Top 10 songs that make you cry

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September 17th, 2016 at 1:17:56 AM permalink
Pacomartin
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wESuMyTv8sQ

#10 Wild horses (1971) Rolling Stones
#9 Sound of Silence (1965) Simon & Garfunkel
#8 Wish You Were Here (1975) - Pink Floyd
#7 One Sweet Day (1995)- Mariah Carey feat Boyz II Men
#6 The Living Years (1988)- Mike and the Mechanics
#5 Candle in the Wind (1974)-Sir Elton John
#4 Hallelujah (2007) - Jeff Buckley version (actually recorded in 1994, but not released as a single until 2007 after he died)
#3 Everybody Hurts (1993) - R.E.M.
#2 Hurt (2003) - Johnny Cash version
#1 Tears in Heaven (1992)- Eric Clapton

I suppose that it is impossible to come up with a uniform list here. I cry every time I heard "Tears in Heaven" and I am amazed he was able to write that within a year of the death of his four year old son.


I cry almost every time I hear Johnny Cash's version of Hurt.

I didn't know Jeff Buckley, and it is tragic that he died at age 30, but I prefer other versions of Hallelujah, notably Leonard Cohen and John Cale. Cohen was age 50 when he wrote the song, but it didn't become popular until he was much older. Cale's version was first recorded when he was age 49. I think it is a song for a middle aged man, and I don't really like it as much when song by a younger person with a pretty voice. There are many many people who love the Buckley version, so I may be in the minority here.

As far as Simon and Garfunkel, I am more partial to "The Boxer" as a tearjerker.
September 17th, 2016 at 5:11:25 AM permalink
Nareed
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Try "Summer Rain" sung by Belinda Carlisle.

https://youtu.be/MszXx_uSDWY
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September 17th, 2016 at 8:26:36 AM permalink
Nareed
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Quote: Pacomartin
I didn't know Jeff Buckley, and it is tragic that he died at age 30, but I prefer other versions of Hallelujah, notably Leonard Cohen and John Cale. Cohen was age 50 when he wrote the song, but it didn't become popular until he was much older. Cale's version was first recorded when he was age 49. I think it is a song for a middle aged man, and I don't really like it as much when song by a younger person with a pretty voice. There are many many people who love the Buckley version, so I may be in the minority here.


I fail to see the appeal of that song. But if you want to know all about it, Malcolm Gladwell does a good job on its history, various versions, etc. in an episode of his Revisionist History podcast. I think the episode is entitled "Hallelujah." It's all there, though the podcast is more about different rates and means at which artists create their art. The song is used as an example of a long gestation and evolution.

I find the story behind the song more interesting and inspirational than the song itself.

Here's the link to the podcast: http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/07-hallelujah

Quote:

Episode 07
Hallelujah


In 1984, Elvis Costello released what he would say later was his worst record: Goodbye Cruel World. Among the most discordant songs on the album was the forgettable “The Deportees Club.” But then, years later, Costello went back and re-recorded it as “Deportee,” and today it stands as one of his most sublime achievements.


“Hallelujah” is about the role that time and iteration play in the production of genius, and how some of the most memorable works of art had modest and undistinguished births.
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September 17th, 2016 at 9:48:15 AM permalink
Pacomartin
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Most songs are popular among a certain group of people when they are written. For instance, "Hurt" was actually nominated for a grammy for "Best Rock Song" when it was first written. Then the Johnny Cash cover really brought it to a wide audience, but mostly because people knew he was dying when he recorded the song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb4qyuR7_cc

Hallelujah was almost invisible when it was written. It was on Leonard Cohen's 7th album, which was released 5 years after his previous album. The album barely got released and had very low sales. The song wasn't noticed until John Cale recorded his version (Cale's version was eventually used in the Shrek movie/ but not the soundtrack).

Quote: Nareed
The song is used as an example of a long gestation and evolution.


So it's not just the length of the gestation, it is the radical evolution from an almost unknown song to one of the world's most widely recognized pieces of music.
September 17th, 2016 at 10:00:16 AM permalink
Pacomartin
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"Sólo le pido a Dios" is almost 40 years old now. Even a hard core atheist must find that song moving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvyl_zdji2k
September 17th, 2016 at 10:19:22 AM permalink
Nareed
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Quote: Pacomartin
So it's not just the length of the gestation, it is the radical evolution from an almost unknown song to one of the world's most widely recognized pieces of music.


Yeah, about that, I think I first ever heard of it in Gladwell's podcast. The tune seemed vaguely familiar when I heard it, so perhaps I'd heard it before. But if I did, then it had about zero impact on me. I mean, it's not a song or piece like, say, "Rhapsody in Blue," which I'd heard tons of times before finding out what it was called.

About evolution of creative works, there's the largely unknown story of Asimov's, IMO, best work, "The End of Eternity." He at first wrote it as a novella which used a gimmick, in this case an anachronism, to tell a complex but rather pedestrian, gimmicky story with a sudden-reversal, thoughtful ending. The pulp magazine editors of the day, c. early 50s, told him it read like a dehydrated novel, as it did pack a lot of back story and background info in a short novella.

So he re-wrote it in a longer form, becoming a short novel, but he packed even more info, more back story, made the plot more complex, changed the main character, kept the gimmick, and told a profound story that explores ethical questions, and has a definitive ending.

The gimmick, BTW, was a drawing of a mushroom cloud found in TIME magazine (though he doesn't specify the name of the periodical), decades before the image became familiar. In reality, Asimov liked leafing through old issues of TIME when he was in the faculty of Boston U., and came across what he thought was such an image. It was a drawing or photo of the Old Faithful geyser, which seen out of the corner of his eye looked like a mushroom cloud.
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September 17th, 2016 at 1:09:09 PM permalink
Nareed
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Quote: Pacomartin
"Sólo le pido a Dios" is almost 40 years old now. Even a hard core atheist must find that song moving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvyl_zdji2k


Never heard of it.

I clicked on the link and listened.

It did nothing for me.
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September 17th, 2016 at 1:15:47 PM permalink
Face
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Quote: Pacomartin
"Sólo le pido a Dios" is almost 40 years old now. Even a hard core atheist must find that song moving
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvyl_zdji2k


Hard to be moved when you don't understand the lyrics, but the music has potential. Seemed a "strong sadness", that is, like one was beaten down but will not give up. Be interesting to see if that feeling is true or not.

I must say I'm glad that wasn't YOUR list ;) I find most of that to be Top 40 crap that I grew up listening to. And what I would consider "good" in that list doesn't come near to even making me sad. Floyd gives me weird flashbacks, obviously. The Elton song is awesome as are just about all of his songs. But though I'm a hick, Cash doesn't come within the same galaxy as Reznor's original. THAT is a song that'll just about make you kill yourself. It almost did me.

But I dunno if I'm gonna be all that much good for this thread. Those sad ol country songs, while sad, generally make me very happy. Even the ones that hit home and touch on something personal and current, it brings a sense of relief.

It's odd you posted this now. I've been thinking about this near daily for quite awhile now, and it's not just the sad stuff. If I'm pissed off at work, or, stated differently, when I'm at work (=p), it's a non stop litany of the coarsest cursing you've ever heard, and slamming trays and throwing stuff and generally being an animal. But if I tune into Pantera,... it's almost like the chaos of emotions gets channeled into a stream of useful energy. It's almost like I don't have to freak out anymore because someone is already taking care of it for me. I think the same thing happens with the sad stuff, which is why those drinkin' and cheatin' songs tend to make me so peaceful and pleasant.

I've got two offerings for your ear...

The first is your typical broken heart country jam. On its own, not a bad tune, pretty much just about what you'd expect. But as it happened, I discovered this song approx 3 days after I had made the decision to let go of my son and grant his wish to return to his mama. Wayyy too much of it applied and this song shattered me. I had to literally pull my truck over and stop I was crying so hard. Hysterically, even. It's making me cry now =(



Ugh. Happens every time. It's weird how a song can evoke such powerful emotions

This next... I don't even know. It's just SAD. Not just the topic, or the lyrics, but even the music seems to communicate such a serverely deep, aching loss. This is one of those ones that makes me happy-sad.



Really, really, REALLY love this last.
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September 17th, 2016 at 2:05:02 PM permalink
rxwine
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
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Quote: Face
Hard to be moved when you don't understand the lyrics,


Mine doesn't even have lyrics. Actually I remember this TED talk I watched awhile back. You'll just have to watch the TED talk to understand.

This Benjamin Zanders is a conductor.

You believe in an invisible god, and dismiss people who say they are trans? Really?
September 17th, 2016 at 5:08:56 PM permalink
Pacomartin
Member since: Oct 24, 2012
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Posts: 12569
Quote: Face
Hard to be moved when you don't understand the lyrics, but the music has potential. Seemed a "strong sadness", that is, like one was beaten down but will not give up. Be interesting to see if that feeling is true or not.


The title is usually translated as "All I ask of God" or "I only ask of God" . The request is that the singer won't grow a hard shell about suffering and uninterested in social justice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqMszVPa6e4 Bruce Springsteen version 91 minute introduction)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNd5hsJoy5g Shakira Fundraiser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK7XgM72_Yc Ana Belén (~1 minute introduction) more upbeat
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1DI5pfyslI leon Geico (wrote song in 1978)

I only ask of God
That i am not indifferent to the pain,
That the dry death won’t find me
Empty and alone, without having done the sufficient.

I only ask of God
That i won’t be indifferent to the injustice
That they won’t slap my other cheek,
After a claw (or talon) has scratched this destiny (luck) of mine.

I only ask of God
That i am not indifferent to the battle,
It’s a big monster and it walks hardly on
All the poor innocence of people.

I only ask of God
That i am not indifferent to deceit,
If a traitor can do more than a bunch of people,
Then let not those people forget him easily.

I only ask of God
That i am not indifferent to the future,
Hopeless is he who has to go away
To live a different culture.

I only ask of God
That i am not indifferent to the battle,
It’s a big monster and it walks hardly on
All the poor innocence of people.

Quote: Face
But though I'm a hick, Cash doesn't come within the same galaxy as Reznor's original. THAT is a song that'll just about make you kill yourself. It almost did me.

I can appreciate both versions. I am not as familiar with the original song.
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