Comments on: Listmaking, part 1 (of many)

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 12 Oct 2005 04:05:07 +0000

Okay, now that’s a list to conjure with, Philip. I’ve only ever heard two (or possibly three—I’m thinking I must have heard the Bikini Kill song, but I can’t place it at the moment) of those songs, Nico’s killer version of “These Days” and of course, “To Sir, With Love” (the movie of the same name is one of a few that I had to forbid myself to watch for a while, because it makes me cry beyond the fun crying-at-movies sort of crying; it makes me cry so much that my heart hurts). But from your descriptions, I’m now going to have to make an effort to hear every one of them. Especially Chrissie Hynde doing “Creep,” which is a song that gives me chills anyway.

Lists. I love ‘em. More coming soon; I’m in a listmaking mood.

By: Philip S.

Philip S. — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 20:29:03 +0000

Your blog just keeps getting better! Mencken, destiny, and now this: the subject undeniably closer to my heart than any other. I have often Googled terms like “Saddest Song Ever” and found some remarkable things, including websites and message boards dedicated to searching and cataloguing the most gut-wrenching, heartbreaking songs. So I could probably list about 100, all near and dear, but here’s a quick seven (all on my iPOD now):

1. For Tammie Rae—Bikini Kill—A tsunami of white noise that sounds like it was recorded in a basement using tin-can/string technology hides an unbearably fragile melody and the sad truth that romantic love can’t keep the awful outside world at bay forever, no matter how loud you play.
2. Creep—Pretenders—Overwhelming live acoustic cover of the Radiohead song. When Chrissie says cry, you cry.
3. When I Was Drinking—Hem—Question: Would you trade hard-won sobriety to go back to the days of wine and roses? Answer: Maybe. And how does Sally Ellison pull this off without even the merest hint of sentimentality?
4. These Days—Nico
5. I Really Wanted You—Mascott—This is a cover of a song by English folkie Steve Tilston. Quietly done, simple, clear. A bleak winter day of a song.
6. Putting the Damage On—Tori Amos—Come on! How is this done?? Really! How does she do it?? And it not only rips your heart out — it’s even funny!
7. To Sir, With Love—Lulu—If it only had the “What? What?!” it would be on this list, but of course it has so much more.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 18:30:29 +0000

The one that comes to mind immediately is the Silos’ “The Only Story I Tell.” Also “When Ye Go Away” by the Waterboys. But I have been known to cry at just about any song. I’m easy that way.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 21:58:23 +0000

Without getting into my usual gratuitous Wilco-bashing (which I’ve had to give up lately, since I literally haven’t heard a single note of “A Ghost Is Born”), I’ll say that I heartily concur that “Gun” is the best song Tweedy’s ever written. It’s a song that never fails to completely floor me, no matter how many times I hear it. The last verse is the one that gets me…though not quite to the point of tears.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 20:27:16 +0000

I’m also generally pretty level-headed when it comes to day to day life, but get pretty emotionally affected by art — music, movies, TV shows, even books. At some concerts I’m just a mess.

As for UT — I think “Gun” is just about the best thing Tweedy’s ever done, one of the all to rare occasions when both the music and the lyrics are exceptional (for me, Wilco is regularly one or the other but rarely both). “It hurts much worse when we give up” is just a killer line.

By: Amy

Amy — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 19:52:57 +0000

A fine list, Tom—not surprisingly. “Someday” almost showed up on my list, because it used to be a reliable tear-inducer for me, but now it just brings a little catch to my throat. As does “My Old Friend the Blues,” which just came up on the iPod…followed by a song that’s making a liar of me: there’s a third Nick Drake song that makes me cry. “Fly.” So beautiful, so sad. Which I guess is Nick in a nutshell.

It’s funny, there isn’t a single Uncle Tupelo or Son Volt song that makes me cry, though lots of them bring me close to happy tears. “Still Be Around” comes closest, but even that one…well, okay, in certain moods, it gets me, I admit.

Tears spring to my eyes very easily, though I’m not generally the weepy type when it comes to real life stuff (other than things like a death in the family, obviously.) Non-real-life is much more apt to get me teary-eyed. I cry at commercials, too. And stories involving animals, even the happy ones. Actually, only the happy ones—I refuse to read the sad ones.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 19:09:02 +0000

I don’t have the time to work on a comprehensive list — there are a *lot* of songs that routinely make me cry, but here are a few that come to mind right away. All of the Iris songs you listed, plus “Let The Mystery Be,” which makes me smile *and* cry. Your former future ex-husband Steve Earle’s “Someday,” Valentine’s Day,” and “Fort Worth Blues.” Ron Sexsmith’s “Strawberry Blonde,” “Secret Heart,” “Speaking With the Angels” and “Average Joe.” The V-Roys’ “Fade Away.” Elliott Smith’s “Ballad of Big Nothing.” Townes’ “To Live Is To Fly.” The Kinks’ “Better Days.” Uncle Tupelo’s “Gun.” Son Volt’s “Tear Stained Eye” and “Windfall.” Graham Parker’s “Wake Up Next To You.”

Tom