Similarly, the original song by Tears for Fears sounds really upbeat and happy, but you'd never know it was a sad song unless you paid attention to the lyrics. I love both versions!
The different renditions tell slightly different stories IMO. There's also a very fine bardcore version by Hildegard von Blingin' that changes it to the story of a regretful immortal by only altering maybe 20% of the lines. I like all three versions for different reasons.
Jolene as covered by Jack White. Dolly Parton singing it is also great, but to me it comes off as just another country song about infidelity. When Jack White covers it, it seems to take on a whole other perspective, but I guess that also depends on the listener too and what they project onto it.
Sad to me a lot of times means stuff about time passing and getting older or things changing, so most of these are along that line. Some of the ones I think of first:
Favorite is relative, usually the one I'm listening to at the moment. But I keep coming back to the Okkervil River album, The Stand-Ins. It's a companion album to The Stage Names, about the losers and also-rans, so it's full of sad songs.
My favorites, though, are the last two:
Calling and Not Calling My Ex, about a man who stagnated after breaking up with his girlfriend while she pursued her career. (Rumored to be inspired by Will Sheff's relationship with Scarlett Johansen.)
Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979. Campbell was the first openly-gay rock star under the name Jobriath, and now mostly forgotten. He was manipulated and exploited by his manager/agent, and retired from music in 1975 to an apartment on the roof of the Chelsea Hotel. He died there of AIDS in 1983.
I don't like "favorite" or even top ten, as there are so many things out there that classify as good in a category. But two recent ones I reheard that came to mind were "Empty Garden" by Elton John and "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette
I Am The Antichrist To You by Kishi Bashi.
My first time listening to it was in the Rick and Morty Episode with Planetina. I loved it and looked it up afterwards. Love the video too, still gets me a little sad every time.
The Gary Jules cover of Mad World, for the Donnie Darko soundtrack.
Similarly, the original song by Tears for Fears sounds really upbeat and happy, but you'd never know it was a sad song unless you paid attention to the lyrics. I love both versions!
Agreed, in a similar vein I am reminded of Dear God by XTC.
That is such a great cover.
Hurt by Johnny Cash.
Fast Car by Tracy Chapman.
As much as I admire and respect Johnny Cash, I prefer the original bij Nine Inch Nails . Paging /c/unpopularopinion
The different renditions tell slightly different stories IMO. There's also a very fine bardcore version by Hildegard von Blingin' that changes it to the story of a regretful immortal by only altering maybe 20% of the lines. I like all three versions for different reasons.
There are a lot. I have a long playlist called "mope" But the first song that came to mind is:
"Blue Valentine" by Tom Waits. https://youtu.be/wsw0aWXufqM
Boulevard of Broken Dreams by Green Day
Mazzy Star - Into Dust
Thats cheating.
Mad World - specifically the Gary Jules version. Even Tears For Fears like what he did with it.
Round Here by Counting Crows
Nine Inch Nails - "Leaving Hope" and "And All That Could Have Been"
I have a few.
Sonny by New Found Glory
My December by Linkin Park
Adam's Song by Blink 182
The night we met - Lord Huron
Arms of an Angel, Sarah McLaughlan
Youth of the Nation - POD (kind of like Adam's Song).
World at Large - Modest Mouse
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel (based on Anne Franke).
To Build a Home - Cinematic Orchestra
There were some others already mentioned. Very powerful.
Had a pretty rough year last year. Dear Agony - Breaking Benjamin was my sad song of choice.
Jolene as covered by Jack White. Dolly Parton singing it is also great, but to me it comes off as just another country song about infidelity. When Jack White covers it, it seems to take on a whole other perspective, but I guess that also depends on the listener too and what they project onto it.
Ok, so this song is arguably more of a depression song than a sad song, but it's a great song. Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies
Landslide by Stevie Nicks/Fleetwood Mac
Great song, but in my personal opinion, Smashing Pumpkins cover is better, even though I don't like them as a band.
Depends on why I'm listening to sad music. But I'm an unrepentent goth, so Ive got a LOT if sad music. These are a few of my favourites:
“And I don't care what you're called
Tell me later, if at all
I can wait a long, long time
Before I hear another love song”
Sad to me a lot of times means stuff about time passing and getting older or things changing, so most of these are along that line. Some of the ones I think of first:
Time, Fat Old Sun, and High Hopes by Pink Floyd
In My Life by The Beatles (also Ozzy)
Hurt by Johnny Cash (orginally NiN)
Preaching the End of the World by Chris Cornell
There Was a Light Here by Demon Hunter
“Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way…”
Blonde Redhead, "For the Damaged"
"Somewhere Out There " from American Tail
Amanda Palmer's The Bed Song (YT link)
Lately I get got by Rise Against's People Live Here (YT link)
How To Save A Life by The Fray
Lost Shadow by Gunship
The National - About Today
Radiohead - Pyramid Song
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell (album)
All My Love by London Grammar. Retrograde by James Blake.
Jacques Brel - Ne me quitte pas
The Magnetic Fields — "100,000 Fireflies"
Goddamn it, OP, you've destroyed me. Thank you for listening to my mix tape.
Gate of Steiner
Glay - Kanojo
I have no idea where I first got that song, but I've had it as an mp3 for at least 20 years at this point.
Don’t have a specific favourite, but this is in the mix: Suicide Cargo Load
Edit: Rest of the album is as emotionally heavy.
Chemo limo by Regina Spektor is mine.
Beautiful song, but it can be too sad for me sometimes if I'm in a more empathetic mind frame
Oldie but Goldie & the saddest song I've ever heard: Gilbert O'Sullivan - Alone Again (Naturally)
Steve / King Park / No one was driving the car all by La Dispute
Honourable mentions for "In this shirt" by The Irrepressibles and "Ordinary Loss" by HEALTH
Roads by Portishead.
There's the absolute classic: Halpelujah by Leonard Cohen which is just a beautiful song about the end of love
But my personal favorite is: I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie, really the whole Plans album is amazing and wrecks me still.
Deference for Darkness - Halo 3 ODST Soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9kT1xIpZ4E
Favorite is relative, usually the one I'm listening to at the moment. But I keep coming back to the Okkervil River album, The Stand-Ins. It's a companion album to The Stage Names, about the losers and also-rans, so it's full of sad songs.
My favorites, though, are the last two:
Calling and Not Calling My Ex, about a man who stagnated after breaking up with his girlfriend while she pursued her career. (Rumored to be inspired by Will Sheff's relationship with Scarlett Johansen.)
Bruce Wayne Campbell Interviewed on the Roof of the Chelsea Hotel, 1979. Campbell was the first openly-gay rock star under the name Jobriath, and now mostly forgotten. He was manipulated and exploited by his manager/agent, and retired from music in 1975 to an apartment on the roof of the Chelsea Hotel. He died there of AIDS in 1983.
When You Go, by Jonathan Coulton
Bright Eyes - When Winter Ends. https://youtu.be/5-B7va1HaF0
Ahh shit. I read the rest of this thread, and an honorable mention is Tom Waits - Long Way Home. https://youtu.be/hdyscH9TsnA
Keia by Colliding With Mars
The saddest song in the world
The Black Heart Procession • A Light So Dim
Hope
Waylon Jennings - Drinking and dreaming
Barry Manilow- Looks like we made it.
Currently it is Mother Pray for Me by The Beths
"I Lost a Friend" Finneas
https://www.shazam.com/song/1720941624/i-lost-a-friend
Are a few that come to mind
Honorable mentions:
Don't Wake the Scarecrow by The Felice Brothers
This was a favorite for a long time, by the high water marks: https://thehighwatermarks.bandcamp.com/track/suicide
Markdown fornatting is really tedious to do on the phone so I'm not going to fix that more.
But the song sounds upbeat, but it's lyrics are a sad loop they want to break and also don't want to.
You and the Candles by Hawksley Workman
"Dead Flag Blues" by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
They removed their songs from all streaming services, though.
We Dont talk anymore - Charlie Puth
Eloise - Friends Who Kiss
Somе loves go on and last
Some loves end like this
If you're in the mood. She genuinely just like to write bleak sad song, her discography is full of song like these.
Sam
Here's a few off the top of my head:
Joy Division - Komakino The God Machine - Picture of a Bleeding Boy The Cure - Endsong Amenra - A Solitary Reign
Grace - Jim McCann
Promise of Sleep by the Jody Grind:
https://youtu.be/nmyRm21WRPc
I don't like "favorite" or even top ten, as there are so many things out there that classify as good in a category. But two recent ones I reheard that came to mind were "Empty Garden" by Elton John and "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette
Brave Faces, Everyone by Spanish Love Songs. Actually, pretty much their whole discography matches the question.
Needle in the hay - Eliott Smith Burritos - Sublime
Freaking amazing song.
White Sparrows by Billy Talent always gets to me when I listen to it
They gave her one more day
To say the words I couldn't say
I'm crying in pain, crying in pain
And I'm not looking for answers
No, I'm not looking for answers
But dear God, why did you choose her?
White sparrows fell from heaven and carried her away
Black arrows cut the strings of my heart, I kneel and pray
Gets me every time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzdF77CoLE0
I got some news on you from a friend
you’re in Charlotte again
teaching Spanish at high school
he said you’re going by Joy
you cut your hair like a boy
& you don’t talk to your old friends
I found a picture from before the fight
we’re in natural light
& you’re sitting on my lap
like everything’s alright
I’ve walked around with you on my mind
the names we used at the time
you know I’ve changed myself since then
I’ve thought on things that we said
what if we’d had the kid
I guess he’d be 15
I found a picture from before the fight
we’re in natural light
& you’re sitting on my lap
like everything’s alright
Adam's Song by Blink 182
Your heart is a muscle the size of your fist by Ramshackle Glory
Haunted by Deep Purple. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bigkSWMEUQ0
"Last Kiss" the Pearl Jam version
And honorable mention to:
"The Last Remaining Light" by Audioslave
Marrow by 36 Crazyfists
Emmylou Harris wrote two of my tearjerker songs. Both amazing and so sad.
Red Dirt Girl, and Boulder to Birmingham.
I Am The Antichrist To You by Kishi Bashi. My first time listening to it was in the Rick and Morty Episode with Planetina. I loved it and looked it up afterwards. Love the video too, still gets me a little sad every time.
The Living Years - Mike + The Mechanics
As I get older, it gets harder to listen to it.