Music That Makes Me Want to Cry

 

I got thoroughly hooked on Arahant’s Friday post about music that makes you want to dance. All it takes is one dance song, and I’m in that mindset; it’s not hard to conjure track after track to keep the party going. Not every song in the thread did it for me, and I’m sure some of mine would keep most folks in their seats, but it was still a great thread and a great Friday playlist.

Music can transport me in a hurry. It’s similar for other moods. I have go-to hymns for getting into a more spiritual frame of mind. K-Pop existed when I lived in Korea, but it’s more traditional Korean music that takes me back to the streets of Seoul. But when I think of Ireland, I’m more likely to think of the Saw Doctors or U2 than “Danny Boy” and trad. Blues standards can take me back to times I was feeling low and the songs that gave me comfort.

If I’m in a mood for crying? There are times; tears can be cathartic. Tears of joy and love can transport me to memories of dear friends and family. There are times tears of empathy spur us to action. If you hear a few bars of Sarah McLauchlan’s “In the Arms of an Angel” and don’t instantly picture sad rescue pets, I envy you. And music is a quick way to get there.

To get the ball rolling, I narrowed my list down to three.

In my senior year of high school, I sang in a madrigal choir. Our director, Mr. Schmitt, had been beloved at the school for its entire quarter-century existence; he was retiring at the end of the year, ending an era. For all the songs we sang together, it was Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band” that resonated most. Even then, it was hard to reach the end without crying. (Teenage hormones make crack seem as addictive as 1% milk.) He passed just two years later and the song took on even more poignant feelings. Listening to it takes me back to some of my fondest memories in high school and the people who made such a lasting impression.

“In the Arms of an Angel” is a cliche these days, but music as motivation has a long history. It can spur deeper empathy, open your eyes and heart to suffering you may have known previously only in the abstract. I’m not generally a fan of rage metal, but there’s something about Five Finger Death Punch that hits me in a visceral way. Their music video about the plight of homeless veterans is a gut punch. It wrenches the tears from me, and it’s hard not to be moved to donate after viewing.

The tabernacle in Provo, UT, was renovated when I lived there in the 1980s and 1990s and hosted not just religious services, but community events. One of the first was a concert featuring Reunion, consisting of original members of the 1960s pop sensation The Lettermen. I went, not knowing what to expect. It was a pleasant enough evening with a trio of singers my mom liked way back when but the finale blew me away. Jim Pike, the former lead singer, had left the group when his voice started giving out. For decades he wasn’t sure he’d ever sing again. That he was back was, for him, a true miracle, and one of his Lettermen favorites had taken on new meaning as he worked his way back to the music he loved. When he finished singing “The Impossible Dream,” with that bit of background, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Postscript: Not many years later, after I’d moved away, the Provo Tabernacle was gutted by a fire. It was devastating to the community and hurt my heart to see it when I returned for a visit. The exterior was largely intact, but the fire damage was obvious. The LDS church announced that the tabernacle would not just be restored, but would be turned into one of its functioning temples. Its original builders would be astounded to see it today – itself, but also so much more. Inside and out, it is a tribute to the community. And when I hear “The Impossible Dream,” I think not only of Jim Pike, but of the building where he shared his impossible dream with us, and its own impossible dream fulfilled.  And my heart swells.

I could go on, but I’m more interested in the songs that bring you to tears, and why. And, is it something you seek out or are there songs you try to avoid because you’d rather not relive those memories? I imagine we’ll see more of the former, but I welcome either. Happy Monday!

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  1. Dotorimuk Coolidge
    Dotorimuk
    @Dotorimuk

    • #31
  2. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    • #32
  3. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    • #33
  4. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    • #34
  5. Jim Beck Inactive
    Jim Beck
    @JimBeck

    Evening Jim,

    Here’s the Clancy Bros and Tommy Makem

    • #35
  6. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    • #36
  7. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    This is probably the saddest song I know, although it does not make me cry.

     

    • #37
  8. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):
    This is probably the saddest song I know, although it does not make me cry.

    I considered putting that one out, but agree, it didn’t make me cry.

    • #38
  9. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):
    This is probably the saddest song I know, although it does not make me cry.

    I considered putting that one out, but agree, it didn’t make me cry.

    The other ones I listed earlier have frequently put tears in my eyes. This song rips my heart out, but doesn’t tear me up.  I’m not sure why.

     

    • #39
  10. CACrabtree Coolidge
    CACrabtree
    @CACrabtree

    When it comes to tear jerkers, country music is in a class by itself.  Need proof?  He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones and Where’ve You Been by Kathy Mattea.

    • #40
  11. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    Oh my god, I could list songs here all night. I tear up stupidly easily.

    But I’ll go with my first reaction – I have heard this 8 billion times, and I am an absolute mess by the end of it every time.

    • #41
  12. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    And here’s the other one. Absolute mess. What can be more gut-wrenchingly romantic than this?

    • #42
  13. Concretevol Thatcher
    Concretevol
    @Concretevol

    When it comes to songs that make you cry……..this is the one.   Especially with this video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMrJB1uhu64

    • #43
  14. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    And to complete the trifecta of songs that leave me an absolute puddle, I give you some of the most stirring music ever written, Siegfried’s Funeral March from Gotterdammerung. Destroys me!

    • #44
  15. Dotorimuk Coolidge
    Dotorimuk
    @Dotorimuk

    Arahant (View Comment):

    The Elvis version of Old Shep killed me as a kid. If it came up on my dad’s 8-track, I had to go outside.

    • #45
  16. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Dotorimuk (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    The Elvis version of Old Shep killed me as a kid. If it came up on my dad’s 8-track, I had to go outside.

    I considered using that one instead.

    • #46
  17. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    And to complete the trifecta of songs that leave me an absolute puddle, I give you some of the most stirring music ever written, Siegfried’s Funeral March from Gotterdammerung. Destroys me!

    I like it a lot, but it doesn’t make me cry.

    • #47
  18. Mim526 Inactive
    Mim526
    @Mim526

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Columbo (View Comment):
    This one always makes me cry … for the pathetic lyrics, and his realistically pathetic rendition.

    You should hear my brother sing it. Thank Cod there are no recordings. Playing that would be a crime against humanity.

    Hey…serious crying afoot here.  No laughing *grin*

    • #48
  19. Cow Girl Thatcher
    Cow Girl
    @CowGirl

    Nothing beats “He Stopped Loving Her Today”…. except maybe “The Grand Tour”-another George Jones one that will stab you in your soul.
    “She left me without mercy, taking nothing but our baby and my heart.”

    • #49
  20. Vince Guerra Inactive
    Vince Guerra
    @VinceGuerra

    Highway 20 Ride by Zac Brown Band

    If you’re a child of divorced parents (or the parent) you’ll understand the strain. I wrote about it here

    Also, If You’re Reading This by Tim McGraw, because I have mad respect for American soldiers. 

     

    • #50
  21. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    Percival (View Comment):

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    And to complete the trifecta of songs that leave me an absolute puddle, I give you some of the most stirring music ever written, Siegfried’s Funeral March from Gotterdammerung. Destroys me!

    I like it a lot, but it doesn’t make me cry.

    I think it’s the Lady of the Lake catching the sword.  I told you I tear up easily. :-)

    • #51
  22. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    “Forever Autumn” by the Moody Blues (I hope this is the version without the “War of the Worlds” narrative):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K2b5S3bafM

    • #52
  23. Acook Coolidge
    Acook
    @Acook

    Puff the Magic Dragon

    • #53
  24. D.A. Venters Inactive
    D.A. Venters
    @DAVenters

    Elvis Costello’s “Veronica,” despite the jaunty pop sound of the radio version, is an extremely sad song.  When it came out, late 80’s or early 90’s?, I paid no attention to the lyrics and assumed it was some light love song about a girl named Veronica.

    Years later, I can’t remember why, I discovered the lyrics to it, and I thought “Good Lord, this song is sad!”  It’s about an elderly lady in a nursing home (based, apparently, on Costello’s own grandmother), who drifts in and out of reality, is not sure of her name, can’t quite tell if she’s still young or has gotten old, and is mistreated by the other residents or the staff “who shout her name and steal her clothes.”   In the chorus, the narrator hopes that, wherever she goes in her mind, she’s secretly laughing at those people.  The image you are left with is of a poor lady, once young and vibrant, whose mind, with all her memory and soul, fades in and out like a radio or a tv signal.  The last line of the song: “But she used to have a carefree mind of her own, and a devilish look in her eye /Saying, ‘You can call me anything you like, but my name is Veronica.'”

    Here is a link to the Unplugged version, which I think better captures the mood and theme than the pop radio version:

    • #54
  25. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    For Eddy by Aliotta, Haynes & Jeremiah

    • #55
  26. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    D.A. Venters (View Comment):
    Elvis Costello’s “Veronica,” despite the jaunty pop sound of the radio version, is an extremely sad song. When it came out, late 80’s or early 90’s?, I paid no attention to the lyrics and assumed it was some light love song about a girl named Veronica.

    If you’re going to get into “happy sad songs”, my brothers and I have had discussions about Bruce Springsteens’ “Mary’s Place” from The Rising.  We can’t decide if if the happiest sad song, or the saddest happy song we’ve ever heard.

    Pumped up Kicks is a jaunty little song about a school shooting.

    The lyrics to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville aren’t exactly telling a cheerful story either.

     

     

    • #56
  27. D.A. Venters Inactive
    D.A. Venters
    @DAVenters

    Miffed White Male (View Comment):

    D.A. Venters (View Comment):
    Elvis Costello’s “Veronica,” despite the jaunty pop sound of the radio version, is an extremely sad song. When it came out, late 80’s or early 90’s?, I paid no attention to the lyrics and assumed it was some light love song about a girl named Veronica.

    If you’re going to get into “happy sad songs”, my brothers and I have had discussions about Bruce Springsteens’ “Mary’s Place” from The Rising. We can’t decide if if the happiest sad song, or the saddest happy song we’ve ever heard.

    Pumped up Kicks is a jaunty little song about a school shooting.

    The lyrics to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville aren’t exactly telling a cheerful story either.

    That’s a great question re: “Mary’s Place”  Others on that album aren’t quite as ambiguous – namely “You’re Missing.” Brutal.

     

     

    • #57
  28. MeandurΦ Member
    MeandurΦ
    @DeanMurphy

     

    • #58
  29. ddavewes Member
    ddavewes
    @ddavewes

    Henryk Gorecki – Symphony No. 3, last movement.

    Conducted by the late Krystof Penderecki, sung by Beth Gibbons of Portishead

    A lamentation, slowly moving with block chords mostly in A minor. Around the 7:00 mark, there is a ray of light when the chords shift to A Major.

     

     

    • #59
  30. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    “Don’t You Forget About Me”- Simple Minds

    “Like a Rock”- Bob Seeger

    “New Horizons”- The Moody Blues

    “Wild Mountain Thyme”(“Will Ya Go Lassie, Go”)- Scottish(?) folk song

    “Mission Hall”— version by North Sea Gas( yes, that’s the band’s name)

    “Feed the Birds”(from Mary Poppins)

    “I Can See Clearly Now”(almost any version)

    (And many others)

    • #60
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