Mar
7
Gloom
I was feeling blithe, almost jocund…no wait, that was Mark Twain in “The Facts Concerning the Recent Carnival of Crime in Connecticut.” My mood was quite the opposite, dictated largely by a rainy and sunless weekend in Georgia. There wasn’t a happy bone in my body.
As I was scouring the “internets” for a ray of sunshine to add some cheer to my day, it was fitting that I would stumble upon an article about the saddest songs ever written. I thought the author missed the mark on most of his choices so I decided to have a go at it myself. I narrowed my list down to the top-ten tearjerkers and then searched for some videos of the songs being performed…just to add a little human expressiveness to the mournful “tea” that I had brewed. Occasionally, there are multiple video selections, and all are worth a listen. WARNING! If you are feeling morose, do not listen to these songs, or you will likely fling yourself off a building.
So, grab a bucket to cry in, and let’s get started —
500 Miles by Peter, Paul, and Mary
If you are far from home and down on your luck, this song is definitely not for you!
Shannon by Henry Gross
Written about the passing of Beach Boy Carl Wilson’s beloved Irish Setter, this one-hit-wonder was the perfect arrow to the heart for dog lovers everywhere.
Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen
Somber tones, a ghostly chorus, and raspy, mournful, lyrics make Streets of Philadelphia pure misery.
Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul and Mary
If you’ve ever been a kid, then you’ll know why Puff made my list. Sure, you can smile when you sing it, but the loss of innocence is nothing to smile about!
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot
This song, loaded with facts, tells the sad story of 29 sailors lost in a Lake Superior Storm.
Earl Morning Rain By Peter, Paul and Mary
Written by Gordon Lightfoot (See previous song), Early Morning Rain makes you feel as if you were standing in the drizzle, looking through an airport fence, wishing you were headed home.
Rag Doll by Frankie Valley and the Four Seasons
OK, the figure skating is a little bizarre in this video, but you get to hear the story of how the song came to be written, which makes it seem extra sad.
Find the Cost of Freedom by Crosby, Stills, and Nash
This one’s short and solemn, especially if you remember the Viet Nam-era Kent State tragedy, but all you will be able to do is say “wow” at the harmonies being laid down by these old guys as the tears roll down your hippy face. Note-this one doesn’t want to embed so you’ll have to cut and paste this address if you want to see the magical version rather than the merely ordinary one (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-Y0SMitMpk)
Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm by Crash Test Dummies
If you can get past the screaming of concert groupies, and zero in on the lyrics, this song is nothing short of hopeless.
9 Crimes by Damien Rice
And finally, just to show the “yutes” that I am not some old geezer oblivious to their suffering, here you go —
