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'The songs that made you cry'

Joe Hutch

Mate of the bloke
Prompted by a reference in another thread to Paul Simon's 'An American Tune', I was musing over which songs did, or still do, reduce me to tears. Off the top of my head:

The aforementioned 'An American Tune', Paul Simon's 'Mother and Child Reunion', Fleetwood Mac's 'Man of the World, Jackson Browne's 'Song for Adam', David Bowie's 'Quicksand', and Robert Wyatt's 'Shipbuilding' and 'Oh Caroline'.
 
As I am getting older I find myself reduced to tears more often whilst listening to music.
The most recent episode of this was hearing Stanlow by OMD. One of my favourite songs.
It also takes me back to who and where I was at aged 14. Gosh how the years have flown.
 
Tom Waits - one on nearly every album but especially Kentucky Avenue from Blue Valentines ( nearly every time) A Little Rain from Bone Machine and Fish and Bird from Alice.
 
Benjamin Britten’s Salley Gardens.
Mary Black’s Trying to Get The Balance Right.
And many, many others. Often classical music songs convey more emotion.
 
As I am getting older I find myself reduced to tears more often whilst listening to music.
The most recent episode of this was hearing Stanlow by OMD. One of my favourite songs.
It also takes me back to who and where I was at aged 14. Gosh how the years have flown.

Stanlow is amazing

I might play Organisation next!
 
The Moody Blues - Watching and Waiting
The Chameleons - Tears
Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game
Roy Harper - One of These Days in England (Pts2-10), the penultimate section
Peter Hammill - Your Tall Ship
Fairport Convention - Who Knows Where the Time Goes
 
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On another thread with roughly the same theme I mentioned Sufjan Stevens’ ‘Fourth of July’ and agreed with other posters who went for ‘This Woman’s Work’ and less obviously William Basinski’s ‘Disintegration Loops.’ Still think the same.
 

Grateful Dead "So Many Roads" Chicago 7/9/95. Jerry falters at times but pulls one last monumental performance from his heart. It's like he knows...
 
One real tear jerker which probably has the greatest emotional effect is by The Streets, ‘Never went to church’, it is about his dad’s passing. Very, very poignant lyrics & I am not sure anyone has wrote better about the subject of death.
 
genesis - undertow.

Came at a point in my life between relationships, I was 21.
5 year relationship over and not at the time knowing what would follow...

"Stand up to the blow that fate has struck upon you
Make the most of all you still have coming to you
Lay down on the ground and let the tears run from you
Crying to the grass and trees and heaven finally on your knees
Let me live again, let life come find me wanting
Spring must strike again against the shield of winter
Let me feel once more the arms of love surround me
Telling me the danger's past, I need not fear the icy blast again"
 
I have been reduced to tears by the perfection that is 'Rubber Soul' on more than one occasion.

Kevin Rowland's version of Rag Doll on My Beauty often gets me, too.
 
Duke Ellington's solo piano version of Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom" on the "...and his mother called him Bill" album. The whole album is a tribute to Strayhorn, who died a few months prior to the recording, and loved hearing Duke play this song. The tape was left running at the end of the session. You can hear the rest of the band packing up in the background as Duke plays to the memory of his dead friend.

 


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