The saddest songs of all

[ClaretRoob]

Supermarket flower - Ed Sheeran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Mk0F6mLKik

[Middle-agedClaret]

“And the band played Waltzing Matilda”. A moving and powerful song. Not the original, but a stirring version by The Pogues.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cZqN1glz4JY

[Hipper]

Freya Ridings - Lost Without You:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDPpex1wvOc

It makes me think of men going off to war (anytime) and never coming back.

This has the same sentiment:

Clifford T Ward - A Day to Myself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTu5HWuquKQ

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

I’m So Worried (Monty Python)

I'm so worried about what's hapenin' today, in the middle east, you know
And I'm worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow
I'm so worried about the fashions today, I don't think they're good for your feet
And I'm so worried about the shows on TV that sometimes they want to repeat

I'm so worried about what's happenin' today, you know
And I'm worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow
I'm so worried about my hair falling out and the state of the world today
And I'm so worried about bein' so full of doubt about everything, anyway

I'm so worried about modern technology
I'm so worried about all the things that they dump in the sea
I'm so worried about it, worried about it, worried, worried, worried
I'm so worried about everything that can go wrong
I'm so worried about whether people like this song
I'm so worried about this very next verse, it isn't the best that I've got
And I'm so worried about whether I should go on, or whether I should just stop

(pause)

I'm worried about whether I ought to have stopped
And I'm worried, because it's the sort of thing I ought to know
And I'm worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow

(longer pause)

I'm so worried about whether I should have stopped then
I'm so worried that I'm driving everyone 'round the bend
I'm worried about the baggage retrieval system they've got at Heathrow

[COBBLE]

Elysium - Bear's den
Jealous of the angels - Donna Taggart
Big John - Jimmy Dean

[Stalbansclaret]

On a "big picture" theme Five Years by David Bowie is a tremendous apocalyptic lament re the impending end of the world.

On a more personal basis You're Missing by Bruce Springsteen is about the saddest song I know. Written from the perspective of someone bereaved in the 9/11 attack.

[JanetM]

“And the band played Waltzing Matilda”. A moving and powerful song. Not the original, but a stirring version by The Pogues.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cZqN1glz4JY

By Eric Bogle, a very underrated songwriter. This is one of my favourites of his and also very sad - The Green Fields of France (No Man's Land)
https://youtu.be/M-38PB_5ozc

[Goalposts]

Thank you for reminding me. I had not seen the video for too long. If you have not seen it recently well worth a watch. Or course Cash did not write the song but in a way that makes it even more powerful.

Actually an example of someone covering someone else’s song and totally owning it forever after that, same as Jealous Guy - Roxy music

[tiger76]

Don't think it's been mentioned, but American Pie by Don McLean is incredibly poignant.

[clive40golf]

Jon Dahl Tomasson‘s blue and white army!

We are Rovers super Rovers!

Blackburn’s going up! Blackburn’s going up!

Saddest songs I know, sung by some sad people!

[Bosscat]

Jon Dahl Tomasson‘s blue and white army!

We are Rovers super Rovers!

Blackburn’s going up! Blackburn’s going up!

Saddest songs I know, sung by some sad people!

Phew I thought you hard turned to the dark side there until I read the last bit

[Hipper]

Don't think it's been mentioned, but American Pie by Don McLean is incredibly poignant.

Also Don McLean - Oh My What a Shame

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXrGZwt0kPw

[JarrowClaret]

Watch the video for James Blunt Monsters a proper tear jerker you don’t even need the back story but knowing it helps as well.

[longsidepies]

Who knows where the time goes
by
Fairport Convention


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2xODjbfYw8

[Brucefanclaret]

The Boss - Streets of Philadelphia

[Cirrus_Minor]

Staying up, staying up staying up…

[ijkay]

flowers of Manchester (Munich air disaster)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luZifesCNJA

[BennyD]

Fast Car -Boycey Avenue. Played it at my son's funeral nearly 10 years ago, not been able to listen to it since.

[Tricky Trevor]

Song that fills me up is Meat Loafs “Heaven Can Wait”. I’d been to visit my grandma in hospital after she was given the last rites. Driving home and this came on, I had to pull over. Thankfully we got another 3 years out of her so heaven did have to wait.

[MTCH]

Gordon Lightfoot - great choice, but The Greenfields of France (Bogle) and The Band Played Waltzing Matilda (Bogle) are 2 of the greatest sad songs of all time and written by the same man.

[what_no_pies]

It's Easier by John Grant. One of the truly great songwriters of this era for me.

Here he is performing it at a piano. Devestatingly sad. It gets me every single time.

https://youtu.be/RykflBJu5m4

[ClaretinJapan]

Not just one song but a full album Berlin by Lou Reed

Tis bleak.

[Herts Clarets]

Tears in heaven by Eric Clapton. Written in remembrance of his young son who died after falling from the window of an apartment. This song was played at the funeral of a friend and work colleague, Alfie (Alan) Young who sadly took his own life in 1997. 9th May 1987 I was in the CF stand with Alfie watching our club win the most important game in our history. 10 years to the day later, 9th May 1997 i stood at the cemetery in Burnley as my friend was laid to rest.

I still find it very difficult to listen to this song all these years on.

[Firthy]

I don't regard them as sad songs, they are just songs that make people emotional depending on your circumstances and experiences because they tell a story or reflect something in your life.

I have a son confined to a wheelchair so for me it has to be "He Ain't Heavy he's my Brother" which has a whole new meaning when you know the story behind it. My son is 40 yet this sing still brings a tear to my eye whenever I hear it.

[ClaretTony]

I don't regard them as sad songs, they are just songs that make people emotional depending on your circumstances and experiences because they tell a story or reflect something in your life.

I have a son confined to a wheelchair so for me it has to be "He Ain't Heavy he's my Brother" which has a whole new meaning when you know the story behind it. My son is 40 yet this sing still brings a tear to my eye whenever I hear it.

Different songs do mean different things to people. The Hollies song you refer to was played at Goodison a few years ago when we stood for a minute's silence to remember the Hillsborough victims. It's what I think of now every time I hear that song.

[Herts Clarets]

I don't regard them as sad songs, they are just songs that make people emotional depending on your circumstances and experiences because they tell a story or reflect something in your life.

I have a son confined to a wheelchair so for me it has to be "He Ain't Heavy he's my Brother" which has a whole new meaning when you know the story behind it. My son is 40 yet this sing still brings a tear to my eye whenever I hear it.

And that Hollies song was played by Alan's brother Andy at the graveside as his personal goodbye to his brother.