Music Dec 4, 2008 at 4:00 am

Start Your Sobbin'

Let's Tear It for the Sad Songs That Get Us Through Tough Times

Dave Segal
James Yamasaki
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Comments

1
Good calls on the Pharoah Sanders joint, I think I have that lying around somewhere on vinyl.

And another good one on MA's "Protection," but I think "Teardrop" from Mezzanine is a slightly better "sad" pick. "Protection" almost sounds triumphant and/or jubilant to me, while the vocals and the downward chord progression of the piano on "Teardrop" make me want to bawl my eyes out.

Good shit, Dave.
on December 3, 2008 at 6:12 PM Report this
2
great list. Though this mortal coil's song to the siren is a worthy competitor of Buckley's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mUmdR69n…
on December 3, 2008 at 6:12 PM Report this
3
I heard a song recently that fucked up my day. A rap song of all things. It's called Happy Birthday, by Flipsyde, and while I've never had a child aborted, it still made me tear up pretty bad:

"I got a million excuses
As to why you died
And other people got their own reasons For homicide
Who's to say it would have worked
Who's to say it wouldn't have
I was young and struggling
But old enough to be a dad ...

I think about it every year
So I picked up a pen, Happy Birthday
I love you whoever you would've been"

It made me want to blow up God.
on December 3, 2008 at 8:50 PM Report this
4
Moody Blues - In Your Wildest Dreams
on December 3, 2008 at 10:32 PM Report this
5
WTF!? No Elliot Smith? I mean, maybe it's too obvious for an alt weekly music writer in Seattle of all places but COME ON, that guy wrote dozens of the most beautifully sad songs ever recorded! Roman Candle? Angeles? Between the Bars? Seriously...

Otherwise good list...just sayin' sad songs ya know?
on December 4, 2008 at 1:50 AM Report this
6
Pop music picks: The Beatles' "In My LIfe" and Jeff Buckley's "Last Goodbye" get the waterworks award for me. "Thank You" by Led Zeppelin, oddly enough, is a contender, too.
on December 4, 2008 at 2:16 AM Report this
8
"Hope There's Someone" Antony & The Johnsons. When I go I want that playing that at my funeral so everyone can have a good cry.
on December 4, 2008 at 7:07 AM Report this
9
Yes, Mike T! That is exactly what I was thinking, "No Elliot Smith? Really?" Still a stunning group of songs. I might have to burn a mix of all these songs, just to keep on hand.
on December 4, 2008 at 10:06 AM Report this
10
OK Dave, I agree with the Talk Talk but for me its Laughing Stock! AND you missed Kevin ayers BLUE, AND Aphrodite's Child 666 BREAK. OH and pierrot lunaire's morella... WAIT, and the grand daddy of all Franco Battiato's Pollution. Even Annette Peacock's I'm the one is so flippin good I break down every time I hear it. I know there is only so many you can list here, but I always love to make you question yourself...

Matt
on December 4, 2008 at 10:12 AM Report this
11
Cowboy Junkies - "Five Room Love Story"
on December 4, 2008 at 10:26 AM Report this
12
R.E.M. - "Sweetness Follows"

Jeremy Enigk - "Explain"

The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?," "Reel Around the Fountain"

Massive Attack - "Big Wheel"

The Cure - "Plainsong"

Lou Reed - "The Sword of Damocles"

Nick Drake - "Cello Song"

Peter Murphy - "Marlene Dietrich's Favorite Poem"
on December 4, 2008 at 11:09 AM Report this
13
Oops, also forgot to mention the Perfect Prescription's "call the doctor" IS a great cover for sure- BUT JJ Cale's (the original version) of "call the doctor" REALLY hits harder for my buck. Also Speaking of that record, ODE to street hassle, Reed's Street Hassle that is- Dirt, Street Hassle, Shooting Star all get an Emotional mention from me as well. That being said- diamanda galas "in my time of dying" cover is wonderful as well BUT Dylan's in my time of dying I can't even play anymore!!!!

-Matt
on December 4, 2008 at 11:18 AM Report this
14
YEs!! Nick Drake! Way to Blue is a devastatingly heart stopping song.

His song that truly made me teary eyed was "Made to Love Magic."

The first line is enough to make you listen..."I was made to love no one."
on December 4, 2008 at 11:33 AM Report this
15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9qwazJUJ…
on December 4, 2008 at 11:59 AM Report this
16
Ah, I was contemplating putting some JJ Cale, Battiato, and Ayers in the feature... and so many more (that Aphrodite's Child track IS incredibly moving, Matt), but obviously space is limited.

Honestly, I could write a book on this topic. Any publishers out there game?
on December 4, 2008 at 12:10 PM Report this
17
jonah33- Thanks for that link. That is truly a great cover. Hard to do something on par with the original-ESPECIALLY Tim Buckley.

MAtt
on December 4, 2008 at 12:13 PM Report this
18
Sorry I had to...
GRAB SOME KLEENEX
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzWVWY5QU…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiS4arlBI…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIXGXB8LC…
on December 4, 2008 at 12:36 PM Report this
19
that was lovely dave.. i think i'm palying 'creator..' tonight on the radio just cause you reminded me.. and of course you prolly know that laughing stock is one of my top ten fave efforts ofm all time along with the pahroah sanders.. but for my other two cents.. ever since i heard the beach boys 'wouldn't it be nice ' in 'roger and me'.. set as soundtrack to the depressed tragedy of flint michigan. i only have to hum it to myself and the waterworks start.
that one and flaming lips ' you have to be joking' which i heard them perform in tribute to the oklahoma city bombing. they get me almost every time
on December 4, 2008 at 12:59 PM Report this
20
Man dave, look what you did to my day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig4odW8ml…
:-)

...or should I say ;-(
on December 4, 2008 at 3:16 PM Report this
21
"Strangers" by the Kinks. A great song, gets those tears flowing.
on December 4, 2008 at 4:45 PM Report this
22
you had me until aerosmith.

p.s. cat power covering troubled waters
on December 4, 2008 at 4:47 PM Report this
23
For me it's always going to be 'Mole' by the Mountain Goats. There is nothing that will get me sobbing faster.
on December 4, 2008 at 6:07 PM Report this
24
What about "How's it going to be?" and "The Background" by Third Eye Blind...actually, the last three tracks on their self titled 1997 album are pretty gut wrenching..
on December 4, 2008 at 9:01 PM Report this
25
arrrghhh...Stop whinning people! How about if instead we just add some more tracks:
Elliot Smith - "The Biggest Lie"
Nick Cave - "Ain't gonna rain anymore"
Slowdive - "Dagger" or "Ballad of Sister Sue"
Nico - "These Days"
The Cure - "The Funeral Party" or "Faith"
Leonard Cohen - "Famous Blue Raincoat"
Lou Reed - "Pale Blue Eyes"
The Smiths - "Never Had No One Ever"
Lee Hazlewood - “My Autumn’s Done Come”
Joy Division - "Passover" (some people say the lyrics on this track were Ian's suicide note)
and of course, "Sometimes" by My Bloody Valentine

Alright...now I feel like popping some pills and calling it a night.
on December 4, 2008 at 9:06 PM Report this
26
mmm.

in addition to no Elliott Smith . . . no Leonard Cohen? just because it's overdone doesn't mean it's not true.

my sad Cohen pick? Famous Blue Raincoat.

also, my personal tear jerker - The Posies "Coming Right Along" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLNIx_phe…
on December 4, 2008 at 9:30 PM Report this
27
Ahh. These are tunes that, for me anyway, guarantee at least a multi-hour-long blubberfest:

--"It Makes No Difference" by the Band
--"Listen to the Lion" by Van Morrison
--"Eight Miles High" (Husker Du's version)
--"Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits
--"Town Cryer" by Elvis Costello
--"The Bed" by Lou Reed
--"1952 Vincent Black Lightning" by Richard Thompson
--"Sunday Mornin' Coming Down" by Kris Kristofferson (sung by Johnny Cash)
--"Walking The Back Streets And Crying" by Little Milton
--"Pavane pour une Infante Defunte" by Maurice Ravel
--"Last Chance Texaco" by Rickie Lee Jones
--"One World" by John Martyn
--"Shipbuilding" by Elvis Costello (and sung beautifully by Robert Wyatt)
--"He Was a Friend of Mine" by Dylan (sung by the amazing Dave Van Ronk).

Okay, that oughta start the floodgates...ahh, I can feel the catharsis already...
on December 4, 2008 at 11:43 PM Report this
28
Gospodean...gospodean......gospodean?

Where have I heard that.......

Oh, tavareash, now I remember.

I commend your playlist.
on December 5, 2008 at 9:05 AM Report this
29
Although the lyrics are fairly vague and could be about a number of things, "Someone Great" by LCD Soundsystem came out right after my dad died and hearing it even today leaves me sobbing. Particularly the second verse which couldn't more perfectly capture the momemt my sister called me at 4am and said "dad's gone" and the next verse that deals with the aftermath.

"I wake up and the phone is ringing,
Surprised, as it's early.
And that should be the perfect warning,
That something's, a problem.
To tell the truth I saw it coming,
The way, you were breathing.
But nothing can prepare you for it,
The voice, on the other, end.

The worst is all the lovely weather,
I'm sad, it's not raining.
The coffee isn't even bitter,
Because, what's the difference?
There's all the work that needs to be done,
It's late, for revision.
There's all the time and all the planning
And songs, to be finished."

I miss you dad.
on December 5, 2008 at 12:17 PM Report this
30
You refer to Harry Nilsson singing "Everybody's Talkin'" as the theme song for "Midnight Cowboy".Come on now give Harry his due!. He was a truly great singer and he made this song his own.
on December 5, 2008 at 2:15 PM Report this
31
Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra duetting on "You've Lost That Loving Feeling." Gut wrenching.
on December 5, 2008 at 5:16 PM Report this
32
Bill P: No, I mean John Barry's instrumental theme to Midnight Cowboy. Nilsson's cover of the Fred Neil song is great, but that's not what I discussed.
on December 5, 2008 at 5:28 PM Report this
33
More articles like this please.. I see some tunes to check out...Gotta say "Here Comes A Regular" by the Replacements is a glaring omission though.
on December 5, 2008 at 10:23 PM Report this
34
i'm surprised by how few country songs were suggested. may i suggest john prine's "clay pigeons"?
on December 6, 2008 at 11:20 AM Report this
35

Thanks Sarah T, you're alright by me :)

Ooh, I wonder if we have the same last name...? Hmmm

-Mike T.
on December 6, 2008 at 5:36 PM Report this
36
The song that makes me want to burst into tears whenever I hear it is Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle," but the Muppet Show version of it is ten times sadder:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvnCKJCgC…

It's so heartbreaking the way his voice gets younger and younger, and then he just explodes into the old man again.
on December 6, 2008 at 6:26 PM Report this
37
It may be sad that I'm at the life point where I get most of my new music tips from NPR. The frenetic emotional pacing of Girl Talk speaks to me in a way little HipHop does. It was the same with the Hold Steady. Their post-post rehab reconstructed REM gave their hope or die message the salty coating that made it good enough to go back for. But for pure gut wrenching agony and Oh My God when the FUCK will it end? Lately I've liked Mander Palmer and B. Viglione of the Dresden Dolls. Their live rendition of Halfjack is an anthem. It's on the web just waiting.
Yeah and the old nineties standard...Hurt by Nine Inch Nails off Closer. Well, I'm gonna go curl up with my shotgun and play russian roulette now.


on December 6, 2008 at 7:18 PM Report this
38
The For Carnation - Moonbeams
The Smashing Pumpkins - Soma
on December 6, 2008 at 8:06 PM Report this
39
I'm not religious but somehow the gospel tune "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" always gets me to thinking about everyone I've ever loved who has died.
And a quirky one: Bruce Springsteen's "Highway Patrol".
And, for sheer moroseness (morosity?) there's nothing like the Cowboy Junkies covering "Sweet Jane."
on December 6, 2008 at 8:56 PM Report this
40
I agree with In Your Wildest Dreams by The Moody Blues. The lyrics break my heart.
on December 7, 2008 at 12:26 AM Report this
41
My waterwork music nominations: (not in any particular order.)
Born Freeeee (I'm not to sure who did this, anybody know?)
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me: 60's
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas...
Great article!
Cat
on December 7, 2008 at 9:55 AM Report this
42
you fucking fags, you know why I feel bad...because Capitol Hill and everywhere there is pretty Gay..and here blows almost worse.
How about Fergies Big Girls and whatever bullshit like blink182 for the kids...
on December 7, 2008 at 10:56 AM Report this
43
My vote's for Elliott Smith, too!
on December 7, 2008 at 8:48 PM Report this
44
Thanks to Danny M for plugging Antony and the Johnsons. That is a beautiful song. Can we go classics on this topic? Say Patsy Cline, 'I Fall to Pieces'... Can we... go there? No? Okay, yeah Elliot Smith. Tears and all that...
on December 8, 2008 at 3:07 PM Report this
45
Let's add The Magnetic Fields' "All My Little Words" and "Papa Was A Rodeo," please.
on December 8, 2008 at 6:09 PM Report this
46
another sleepy CD that belongs in the story is "beneath the trees" by seattle's faith&disease. one of the slowest, melancholiest bands of all time, and they are from seattle! i actually saw them on a double bill with LOW once at the Crocodile.
SPAIN? anyone remember them? great band.
on December 9, 2008 at 9:56 AM Report this
47
This is a great list...the original article as well as the additions in the comments.

I am obsessed with sad music which has always surprised my friends. This Mortal Coil's version of Tim Buckley's Song to the Siren used to be my mixtape closing song. So much for leaving them on a high note right?

Here's my two cents:

Johnny Cash-If You Could Read My Mind

Hawkwind-We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago

Donovan-Codine

Nina Simone's version & Cat Power's version-Wild As the Wind

Bruce Springsteen-Nebraska...all of it really

Roy Harper-Another Day

Neil Young-Don't Let it Bring You Down (always gives me a weird feeling)

Tom Waits-Rosie

Enjoy!
on December 9, 2008 at 6:10 PM Report this
48
I've never actually shed tears because of music, but the closest I've come was listening to Nico's Eulogy to Lenny Bruce
on December 9, 2008 at 11:23 PM Report this
49
A more recent entry to the tearjerker log: Bon Iver's entire cd "For Emma, Forever Ago" makes me wish I could cry, even when I can't get the lacrimal gland to cooperate. Every time I listen to it I want to go bury my head in a snow drift to cool the burning sensation of my cheeks.
on December 9, 2008 at 11:43 PM Report this
50
Anything off of Ryan Adams' "29" You can hear his soul unraveling in the background.
on December 10, 2008 at 9:15 AM Report this
51
Oh and speaking of Massive Attack's "Protection" What about EBTG's "Downhill Racer"
I could almost like you
now it's really over
now you've shown some weakness....
on December 10, 2008 at 9:25 AM Report this
52
I always thought the theme to Midnight Cowboy was performed by Harry Nilsson...
on December 10, 2008 at 10:14 AM Report this
53
@52 No, that was an instrumental composed by John Barry.

Nilsson's version of "Everybody's Talkin'" appears often in Midnight Cowboy, but it's not THE theme.
on December 10, 2008 at 2:02 PM Report this
54
Hawkwind-We Took the Wrong Step Years Ago-
Nice one Nicole!
on December 10, 2008 at 2:04 PM Report this
55
Madame Butterfly by Malcom McClaren yanks my chain
on December 12, 2008 at 5:35 PM Report this
56
"It happens every day" by Dar Williams - with its devastating revelation as the song comes to an end... breaks me up every time I hear it.
on December 26, 2008 at 7:38 AM Report this

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