Songs that make you weep

[axel]

...at home, in the car, at work, at a gig, anywhere really.

Quite a rare one, but it's 'Pictures Of You' by the Cure. Perhaps i'm just a freak, and yes it is because of a lady.

[Andy C]

Songs that make you weep

There are several that take me into that place,but I'd need a while to think about them.

O Caroline by Matching Mole is one, for starters.

[Neil Kulkarni]

Songs that make you weep

The one Jessie the cowgirl sings in Toy Story 2 about how her original owner left her behind - 'When Somebody Loves You' - always leaves me perilously close (streaming eyes, choked-up throat) to blubbing like a grandmother.

[G-Man]

Songs that make you weep

Much as I form emotional attachments to songs, I can't really get to a place where I would cry for a song, never mind weep. "Pachelbel" by a South African singer called Karma (full name Karma-Ann Swanepoel) is about the only song that brought tears to my eyes.

The line, "I think I smile a little differently
when you’re close by" is quite beautiful.

Download

[evilC]

Songs that make you weep

I could probably make a whole album of them. However, that would probably anaesthetise me towards them to a certain extent and I don't want to do that.

However...

Debussy - 'Clair de Lune'
The Beach Boys - 'Cuddle Up'
Sol Seppy - 'Enter One'

...etc, etc.

They're the three big ones, though.

That piano has something to do with it. It's present on all three. Weird how certain sounds can connect with you.

[Disco Child Ballads]

Songs that make you weep

One sure fire way of getting me to weep buckets is to get mildly drunk and then listen to 'Martha' by Tom Waits.

[Wyatt Earp]

Songs that make you weep

Man, I own this thread. What even slightly sad song doesn't make me weep?

The Emmylou Harris version of To Daddy is the champion, though.

[Wyatt Earp]

Songs that make you weep

Disco Sea Shanties wrote:

One sure fire way of getting me to weep buckets is to get mildly drunk and then listen to 'Martha' by Tom Waits.

I'll try that. Do I PM you to let you know when to start crying?

[evilC]

Songs that make you weep

There's a sub-section here, I think, and that is 'happy songs that make you cry/weep'. Songs that may be kind of positive in their lyrics, but almost in a 'smiling through the heartache' kind of way.

One candidate for that with me is This Mortal Coil's version of 'Til I Gain Control Again'.

[G-Man]

Songs that make you weep

The Emmylou Harris version of To Daddy is the champion, though.

And Boulders To Birmingham. That's very sad too.

I don't think I should admit it, but Luther Vandross' "Dance With My Father" has always put me in a sad mood, a few lyrical inelegances notwithstanding. As does "Don't Cry For Me Argenina", for reasons I've explained elsewhere.

[The Exploding Vole]

Songs that make you weep

The live version of Ray Charles' "You Don't Know Me" and "Just Like the First Time" by Bill Withers.

If you want any others, just holler. I know 'em all.

[HORN]

Songs that make you weep

None would make me cry (I don't need songs, me) but Tim Hardin's Hang Onto a Dream would certainly be mentioned in despatches.

[Mumpo]

Songs that make you weep

That one that Joan Baez does at the end of Silent Running.

[Andy C]

Songs that make you weep

A recent instance: Randy Newman's Feels Like Home.

[Guest]

Songs that make you weep

Without doubt the daddy of them all is 'Family Life' by The Blue Nile.

[Pants]

Songs that make you weep

Suede - The Wild Ones
Dexys Midnight Runners - Reminisce
Bruce Springsteen - Stolen Car
The Cranberries - Ode To My Family
Billy Bragg's version of 'Dolphins'
The Clash - Lost In the Supermarket

[I.Wright]

Songs that make you weep

This, Luke Kelly of the Dubliners singing Scorn Not His Simplicity.

Written by Phil Coulter about his own disabled son.

[Tony C]

Songs that make you weep

'Whispering Pines' by the Band does it for me.

Vocalist Richard Manuel's backstory adds to the poignancy.

Oh, and 'All I Ask' by Crowded House even though they sound just like Jerry and the Pacemakers on this song.

[Wyatt Earp]

Songs that make you weep

I.Wright wrote:

This, Luke Kelly of the Dubliners singing Scorn Not His Simplicity.

Written by Phil Coulter about his own disabled son.

Oh, man. I know that song; don't need to follow the link. But I didn't know the background. I'm struggling not to cry right now, I swear.

[Mitch]

Songs that make you weep

Without doubt the daddy of them all is 'Family Life' by The Blue Nile.

Oh god yes. I haven't heard that song in years, but even thinking of the "wipe the tears from his eyes...family life" bit makes me sniffle.

And that's without me having any kids. I don't think I could get through that song as a parent.

[WOM]

Songs that make you weep

Dunno what it was called, but there was a one hour documentary about Nick Drake a while back. Over the closing credits they were playing some song or other by him. Doesn't really matter which. But they played it over some old Drake family home movies of Nick as a smiling blond 4 year-old looking for all the world like my lad. They were still picking pieces of me off the living room rug the next morning. Getting misty at the moment, too.

[hobbes]

Songs that make you weep

You're all bloody wusses.

[adams house cat]

Songs that make you weep

'Lovin' Arms' - Millie Jackson.

There are others.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Songs that make you weep

We've done this many times but, I've always and will continue, to fail to control myself to:

Tom Waits: Tom Trauberts Blues, On the Nickel and, as already mentioned Martha

Joni Mitchell: Little Green

Karen Dalton: Something On Your Mind

Never Went to Church: The Streets

Dark was the Night: Blind Willie Johnson

Totally soggy, me.

[evilC]

Songs that make you weep

An instrumental tearjerker:

Isan - 'Meet Next Life'



When I was (briefly) on the 4AD messageboard, I asked this same question and a whole load of the people there said this one:

Caroline Lavelle - 'Sleep Now'

...although, personally, that doesn't get to me very much. I left the 4AD messageboard soon after, as they seemed to be a bunch of sanctimonious hippies. Maybe that's got something to do with it?

Only just found out that Lavelle played cello on material by Modern English, Ultra Vivid Scene, Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Cranberries, the Waterboys, Peter Gabriel, Pale Saints and Massive Attack. Blimey!