Songs That Make You Cry

[Chi City 81]

The Great Gig in the Sky
Wish You Were Here

 

[ServeItUp]

Bagpipe music of any kind. Not sure why but I do like it.

The trio version of "Christmastime is Here," by Vince Guaraldi. Spend enough holidays away from your family and the melancholy vibe will get to you, too. Beautiful chord structure as well.

Also, there's a stanza from "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" that gets to me as I search for my spiritual self while leaving organized religion behind:

"You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains
Carried the cross and all my shame, all my shame
You know I believe it
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

"Great Gig in the Sky" as well; very haunting vocals. Along these lines, Chino Moreno's descant/cadenza from the Deftones' "Knife Prty" is pretty strong, too. And from the soundtrack to "O Brother Where Art Thou," Gillian Welch and Allison Krauss' duet of "I'll Fly Away."

 

[joe]

He Stopped Loving Her Today.

Bought the greatest hits CD a year or so ago. First time I'd really heard the song since my '70s country-music listening youth. Godalmighty. That song is so ****ing sad it's unreal. George Jones is a god for that alone.
Some songs give me chills, but that one breaks my heart. Every time.

 

[kingcreole]

Amazing Grace, mainly because during my altar boy days, it was played at every damn funeral, including one funeral I did of a 4-year-old boy.

"Nobody Knows Me" (not sure who sings it) depresses the hell out of me.

But the other song that really gets me "You Gave Me a Mountain" by Elvis Presley.

She took my one ray of sunshine.
She took my pride and my joy
She took my one reason for living
She took my small baby boy

Well, this time, Lord You gave me a mountain ...
A mountain that I may never climb.

 

[joe]

"At Least That's What You Said." Right now. Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Perfect.

 

[writing irish]

Since we've all proven how secure we are in our selves on the movie thread, this seemed like a natural, because I heard one of my primo dustraisers on the radio tonight: Mary Chapin Carpenter's "The Moon and St. Christopher."

To which I would add:
Four Green Fields.
Unfaithful Servant (especially the Rock of Ages track)
Desperadoes Waiting For A Train (Guy Clark)
Crazy (Patsy Cline)
Song Is Over (The Who)
and, one for ESJ
Bobby Jean.

Have at it.

Damn, Fenian, I didn't even know that anyone from your neck of the woods had even HEARD "Desperadoes Waiting for a Train." Thought it was just a Texas thing. But that song, above all others, has the ability to evoke tears from me. My dear old grandad. Most solid man I've ever known, and I imagine that'll be the case no matter how many years I linger on this earth.

As far as boy-girl tear-jerkers go, "No Easy Way to Cry" by David Gray is probably at the top. Amazing tune, but damn, a gut-wrencher.

Close behind: "Meet Me Other Side," also by David Gray. A careless listener might think it's about death, but no, it's about a bad breakup. In other words, we'll never speak again, but the part of me that still longs for you hopes to be reunited with you in the next world. "Love's a raven when it flies...Honey, now if I'm honest, I still don't know what love is." Chilling.

 

[joe]

Morphine's "Gone For Good." Unaware it was on the CD, heard it as I left SoCal for good.

 

[Write-brained]

Some older songs from my depressed days.
"Joey" - Concrete Blonde
"Crazy Baby" - Joan Osborne
"Father of Mine" - Everclear

 

[sportschick]

Strawberry Wine -- not so much the lyrics, but it brings back some really depressing memories.

 

[joe]

"Joey" always hit a little too close to home.

 

[Clever username]

"Joey" always hit a little too close to home.

I'm guessing it's a different version than the Bob Dylan one?

 

[joe]

Yeah, and I saw Concrete Blonde in concert in 1993. Drunk as ****, pissed my girlfriend off something special.

 

[writing irish]

Strawberry Wine -- not so much the lyrics, but it brings back some really depressing memories.

Sorry to hear that, SC. For me, it brings back memories of the summer between my freshman and sophomore years of college. I was sacking groceries at the Winn Dixie in Granbury, Texas. Had a summer romance with a sweet local girl who was still in high school. "He had a car." Yup, I had the role of the older guy with the younger girl. Lots of sweet, sweaty action in the field behind the Dairy Queen while the cicadas chirped and cattle moo-ed in the background. Straight out of a McMurtry novel.
"A few cards and letters and one long distance call
We drifted away like the leaves in the fall"
Pretty much. Sorry your associations with this song aren't so lighthearted. :-\

 

[sportschick]

"Joey" always hit a little too close to home.

I'm guessing it's a different version than the Bob Dylan one?

Very

Joey, baby - dont get crazy
Detours. fences... I get defensive
I know youve heard it all before -
So I dont say it anymore
I just stand by and watch you
Fight your secret war.
Although I used to wonder why -
I used to cry till I was dry.
Still sometimes I get a strange pain
Inside
Oh, joey, if youre hurting so am i.

Joey, honey - I got some money
All is forgiven. listen, listen
And if I seem to be confused
I didnt mean to be with you.
And when you said I scared you,
Well I guess you scared me too.
But we got lucky once before
And if youre somewhere out there
Passed out on the floor.
Oh joey, Im not angry anymore.

 

[Smallpotatoes]

The Famous Final Scene by Bob Seger

 

[joe]

That's the one.

 

[Write-brained]

Couple more from the same general era:

"Change" - Blind Melon
"Runaway Train" Soul Asylum, especially when I see the video.

And I definitely second "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes. Been to too many servicemen, police officers and firefighters funerals where that was played ... the minute it starts I have to think of something else entirely ...

 

[KG]

Pretty much every song already mentioned will tear me up, especially Whiskey Lullaby right now for literal and figurative reasons. Deteriorate by Demon Hunter (it's actually a Christian group) makes me sad. So does Over by Evans Blue and Already Gone by Crossfade.
Actually, lately I've been on this emotional roller coaster. Add any make you sick full of "oh how I love you" lyrics song to the list.


Here's a weird one. I didn't cry, but last night I was in stare at the wall and pout mode with Pantera's Planet Caravan. In my defense, that's a really mellow song.

 

[Clever username]

Soul Asylum's Misery -- heard at the end of Clerks 2 -- can make things dusty as well.

 

[writing irish]

Re: "Joey." Not to threadjack, but "Desire" by Bob Dylan is a very underrated album. "Joey" isn't all that great, but "Isis," "Black Diamond Bay" and "Sara" are awesome. I always found it compelling that Dylan could pen such a moving tribute to Sara- the original sad-eyed lady of the lowlands- years after the affair had fizzled.