What do you think is the saddest song ever?

Happy Birthday.

 

Patches - Dickey Lee
(double suicide)

 

"He stopped loving her today" George Jones.
"In the living years" Mike and the mechanics.
"In my hour of darkness" Gram Parsons
"Brokedown palace " the Grateful Dead

 

Jason Isbell, Elephant. It's about cancer and I've seen it really freak people out.

 

"Teen Angel" - Mark Dinning singing.

 

"Death of an Angel" - Donald Woods (They even cry in this one)

 

Daddy don't u walk so fast

 

Didn't get through all of the posts so forgive me if this is duplicated elsewhere, but I've always loved the great American Music Club. "Western Sky" is a particular favorite and quite sad to boot...

 

"Tell Laura I Love Her" - Ray Peterson



Laura and Tommy were lovers
He wanted to give her everything
Flowers, presents,
But most of all, a wedding ring
He saw a sign for a stock car race
A thousand dollar prize it read
He couldn't get Laura on the phone
So to her mother, Tommy said
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura I may be late
I've something to do, that cannot wait
He drove his car to the racing grounds
He was the youngest driver there
The crowed roared as they started the race
Around the track they drove at a deadly pace
No one knows what happened that day
Or how his car overturned in flames
But as they pulled him from the twisted wreck
With his dying breath, they heard him say
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die
Now in the chapel where Laura prays
For her poor Tommy, who passed away
It was just for Laura he lived and died
Alone in the chapel she can hear him cry
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die
Tell Laura I love her
Tell Laura I need her
Tell Laura not to cry
My love for her will never die

 

Read the whole thread, I think I need a drink or two. Here's a few I didn't see listed,

She's Leaving Home, The Beatles
Sweet Old World, Either Lucinda's or Emmylou's version
Joan of Arc, Jennifer Warnes
The Ballad Of Ira Hayes, not Johnny Cash's version, but Kinky Friedman's. Almost a 180degr different reading of the song.

 

Deep Purple "When a Blind Man Cries"

Judas Priest "Beyond the Realms of Death

And by extension since it's basically a ripoff (but we all still love it) Metallica "Fade to Black"

 

can't pick just one as each one is sadder than the other!

 

Bugler! The Byrds sung by Clarence White...

 

damn! that's a pretty guitar!

 

"I'm Not Gonna Miss You" - Glen Campbell (This one teared me up)







I'm still here, but yet I'm gone
I don't play guitar or sing my songs
They never defined who I am
The man that loves you 'til the end

You're the last person I will love
You're the last face I will recall
And best of all, I'm not gonna miss you
Not gonna miss you

I'm never gonna hold you like I did
Or say I love you to the kids
You're never gonna see it in my eyes
It's not gonna hurt me when you cry

I'm never gonna know what you go through
All the things I say or do
All the hurt and all the pain
One thing selfishly remains

I'm not gonna miss you
I'm not gonna miss you

 

I recently discovered this band and this song. I thought it was a great song with a hell of a hook, and then I started listening to the words. Such a great pop song with the most depressing lyrics that have been haunting me ever since. I am in a similar circumstance with my grandson, and it pains me like never before. Going back to nothing but instrumentals.

 

Paul Westerberg Bookmark

 

The Replacements Here Comes a Regular

 

Henryk Górecki - Symphony No. 3

 

On Top of Spaghetti. At least initially anyway. I guess it would be worth losing one meatball though to get a meatball and sauce tree a year later.

Seriously: "Unloved and Unclaimed". I forget who wrote it. The version that I'm familiar with is by Daisy Mae and Old Brother Charlie.

 

Old Shep - Elvis Presley
St. James Infirmary - I like James Booker's version

 

I think the Peter Paul and Mary earlier version is better, textbook harmony, great feeling.

 

This is a little obscure but Lionel Richie did a song some years ago after he beat his cancer called "Goodbye". Since my wife's death a few months ago from cancer I can't even listen to it. It's obviously about a spouse or partner who passed away too young and to anyone who has been through this as I unfortunately find myself, it will rip your heart out.

 

Jugband Blues by Pink Floyd is pretty darn sad. Not even the song itself, but just the weight behind the song and Syd's then mental state.

 

Dixie Storms - Lone Justice