Saddest songs

[I. Spaceman]

Haha!

[Banana]

Ben Folds has a knack for writing some pretty sad songs...off the top of my head "Fred Jones, Pt. 2" and "Picture Window (co-written with Nick Hornby)" are both quite heartbreaking.

[JK]

"Girl In Love"----The Outsiders
"Broken Heart"----Spiritualized

Both in a major key, like most sad songs...

[bringahorseinhere?]

I love sad songs....from brian Wilson to George jones.......

here's a bit of a depressant:

this one cuts me:

hank III: five shots of whiskey


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SHCJKzeeik

it works when your drunk ... 

RickB

[Peter Reum]

I would say Long Black Veil would be one,  any number of Blues tunes, a few Harry Chapin tunes come to mind too.

[pixletwin]

"Happy, The End" by Innocence Mission has to be one of the saddest songs I own. Great song though.

[The Dumb Angel]

The Soft Bulletin by the Flaming Lips is one of my all time favorite albums and it contains 2 of the saddest songs I know.

-Waiting For A Superman

-Feeling Yourself Disintegrate

[hypehat]

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams is obviously the saddest song ever written. So much sheer despair in so few words.

[SMiLE-addict]

Without a doubt, this. More than any other song this makes me completely break down.

That said, I think it's emotional impact is as much in its beauty as its sadness.

[chrs_mrgn]

 Summer In Paradise



But really.

Sakamoto Ryuichi - Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Elliot Smith - Waltz #2

Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day

Antony and the Johnsons - Hope There's Someone

Owen - Bad News

Bright Eyes - It's Cool We Can Still Be Friends

Not sure if it counts as sad or not but it definitely brings about the feels: Bright Eyes - First Day Of My Life

I really recommend listening to all of these if you haven't already heard them and let me know what you think of them.

[Sunflowerpet]

 The Hollies "Lucy" 1975, "Soldier's Song" 1979
 Dave Clark Five "Julia" 1970
 Dennis Wilson "Thoughts Of You" 1977
 Manfred Mann "Every Day Another Hair Turns Grey" 1968
 Lou Reed "The Bed", "The Kids" 1973
 Supremes "I'm Living In Shame" 1969
 Everly Brothers "Yves" 1970
 John Phillips "Very Dread" 1977
 Mike & The Mechanics "Living Years" 1988
 Crosby & Nash "Carry Me" 1975
 Four Seasons "Saturday's Father" 1968
 The Cowsills "Newspaper Blanket" 1968

[Gabo]

Some sad songs from all ranges of my taste

Animal Collective - "Fireworks" and "No More Runnin"
Astrud Gilberto - "In The Wee Small Hours"
The Beatles - "Julia" ... and John Lennon - "Look At Me"
Billie Holiday - "Body And Soul"
Bob Dylan - "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go"
The Kinks - "Days"
Nirvana - "All Apologies"
The Notorious BIG - "Everyday Struggle"
The Olivia Tremor Control - "NYC-25"
Simon and Garfunkel - "So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright"
Sly and The Family Stone - "Runnin' Away"
The Velvet Underground - "Candy Says"

[Gabo]

.

[RangeRoverA1]

"First of May" is musically sad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDtqZ4-U_6Y

3 live versions by 3 brothers:

Barry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5bz4v3wyKg
Maurice (w/ Lulu): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cNWAtgNCWg
Robin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcojIeORo3o

[peerke]

A few favorites:

Come Home :: Amatorski   (2010)
https://youtu.be/WnxNqS47MaM

Amsterdam :: John Cale (1970)
https://youtu.be/wGCu1okRPcA

Through December :: Laura Veirs (2001)
https://youtu.be/UAGx_1nR-LA

You Cut Her Hair :: Tom McRae    (2000)
https://youtu.be/g-ZlXxd3ra8

Thorn Tree In The Garden :: Bobby Whitlock (1970)
https://youtu.be/hEWvJHd67KE

Everybody’s Gotta Learn Sometimes ::The Korgies (1980)
https://youtu.be/UOqXy64-hTw

[JK]

Upbeat songs can be sad too. Take Freda Payne's "Band Of Gold":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daxiMb0rITA

"What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" does what "God Only Knows" does----the bass steers clear of the tonic. The difference being that "GOK" is uplifting in the extreme while the Jimmy Ruffin song is just plain heartbreaking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQywZYoGB1g

[Adult Child]

These are some that aren't objectively the saddest (that'd be impossible anyway, though 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' kinda takes the cake) but these are the songs that even just thinking about them hurt:

'We'll Meet Again'  - Vera Lynn (the second greatest song ever written)
'Gloomy Sunday' - Billie Holiday
'You Need Feet' - Bernard Bresslaw
'Runaway' - Del Shannon
'Hello Stranger' - Barbara Lewis
'Hey Girl' - Freddie Scott (it's the backing vocals)
'Tell Her No'/'Nothings Changed' - The Zombies
'Ooo Baby Baby' - The Miracles
'Caroline, No' - You know
'Femme Fatale' - The Velvet Underground
'Chelsea Girls' - Nico
'Jugband Blues' - Pink Floyd
'Plastic Palace People' - Scott Walker
'Everybody's Talkin' - Harry Nilsson
'Maybe Tomorow' - The Iveys
'Madame George' - Van Morrison
'Look At Your Game Girl' - Charles Manson
'Way To Blue' - Nick Drake
'Penina' - Carlos Mendes (I have no idea why)
'Dark Globe'/'Opel' - Syd Barrett
'A Day In The Life of a Tree'/'Til I Die' - You know
'The Kiss' - Judee Sill
'I'll Slip Away' - Rodriguez (1973 version)
'Black Eyed Dog' - Nick Drake
'Nightime' - Big Star
'Marlene' - Jackson C. Frank
'Ten Years Gone' - Led Zeppelin
'Europa' - Santana
'You And Your Sister' - Chris Bell
'Stardust' - Willie Nelson
'He Stopped Loving Her Today' - George Jones
'Decades' - Joy Division
'Now And Then'/'Grow Old With Me' - John Lennon
'All Those Years Ago' - George Harrison
'Here Today' - Paul McCartney
'Just Another Sucker On The Vine' - Tom Waits
'Back To The Old House (electric version)' - The Smiths (their reputation as a miserable band was given to them by people who don't get them but they do have profoundly melancholy songs and this is the one I'm choosing for this)
'Sixteen Blue' - The Replacements (the single most underrated band of all time (sorry Beach Boys))  (the guitar solo at the end is the most powerful fckin thing ever)
'Our Last Night Together' - Arthur Russell
'Something In The Way' - Nirvana
'Nightswimming' - R.E.M.
'Monster Inside of Me' - Daniel Johnston
'Dumb' - Nirvana
'Katy Song'/'Grace Cathedral Park' - Red House Painters
'Something Changed' - Pulp (the "when we woke up that morning" bit onwards is one of the most painfully bittersweet things I've ever heard even though it's a happy song)
'A Design For Life' - Manic Street Preachers (their album The Holy Bible is the most depressing album ever made, though this isn't from that album)
'Let Down' - Radiohead
'Kiss Me' - Sixpence None the Richer (I admit it)
'Chicken Wire' - The Pernice Brothers (I read this was voted the saddest song somewhere and it's pretty damn sad)
'I Didn't Understand' (Dutch TV version)/'Everything Means Nothing To Me' - Elliott Smith
'Lost Cause' - Beck
'Bird Gerhl' - Antony & The Johnsons
'This Is My House, This Is My Home (alternate version)' - We Were Promised Jetpacks (and the non alternate version for some reason)
'The Nights Are Cold' - Camera Obscura
'Summers Gone' - You know
'Hello Stranger' - Julia Holter

As for the most lifelessly depressing songs that make me wanna die:
'Torn Between Two Lovers' - Mary MacGregor
'Dust In The Wind' - Kansas
'Linger' - The Cranberries
'All For You' - Sister Hazel
'Angel' - Sarah Mclachlan
'Mad World' - Gary Jules
'I Hope You Dance' - whoever does that song
Anything by Dave Matthews
Most of whats on the radio

[JK]

These are some that aren't objectively the saddest (that'd be impossible anyway, though 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' kinda takes the cake) but these are the songs that even just thinking about them hurt:

As for the most lifelessly depressing songs that make me wanna die:

AC, I'm sure you find the time to smile but looking at your lists I'd be hard pressed to know when.

Just kidding!

[Adult Child]

AC, I'm sure you find the time to smile but looking at your lists I'd be hard pressed to know when.

Just kidding!

Well there's no reason not to be honest haha

[JK]

I can't listen to this (obviously I heard it once). Any emotional songs about young children and pets finish me off but Ralph McTell's "Old Brown Dog" takes the cake----especially when the guitar solo kicks in...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Gke9qekJo

The Byrds' "Old Blue" does similar things to me...

[NOLA BB Fan]

I can't listen to this (obviously I heard it once). Any emotional songs about young children and pets finish me off but Ralph McTell's "Old Brown Dog" takes the cake----especially when the guitar solo kicks in...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5Gke9qekJo

Oh my, that is sad.

Don't know that I have any on that level, but one of my favorite Rick Nelson songs is "Lonesome Town."

Another is the Zombies' "A Rose for Emily" from their incredible Odessey and Oracle album.

[orange22]

Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day

"What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" Jimmy Ruffin

Another is the Zombies' "A Rose for Emily" from their incredible Odessey and Oracle album.

These all get my sad stamp of approval.
I would also add "A Butcher's Tale" from the same Zombies album. That one hits me pretty hard.

[NOLA BB Fan]

I would also add "A Butcher's Tale" from the same Zombies album. That one hits me pretty hard.

Yes indeed, "A Butcher's Tale" is very sad. Had me bawling.
I would put songs like that and Woody Guthrie's "1913 Massacre," which is also gut wrenching, into a special category as they were about actual events. I'd call it the "Sad then Get Mad" category or something.

[FatherOfTheMan Sr101]

Obligatory Cats in the Cradle.

[ForHerCryingSoul]

I listened to "Liability" by Lorde, and it struck a chord with me.