogelburg
Little Rosa…Red Sovine
My Beautiful Heavenly Eyes…Everly Brothers
Indian Lament…Elton John
Everybody Hurts…REM
that song about 9/11 is called heaven dj sammy remix
that girl lost her father in 9/11 and i cry every time
yeah nico I think dj sammy’s heaven remix should be on as well as tears in heaven, Everybody hurts by REM and i don’t want to miss a thing by aerosmith.
the 911 heaven remix makes me bawl my eyes out.
And Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap. Oh my god that’s a good one.
And With Me by Sum 41.
I remember watching the Irish Tenors sing Only Our River Runs Free with tears rolling down my face.
My top 10.
1. “Alyssa Lies”- Jason Michael Carroll.
2. “Angel” – Sarah McLachlan.
3. “Concrete Angel”- Martina McBride.
4. “Sissy’s Song” -Alan Jackson.
5. “Heaven”- Bryan Adams.
6. “He Stopped Loving Her Today”- George Jones.
7. “If Tomorrow Never Comes”- Garth Brooks.
8. “Address in the Stars”- Caitlin & Will.
9. “Tears in Heaven” -Eric Clapton.
10.”Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”- Alan Jackson.
The saddest song I’ve ever was “The Freshman” by The Verve Pipe
samson anyone?
All interesting, and I’m sure heartfelt, suggestions. IMHO, the saddest songs are:
10. Help Me Make It Through the Night (Kris Kristofferson original)
9. Binary Sunrise (Orchestral instrumental, Star Wars IV: A New Hope Original Soundtrack aka Luke Skywalker gazing wistfully into the setting twin suns on Tattooine)
8. Where Time Stands Still (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
7. Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell original)
6. A Little Fall of Rain (Eponine and Marius in Les Miserables)
5. The Winner Takes It All (ABBA)
4. Separate Ways (Elvis)
3. Send In the Clowns (Stephen Sondheim songwriter)
2. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (Hank Williams, Jr. original)
1. For the Good Times (Kris Kristofferson original)
My list would be:
10. Never Say Never – The Fray
9. Permanent – David Cook
8. Glitter in the Air – P!nk
7. Hello – Evanescence
6. Iris – The Goo Goo Dolls
5. Mad World – Tears for Fears
4. Good Riddance – Green Day
3. Sober – Kelly Clarkson
2. Perfect – Simple Plan
1. Wake Me Up When September Ends – Green Day
woah. 8 of these are in my itunes.
Honey by Bobby Goldsboro
My list
1.I can’t make you love me- Bonnie Raitt
2. Wrapped around your finger- The Police
3. Careless whisper- George Michael
4. Time after time- Cyndi Lauper
5. What’s Love Got to do with it?- Tina Turner.
why has no one mentioned Hallelujah, best version by buckly…. you should all be ashamed for not including it
I’m not really into country myself but the song “Easy Come Easy Go” by Hayes Carll is truly sad. Really make you think about miss opportunities in your life.
“Diamonds and rust”- Joan Beaz