Songs that make the air dusty

the sweetest song i sing -- tim o'brien
beeswing -- richard thompson
boots of spanish leather -- nanci griffith's version of the dylan song
so many roads -- grateful dead
this must be the place (naive melody) -- talking heads
in my life -- the beatles
ruben and cerise -- yonder mountain string band's version of the dead song

they don't get me all the time, and when they do, they get me for various emotions. and there are more.

heck, elton john's 'indian sunset' does it sometimes.

 

Winter and Me And A Gun -- Tori Amos, both for reasons known only to me

 

"Touched By An Angel" -- Stevie Nicks

 

Time -- Alan Parsons Project

The Rainbow Connection -- Kermit the Frog (always makes me think of dying kids)

 

"My Love Has Gone" - Josh Rouse

 

I Know You By Heart -- Lee Lessack (Any number of people have done versions, but his is the one that comes to mind)

You left in autumn
The leaves were turning
I walked down roads of orange and gold
I saw your sweet smile
I heard your laughter
You're still here beside me every day
’Cause I know you by heart

My mom died in October, and when he gets to the line "You left in autumn, the leaves were turning..." I am bawling like a small child.

Also How Can I Help You Say Goodbye by Patty Loveless. Oh, man.

He's My Son -- Mark Schultz Also a killer.

 

Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own-U2
You're Missing-Bruce
Running for Home-Matthew Good Band
Never Around-Pat McGee Band
Wonderwall-Oasis

There are probably more, a few I'm probably ashamed to admit. I have personal reasons for most of them.

 

Four of these go on the list because they're among (if not THE) last things these folks ever recorded, which adds a little poignancy on top of them:
"Get It While You Can," Janis Joplin
"Barcelona," Freddie Mercury
Marvin Gaye's "Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star Game
"Hurt," Johnny Cash (also, his version of Nick Cave's "Mercy Seat")

On to some living people:
"Swinging Party," Replacements: classic lugubrious drunken midnight singalong ballad (substitute "Here Comes a Regular" if you wish)
"Heaven," Talking Heads (the acoustic version from "Stop Making Sense")
"Show Me Heaven," Maria McKee (NOT the one you hear in "Days of Thunder," but the demo from her compilation CD, with just organ and percussion)
"In the Backseat," Arcade Fire: even before learning this was about her deceased mom, Regine Chassagne ripped my guts out. And the end, when she wails over the jamming guitar and violins...words fail me.

 

Am not a big C&W fan, especially old C&W, but I'll make an exception for "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones:

He said I'll love you 'til I die
She told him you'll forget in time
As the years went slowly by
She still preyed upon his mind

He kept her picture on his wall
Went half crazy now and then
He still loved her through it all
Hoping she'd come back again

Kept some letters by his bed
Dated 1962
He had underlined in red
Every single I love you

I went to see him just today
Oh but I didn't see no tears
All dressed up to go away
First time I'd seen him smile in years

(Chorus)
He stopped loving her today
They placed a wreath upon his door
And soon they'll carry him away
He stopped loving her today

(Spoken)
You know she came to see him one last time
Oh and we all wondered if she would
And it kept running through my mind
This time he's over her for good

 

"Cats in the Cradle" - Harry Chapin
"You Could Happy" - Snow Patrol
"Father of Mine" - Everclear
"House of Pain" - Faster Pussycat
"Goodbye My Lover" - James Blunt

 

I think Iris is the name of the song you're looking for. It was on Throwing Copper and is about a woman who dies giving birth to a daughter.

 

You mean Lightning Crashes?