More fucking music?
The opening line to Neil Finn’s excellent ‘Flying in the face of love’ is ‘You must reveal your infinite sorrow’ and that’s a good enough opening line for me. A person asked for some sad songs, so here’s a list off the top of my head of the saddest songs I have in the arsenal.
Touch Deprivation
Diane Cluck
The subject matter is pretty chilling, but the whole song speaks to loneliness and longing to be touched. It’s magical.
Famous Blue Raincoat
Leonard Cohen
Or Jennifer Warnes
Normally, covers can’t touch a heartfelt emotional song, but Jennifer Warnes’ cover is a more polished but less sparse version. Told from a different angle, more of an interested, possibly spurned ex lover. Her voice, obviously, is magical.
Listen to both. Leonard Cohen didn’t care what you thought the lyrics meant – he said he had no idea.
Edward the Confessor
Divine Comedy
I defy a heterosexual man not to feel these lyrics deep in the prostate. Intellectually engaged men are awful. This codifies it. Every man who can read should be given this as a hymn sheet. I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.
Laura
Bat For Lashes
This is only truly a five alarm sad song when you watch the video, but when you do, you’re fucked. Wonderful emotion control from Natasha.
Somebody that I used to know
Gotye
Once you get past the fact it’s a song about a hung-up guy who can’t get over an ex and allows that to poison his future relationships to the tune of ‘Baa baa black sheep’ it’s a great song. Lovely cameo from the achingly beautiful Kimbra, who shoots down his self-pitying ass.
You were here
Sarah Harmer
Sarah Harmer is one of Canada’s more obscure (outside Canada) talents but this song is about wishing and hoping. It speaks to me of loss and broken, aching desire.
Uniform Grey
Sarah Harmer
This is about a guy who won’t get over something in his past. There may be a pattern forming.
I Can’t Make You Love Me
Bonnie Raitt
This is the grandmother of all sad songs. End of a relationship song, just asking for one night.
“Here in the dark, in these final hours, I will lay down my heart and I’ll feel the power, but you won’t”
How my Heart Behaves
Feist
She is a genius at making lyrics establish a mood, without actually telling a story. It’s a skill