THIS! The Bridge is pretty awkward as well... And Me and Little Andy. Dolly aside, what about Elvis Costello's Good Year For The Roses?
Dammit I'm on a sad song trip now... Queen: Save Me- the animated video with the dove that flies away from the woman on the balcony. Or Love of my Life. The live version from the soundtrack album gets me as well because of what Freddie had coming after all those people in the crowd were in the palms of his hands.
Have to agree with this one. The lyrics themselves are a heartbreaking short story: She said, "Andy, you're better than your past" Winked at me and drained her glass Cross-legged on a barstool, like nobody sits anymore She said, "Andy, you're taking me home" But I knew she planned to sleep alone I'd carry her to bed, sweep up the hair from her floor If I'd f#$ked her before she got sick I'd never hear the end of it She don't have the spirit for that now We just drink our drinks and laugh out loud And bitch about the weekend crowd And try to ignore the elephant somehow Somehow She said, "Andy, you crack me up" Seagram's in a coffee cup Sharecropper eyes, and the hair almost all gone When she was drunk, she made cancer jokes Made up her own doctors' notes Surrounded by her family, I saw that she was dying alone But I'd sing her classic country songs And she'd get high and sing along She don't have a voice to sing with now We burn these joints in effigy And cry about what we used to be Try to ignore the elephant somehow Somehow I buried her a thousand times, given up my place in line But I don't give a damn about that now There's one thing that's real clear to me No one dies with dignity We just try to ignore the elephant somehow We just try to ignore the elephant somehow We just try to ignore the elephant somehow Somehow Somehow
Ryan Adams has a bunch of them, but a few that top the list: Elizabeth, You Were Born to Play That Part (a song written for a couple he was friends with who had just had a miscarriage) Tomorrow (written w/ Carrie Hamilton as she was towards the end of her life) Jesus (Don't Touch My Baby) (written about Carrie Hamilton) and I Hung My Head by Sting, although this is the definitive version IMO
Originally, I never looked further into the song's origins to find that Dolly wrote it. I first heard Down From Dover via the Nancy & Lee version. That last verse just kills me ...... My body aches the time is here It's lonely in this place where I'm lying Our baby has been born but something's wrong It's much too still I hear no crying I guess in some strange way she knew She'd never have a father's arms to hold her And dying was her way of telling me He wasn't coming down from Dover
My vote for the saddest song ever is "Millworker" as written by James Taylor and performed by Emmylou Harris. Emmylou Harris "Millworker" But it's my life has been wasted And I have been the fool To let this manufacturer Use my body for a tool I can ride home in the evening Staring at my hands Swearing by my sorrow that a young girl Ought to stand a better chance So may I work the mills just as long as I am able And never meet the man whose name is on the label And it's me and my machine For the rest of the morning And the rest of the afternoon For the rest of my life
Skeeter Davis-The End of the World Thin Lizzy-Wild One Adele--When We Were Young, Million Years Ago The Allman Brothers-Melissa Chris Cornell--Nothing Compares 2U U2--One (with Mary J. Blige), Running to Stand Still Duran Duran--Do You Believe In Shame? Garbage--Milk George Michael--Mother's Pride Lady Gaga--Joanne, Angel Down Linda Ronstadt--Long, Long, Time Marianne Faithfull--The Ballad of Lucy Jordan Bobby Goldsboro--Honey Terry Jacks--Seasons in the Sun Sarah McLachlan--Ben's Song, Hold On Simon and Garfunkel--For Emily, Wherever I May Find Her Steppenwolf--Snowblind Friend Van Morrison--Into the Mystic Laura Brannigan--How Am I Supposed to Live Without You
