It's a big question...so many songs are meant to help us past our misery through commiseration and/or a sort of exorcism...so much of folk music, gospel, blues, country...while "everyone" has heard the Beach Boys' "The Warmth of the Sun" and "I Guess I Just Wan't Made for These Times", has the same degree of everyone heard "Arthur" by the Kinks? I know they haven't as easily heard Jasmin Tabitabai's "Another Sad Song" or Jawbox's "Consolation Prize"...or "Kanga Roo," "Holocaust" nor "Nighttime" by Big Star...
The depth of your musical knowledge far surpasses mine. And I don't always hear the lyrics of certain songs. So much better when you could find them inside. Now with downloading, it becomes even harder.
(Almost as I'm almost afraid to ask about what's going down, that I shouldn't've let slip by me in reading your blogs or other communication which made the last month or so notably sadder than most...)
On a happier note (and that perplexed comment was in response to both of you), the lyrics of a lot of songs can be found online, too...albeit not always accurately, and not always on pages free of popups and such (usually trying to sell you the song in question as a ringtone for your cell).
Almost any of Roy Orbison's sad songs, especially "It's Over." "I'm Gonna Be Strong" by Gene Pitney. (I would have loved to hear Orbison do that.) "Wasted Time" by Don Henley (well, The Eagles but it's his solo).
Easily Dan Fogelberg's 'Mountains to the Sea.' With lines like "why a soul with so much heaven in it should ever feel so damned / why it's always so uncomfortable to hold another's hand," it just goes beyond sadness right on into depression for me. Beautiful song but so sad.
Didn't Shelley West and David Frizzell have one called "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" - she's in California and he's not? Love that sad song. Michel
Too many sad songs in my life lately. I'm up for some jug band music.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. Nasty autumn.
ReplyDeleteIt's a big question...so many songs are meant to help us past our misery through commiseration and/or a sort of exorcism...so much of folk music, gospel, blues, country...while "everyone" has heard the Beach Boys' "The Warmth of the Sun" and "I Guess I Just Wan't Made for These Times", has the same degree of everyone heard "Arthur" by the Kinks? I know they haven't as easily heard Jasmin Tabitabai's "Another Sad Song" or Jawbox's "Consolation Prize"...or "Kanga Roo," "Holocaust" nor "Nighttime" by Big Star...
ReplyDeleteAnd dare they?
The depth of your musical knowledge far surpasses mine. And I don't always hear the lyrics of certain songs. So much better when you could find them inside. Now with downloading, it becomes even harder.
ReplyDelete(Almost as I'm almost afraid to ask about what's going down, that I shouldn't've let slip by me in reading your blogs or other communication which made the last month or so notably sadder than most...)
ReplyDeleteOn a happier note (and that perplexed comment was in response to both of you), the lyrics of a lot of songs can be found online, too...albeit not always accurately, and not always on pages free of popups and such (usually trying to sell you the song in question as a ringtone for your cell).
ReplyDeleteI got dumped in a Circuit City 25 years ago while about 50 television sets were playing this video behind me. It's very funny now.
ReplyDeleteAlmost any of Roy Orbison's sad songs, especially "It's Over." "I'm Gonna Be Strong" by Gene Pitney. (I would have loved to hear Orbison do that.) "Wasted Time" by Don Henley (well, The Eagles but it's his solo).
ReplyDeleteJeff M.
Patti - Oh, this one really is a good, good sad song...
ReplyDeleteEasily Dan Fogelberg's 'Mountains to the Sea.' With lines like "why a soul with so much heaven in it should ever feel so damned / why it's always so uncomfortable to hold another's hand," it just goes beyond sadness right on into depression for me. Beautiful song but so sad.
ReplyDeleteAlmost as many sad songs as there are sad feelings to go with them, but the first one that popped into my head was "Is It A Crime" by Sade.
ReplyDeleteI suppose most sad songs (as opposed to tearjerkers like "Honey") boil down to the line, "Why can't you love me the way I love you."
Or as Hank Williams put it, "Why don't you love me like you used to do?"
ReplyDeleteVincent by Don McLean
ReplyDeleteDidn't Shelley West and David Frizzell have one called "You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma" - she's in California and he's not?
ReplyDeleteLove that sad song.
Michel