Sad Lines in Sad Songs

[RegisteredUconn]

Carly Simon, in 1971, was way to young and lovely to sing this song. But she killed it :
My father sits at night with no lights on, his cigarette glows in the dark.

"You want to marry me, we'll marry." A pretty good sign that union will "drown in love's debris."

 

[JordyG]

Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings

Perhaps the most heart wrenching movement any quartet has ever played. Even when played poorly it's a masterpiece.

 

[Ozimoto]

Another song that pretty much is sad in every line. "We Have Nothing" by John Lombardo and performed by John and Mary.

"As it hides from sunlight the winter moves on
And now gone like ghosts things we counted upon
The check you promised never came
I beat the windows and bawled your name
We have nothing
I've the feeling this is happening twice
Longtime friendships are now melting like ice
So good with words yet now they fail
As seasons meet and the days grow pale
We have nothing
The long-buried poems the night that we met
And then the hour we swore we'd never forget
The ticking clock moved backwards to
Till I wasn't sure if it was you
People stirring at their windows at dawn
We stood pissing on the constable's lawn
Is that the moon there at the foot of the pool
I was happy now I feel like a fool
Like a curtain dropping down from above
It's as though you had never been loved
We made a list from one to five
Good reasons not to be alive
We nursed our drinks in a workmans bar
We kissed good night in a freezing car
We have nothing"

 

[MSUFan2003]

"I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed."

It can't get much worse than these lines from "I Dreamed a Dream" from "Les Mis."

 

[CTBballfan243]

"she will suffer the needles chill
she's running to stand still........"

 

[donalddoowop]

"she will suffer the needles chill
she's running to stand still..."

From what song?

 

[Bigboote]

"Snowblind Friend" was written by Hoyt Axton and made popular by Steppenwolf; John Kay was buds with Axton, and this song was written about a friend of theirs. It has lines in it like:

He only had a dollar to live on till next Monday
And he spent it all on comfort for his mind

He said he wanted Heaven but praying was too slow
So he bought a one-way ticket on an airline made of snow

 

[Bigboote]

Carly Simon, in 1971, was way to young and lovely to sing this song. But she killed it :
My father sits at night with no lights on, his cigarette glows in the dark.

That may be my favorite song from a TV concert. Whoever designed that dress for her deserves a Nobel Prize. She did a really good rendition of "Anticipation" in that show, too.

 

[JordyG]

Sorry guys, but how could I ever have forgotten this song? Anyone that has ever suffered through loss or the fear of loss during childbirth knows what's behind this song.

Kate Bush - This Woman's Work

"Oh, darling, make it go, Make it go away".

 

[CTBballfan243]

From what song?

U2 - Running To Stand Still

 

[meyers7]

"she will suffer the needles chill
she's running to stand still..."

From what song?

U2 - Running To Stand Still

Great song.

 

[CTBballfan243]

I like this version

 

[CTBballfan243]

And this Version from Zoo TV is really good

 

[DriveLH]

"Elanore Rigby died in the church
and was buried, along with her name.
(Nobody came).
Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave.
(No one was saved)."

 

[Bama fan]

That may be my favorite song from a TV concert. Whoever designed that dress for her deserves a Nobel Prize. She did a really good rendition of "Anticipation" in that show, too.

I love the song, and the dress. She is one of my favorites, and was just stunningly lovely that night.

 

[Ozimoto]

"I'm so lonesome I could cry," BJ Thomas.

 

[seeya27]

I literally cannot listen

First thought would be Joe South with "walk a mile in my shoes."
Then this.....

When "Tears in Heaven' comes on the radio, I immediately turn the station. A father singing about his lost child is more painful than I can comprehend.

 

[Purduke]

Not just the lyrics, per se. But the lyrics plus the performance of the song, her death and a life that felt filled with regret. For me, a gut kicker.


One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home and I hope he finds it
Well, I'd trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', and that's all that Bobby left me
Well, feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
And feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee, yeah

 

[Vowelguy]

Clearly the saddest ever:

"Rocky Top, you will always be, home sweet home to me."

 

[vtcwbuff]

There's a lot of lines in this song but here is the one that gets me every time.

Trent Reznor - Hurt

"Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here"

Even sadder was Cash's version. An old man reflecting on his life and preparing for his end. Maybe a generational thing?

 

[JordyG]

Even sadder was Cash's version. An old man reflecting on his life and preparing for his end. Maybe a generational thing?

The question was sad lines from sad songs and Reznor was the writer. But if you'll notice I did note in a previous post that the best version is and probanly will be Cash's version. I also noted that, aside from being a reflection upon his life it was a gift of tragic honesty to his family and his fans. Even Reznor thought so. I'm a big fan of Maxwell's version of Kate Bush's song "This Woman's Work" as well, and in some ways I prefer it, but I felt Bush wrote it and deserved the credit.

 

[Bama fan]

Not sure if this was posted, but it is so sad, and beautiful.

 

[Bama fan]

Existentially sad:

 

[Bama fan]

This one , or Oh, Death. Not sure which is more dolorous.

 

[Bigboote]

Kathy Mattea -- Where've you been. I just about died crying the first time I heard the last verse when she was on Carson. I find dementia (which runs in my family) sad and absolutely terrifying.

Claire soon lost her memory,
Forgot the names of family.
She never spoke a word again,
Then one day, they wheeled him in.
He held her hand and stroked her hair,
In a fragile voice she said:

"Where've you been? "
"I've looked for you forever and a day."
"Where've you been?"
"I'm just not myself when you're away."
"No, I'm just not myself when you're away."