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what is the saddest song you know?


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Cataracts is a nice pick: "When our mouths are filled with the uninvited tongues of others / and the strays are pining for their unrequited mothers / Milk that sours is promptly spat, light will fill our eyes like cats"

 

Yeah when it really picks up after the whistling solo, and he sings with such enthusiasm. It gets me every time.

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When Tweedy performs "Black Eye" solo it can be quite hard to keep tears away sometime, it's truly stirring. Out of the Wilco catalog Radio Cure and Ashes of American Flags take the front runner position. I'm also quietly amazed at how effective Tweedy's Jandek cover turned out, called "Crack a Smile".

 

Some songs I like have been mentioned already, Pearl Jam's Black, Aimee Mann's Wise Up, Beck's Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime, Dylan's If You See Her Say Hello, but for some reason, it's not even that slow of a melody, Pearl Jam's Last Kiss really stands out as one of the saddest songs ever. Am I weird like that or is it the song that has a weird effect on more people than just lil' old me?

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Thanks to M.Chris for that gorgeous video of The Band doing "It Makes No Difference". I was getting teary-eyed just listening. Danko's vocals are so achingly perfect in that.

 

Good luck finding it, but Mickey Jupp's "City" has always choked me up. A guy leaving, and the girl can't come. Classic sad.

 

 

"Will you write, if I send a letter?

Every night

Think of me every night

Or better still,

come with me to where I'm going

I'd like to have you along..."

 

 

Simply stated and such wistful loss about it!

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Three mentioned I agree with completely:

 

The Band - It Makes No Difference

 

Possibly one of the saddest songs ever written. Danko's vocals from the Last Waltz make it hard not to get a little teary.

 

Neil Young - Only A Dream

 

Definitely the highlight of that album.

 

Robbie Robertson - Fallen Angel

 

Robertson is master songwriter, there is little more else to say.

 

My contributions would be:

 

The Temptations - Since I Lost My Baby

Wilco - On and On and On

Billy Bragg and Wilco - Another Man's Done Gone

 

and for my change up...

 

Sham-A-Ling-Dong-Ding by Jesse Winchester

 

Oddly enough a songwriter discovered by Robbie Robertson in the late 60's, he came out with this new album quietly, although he appeared on Elvis Costello's Spectacle with Neko Case, and Sheryl Crow and played this song and it floored the audience and Neko, who shed a tear as he played. It's beautiful and makes you long for a time you may have never even knew. It's how love should feel. It's beautiful. If no one has heard it (and a torrent is hard to find) feel free to contact me. It's just unbelievable.

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Wow there are so many grate ones listed already. Sorry if some of these are repeats.

 

He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones

Sing Me Back Home - Merle Haggard

Opening Farewell - Bonnie Raitt's version

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Your Cheatin' Heart - Hank Williams

Love T.K.O. - Teddy Pendergrass

My Mom - Chocolate Genius

Whiskey Lullaby - Brad Paisley (with Alison Krauss)

How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? - Al Green

In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning - Frank Sinatra

Killing Me Softly With His Song - Roberta Flack

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A couple of good Drive-By Truckers songs listed above, but I'd include "Little Bonnie."

 

LITTLE BONNIE

 

On the day that she was buried

Her Daddy stood out by the cemetery fence

Prayed to God for forgiveness

For surely all of this is punishment for my sins

 

They put her in the family garden

Said you could hear his heart breaking miles away

All the men pitched in and bought a marble angel

To mark the piece of land where little Bonnie lay

 

My Grandma said she would keep her in the mornings

So her Mama could sleep a bit and do the chores and such

She'd read her stories about little girls and magic powers

That would never let a pretty angel hurt

 

Her Mama's always been a beauty

She's still beautiful to this very day

But they say Bonnie's crystal eyes put the stars to shame

Maybe heaven needed Bonnie's face

 

My Grandma said she would keep her in the mornings

A swollen angel who never would complain

She'd read her stories about little girls and princesses

Whose Daddy's don't feel punished for what heaven takes away

 

Little Bonnie never married

Little Bonnie never even made it four

But I grew up in her presence

Even though she was gone before I'z born

Even though she was gone before I'z born

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A couple of good Drive-By Truckers songs listed above, but I'd include "Little Bonnie."

 

LITTLE BONNIE

 

On the day that she was buried

Her Daddy stood out by the cemetery fence

Prayed to God for forgiveness

For surely all of this is punishment for my sins

 

They put her in the family garden

Said you could hear his heart breaking miles away

All the men pitched in and bought a marble angel

To mark the piece of land where little Bonnie lay

 

My Grandma said she would keep her in the mornings

So her Mama could sleep a bit and do the chores and such

She'd read her stories about little girls and magic powers

That would never let a pretty angel hurt

 

Her Mama's always been a beauty

She's still beautiful to this very day

But they say Bonnie's crystal eyes put the stars to shame

Maybe heaven needed Bonnie's face

 

My Grandma said she would keep her in the mornings

A swollen angel who never would complain

She'd read her stories about little girls and princesses

Whose Daddy's don't feel punished for what heaven takes away

 

Little Bonnie never married

Little Bonnie never even made it four

But I grew up in her presence

Even though she was gone before I'z born

Even though she was gone before I'z born

 

Written about his sister...

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Season's In The Sun... oh wait, you mean sad as in depressing... oh wait... Damn, now I'm confused.

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(as mentioned in my copycat thread...)

 

 

Little girl, you're still far too young

to have a heart that's been so broken

It might seem you ain't got no one

well, I'm here for you

Told your momma before she died that

I'd stayed right by your side

Now I have to leave just a little while

But I'm here for you

 

Hardest part there is about dying

are the ones who get left behind

I know your momma wouldn't want you crying

so I'm here for you

Loved your momma more than she loved me

When you were born I was far from Tennessee

I came back home to hold you close to me

And I'm here for you

 

You're far too precious to me

I only want what's best for you

And that might not include me

well I know it's true

But I'm here for you

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Guest Speed Racer

King's Crossing- Elliott Smith

 

And Fond Farewell. I don't care when he wrote it, or at what kind of time in his life, those lyrics are heartbreaking.

 

Oooh, New Monkey should make that list, too.

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