The saddest, saddest song

Tweaker · « **Reply #20 on:** 7 Nov 2007, 09:46 pm »

Un Bel Di. Gut wrenching knowing how the story unravels from there. My wife and I saw a performance of Madame Butterfly a few years back and we both agreed that we don't think we could watch it live again. Too emotionally draining for these two old softies.

One good day, we will see
Arising a strand of smoke
Over the far horizon on the sea
And then the ship appears
And then the ship is white
It enters into the port, it rumbles its salute.

Do you see it? He is coming!
I don't go down to meet him, not I.
I stay upon the edge of the hill
And I wait a long time
but I do not grow weary of the long wait.

And leaving from the crowded city,
A man, a little speck
Climbing the hill.
Who is it? Who is it?
And as he arrives
What will he say? What will he say?
He will call Butterfly from the distance
I without answering
Stay hidden
A little to tease him,
A little as to not die.
At the first meeting,
And then a little troubled
He will call, he will call
"Little one, dear wife
Blossom of orange"
The names he called me at his last coming.
All this will happen,
I promise you this
Hold back your fears -
I with secure faith wait for him.

Zero · « **Reply #21 on:** 7 Nov 2007, 11:39 pm »

Seether - The Gift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Graz5qI2Yc

This is not a melody that drips of sad lyrics. Just the same, it is an emotionally charged tune.

pm314 · « **Reply #22 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 01:03 am »

I'm not sure any one song is the saddest but for some reason the entire CD being about getting dumped made Chris Isaac's "Forever Blue" memorable in my life

More recently I find Wilco's "Please Be Patient with Me" very personal and sad given Jeff Tweedy's long battle with depression, migraines and addiction.

arthur · « **Reply #23 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 01:26 am »

In English, one of the saddest songs is

Strange Fruit

hoosier21 · « **Reply #24 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 01:44 am »

I can't listen to "if this is goodbye" by Mark Knopfler with Emily Lou Harris, without getting teared up. Mark said he was searching for a way to express the sadness he felt on 9/11, when he heard a story about all the phone messages that where left by victums to their loved ones.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=823qNvbjT6c

My famous last words
Are laying around in tatters
Sounding absurd
Whatever I try
But I love you
And that's all that really matters
If this is goodbye
If this is goodbye

Yout bright shining sun
Would light up the way before me
You were the one
Made me feel I could fly
And I love you
Whatever is waiting for me
If this is goodbye
If this is goodbye

Who knows how long we've got
Or what were made out of
Who knows if there's a plan or not
There is our love
I know there is our love

My famous last words
Could never tell the story
Spinning unheard
In the dark of the sky
But I love you
And this is our glory
If this is goodbye
If this is goodbye

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #25 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 04:26 am »

Three sad songs....

Eric Clapton - "Tears In Heaven"

Otis Redding - "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay"

Roy Orbison - "Crying"

Captain Humble · « **Reply #26 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 04:59 am »

LAST KISS by J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers
Sample
Jeff

nathanm · « **Reply #27 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 06:05 am »

For some weird reason the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread was Snoopy crying over music in some French cafe. I swear, you can find anything at all on the interweb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5rJKidxl5o

ZLS · « **Reply #28 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 01:21 pm »

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

written and performed by Hank Williams Sr.

" Have you ever seen a shooting star across a purple sky"

Perhaps the most beautiful and poignant lyrics ever written. There is no more eloquent story about heartbreak ever written in the English language. Hank Williams tragic death as a young man only adds to the poignancy

t-head · « **Reply #29 on:** 8 Nov 2007, 01:49 pm »

Tracy Nelson singing 'Down So Low' (when she was 19) on The Best of Tracy Nelson/Mother Earth

heart-wrenching lyric with gut-wrenching vocal...

t

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #30 on:** 9 Nov 2007, 01:48 am »

I got that tune, dude! On a direct to disc. You're trippin me out!

RobertB53 · « **Reply #31 on:** 19 Nov 2007, 05:27 pm »

Another vote for Tim Buckley. "Once I Was" a soldier, a lover. "Once I was a hunter and I brought home fresh meat for you."

And sometimes I wonder
Just for a while
Will you remember me?

If you ever pine for "rubbish dreams," you need this song. Troubling. That whole record, "Goodbye and Hello," (except for the first song) hits my spine, the lyrics plaintive and primal. You need this.

rockadanny · « **Reply #32 on:** 20 Nov 2007, 01:18 pm »

Nina Simone: "I Loves You Porgy"; "Ne Me Quitte Pas"; and of course, "Strange Fruit". To be honest, I don't speak French and I don't know how "Ne Me Quitte Pas" translates, but the way she sings it it MUST be sad.

Madeleine Peyroux: "River".

Rory Block: "Mother Marian".

woodsyi · « **Reply #33 on:** 20 Nov 2007, 03:13 pm »

This is one of my favorite arias: Ave Maria as it follows the Willow's Song in Verdi's Othello. Desdemona sings her heart out in anguish as she knows an unjust death is coming....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc5ofXHT5CA&feature=related

ecramer · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Nov 2007, 05:53 am »

Mercy Now
Mary Gauthier

My father could use a little mercy now
The fruits of his labor
Fall and rot slowly on the ground
His work is almost over
It won’t be long and he won’t be around
I love my father, and he could use some mercy now

My brother could use a little mercy now
He’s a stranger to freedom
He’s shackled to his fears and doubts
The pain that he lives in is
Almost more than living will allow
I love my bother, and he could use some mercy now

My Church and my Country could use a little mercy now
As they sink into a poisoned pit
That’s going to take forever to climb out
They carry the weight of the faithful
Who follow ‘em down
I love my Church and Country and they could use some mercy now

Every living thing could use a little mercy now
Only the hand of grace can end the race
Towards another mushroom cloud
People in power, well
They’ll do anything to keep their crown
I love life, and life itself could use some mercy now

Yea, we all could use a little mercy now
I know we don’t deserve it
But we need it anyhow
We hang in the balance
Dangle ‘tween hell and hallowed ground
Every single one of us could use some mercy now
Every single one of us could use some mercy now
Every single one of us could use some mercy now

Airborn · « **Reply #35 on:** 26 Nov 2007, 08:26 am »

Nick Drake, "Place To Be"
from the album "Pink Moon"
This whole album is quite melancholy, but this song seems the saddest to me.

When I was younger, younger than before
I never saw the truth hanging from the door
And now I'm older see it face to face
And now I'm older gotta get up clean the place.

And I was green, greener than the hill
Where the flowers grew and the sun shone still
Now I'm darker than the deepest sea
Just hand me down, give me a place to be.

And I was strong, strong in the sun
I thought I'd see when day is done
Now I'm weaker than the palest blue
Oh, so weak in this need for you.

robertwb · « **Reply #36 on:** 2 Dec 2007, 11:51 pm »

Some of my favorites I haven't seen mentioned yet-

Teddy Bear by Red Sovine
I'm Not Myself by Amos Lee
Kiss and Say Goodbye by The Manhattans
Vincent by Don McLean
Promises by Randy Travis

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #37 on:** 3 Dec 2007, 12:04 am »

Nice call on Vincent. Truly great songwriter.

jakepunk · « **Reply #38 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 03:32 pm »

Fountain of Sorrow by Jackson Browne

bushbison · « **Reply #39 on:** 10 Dec 2007, 03:49 pm »

I ditto "Strange Fruit".....
Hear me out on this...... "Hurt" by Mister Cash... but with the VIDEO...... chills everytime, can't help it.....