I have always been a huge fan of sad songs. I decided to begin this thread to have discussions about our favorites and any behind the scenes stories we may know, sharing personal stories, etc. I will start this off with my all-time favorite song of any genre. Please feel free to comment and tell me about your favorites.
The melody for "Yesterday" came to Paul McCartney in a dream. When he awoke, he assumed that it was an old tune that he had heard when he was younger. He played it on a piano for John, George, Ringo and George Martin, thinking that they would remember it, but none of them did. He played it for his father, but he was unaware of it. He wrote the music down and titled it "Scrambled Eggs", since that was what he had for breakfast that morning. It was not unusual for him to come up with a melody on his own. Usually, he and John would work on the lyrics together, but for "Yesterday", Paul wrote almost all of it on his own. George Martin did help with the orchestration. The song debuted on the US Billboard on September 25, 1965. The flip side was "Act Naturally", a Buck Owens song sang by Ringo. That song peaked at #47, while Yesterday was #1 for four weeks.
Yesterday has been recorded by more than 2,500 different artists. It is the most often covered song of all time. Please share your comments/stories about Yesterday.
I was really hoping that someone else would've posted something else by now, but I do have plenty to say about sad songs (big surprise), so here is my second favorite sad song. Some may quibble whether it is a sad song or not, but the incredible two part harmony between Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield brings a tear to my eye.
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' debuted on the US Billboard charts on Dec. 12, 1964. It reached #1 and stayed there for two weeks. According to BMI, it was the first song to be played 8 million times on the radio. The song about the pain and sadness of a love that was fading away was the perfect song to turn a duo who was stuck in the middle of the charts to a radio sensation. It was the first of their six top ten songs.
I was 12 when it hit the charts. I was ripe for the teen angst. I played that 45 hundreds of times.
Songs that choke me up/bring a tear:
Labelled With Love (Squeeze)
Tears in Heaven
In the Arms of the Angels
Danny Boy (old, but still true)
He Went to Paris (Buffet)
Oklahoma USA (The Kinks)
There are more, can't think of them now.
My contribution to the "sad song" list is "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton! and Will Jennings. The song was featured in the 1991 film "Rush" soundtrack. The song was written about the pain that Clapton experienced after the death of his 4 year old son! It is Clapton's best selling single! When the song came out I was 10 and even then I found the song extremely moving!
I'm not prepared to post the video here because of my intense reaction to it! I have heard the song twice in the past three years at funerals! The first was at my husband's 3 years ago and the last 2 years ago at my 2year old daughter's funeral! My reaction to the song is palpable...
"Love Hurts" in the Roy Orbison version, it was originally done by the Everly Brothers (IIRC) and the most famous version, at least in my circles, is by Nazareth but Orbison's seems to capture the pain in the lyrics more.
And sticking with Roy (who had the perfect voice for hurtin' songs), his classic "Crying" done by either him or K.D. Lang (or both in one case).
Harry Nilsson was really creative. No two songs of his sounded alike. His album Nilsson Schmilsson was a true classic. The songs were all over the map, musically. One was a song written by two members of the band Badfinger. It also featured Gary Wright on keyboards. Without You was Harry's only #1 song. It debuted on the US Billboard charts on Dec. 18, 1971. It hit #1 and stayed there for four weeks. The recording technique made use of quadraphonic techniques to make it sound like Harry's voice was all around you. Sadness almost doesn't suffice to describe this song. It tears your heart out and stomps on it. Great song!
For sad songs, I nominate:
Love in Vain - Rolling Stones' version of the Robert Johnson song
Love Reign O'Er Me & Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
Almost Blue - Elvis Costello
Brass in Pocket - the Pretenders
Love Hurts. I think I might have heard it as a board mix. I probably had it as a cassette from back in the day. I'll look for it.
Art and Entertainment was the only place I looked.
Fire and Rain
Birdy
Just yesterday morning, they let me know that you were gone.
Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you.
I walked out this morning and I wrote down this song,
I just can't remember who to send it to.
I've seen fire and I've seen rain.
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,
But I always thought that I'd see you again.
Won't you look down upon me, Jesus,
You've got to help me make a stand.
You've just got to see me through another day.
My body's aching and my time is at hand
And I won't make it any other way.
Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain.
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,
But I always thought that I'd see you again.
Been walking my mind to an easy time, my back turned towards the sun.
Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around.
Well, there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about things to come.
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.
Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain.
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,
But I always thought that I'd see you baby, one more time again, now.
Thought I'd see you one more time again.
There's just a few things coming my way this time around, now.
Thought I'd see you, thought I'd see you, fire and rain, now.
Songwriters: James Taylor / James V Taylor
Fire and Rain debuted on the US Billboard charts on Sep. 12, 1970. It peaked at #3. It was his first single. He was the first solo artist signed to Apple Records.
"Teddy Bear" by Red Sovine..."You And Me Against The World" by Helen Reddy..."Don't Cry Daddy" by Elvis Presley
One For My Baby - recorded by Frank Sinatra very clever and sophisticated but all the sadder for that.
Missing - Everything But The Girl
Caroline No - Brian Wilson
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