The Saddest Songs Not About Relationships or Health

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Relationships: love, friendship, family, etc.
Health: death, sickness, alcoholism, mental wellness, etc.

I'd say that leaves: failure. What other broad subjects apply? I guess loneliness, although that might kind of fit under "Relationships."

Tsunami's A Brilliant Mistake always struck me as particularly poignant and sad, being about their business woes and the eventual closing down of their record label, Simple Machines.

Swans have a load of songs that would apply here.

"No Easy Way Down," especially Mark Eitzel's version (though Dusty does a fine job).

― Ernest P. (ernestp), Monday, 18 November 2002 16:39 (twenty-three years ago)

whats the Manics 'Motorcycle EMptiness' about again? i forget...might fit the bill tho - also their 'South Yorkshire Mass Murderer' track - only i guess these songs are more 'officially sad' rather than actually making me feel sad literally

― stevem (blueski), Monday, 18 November 2002 16:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd say that leaves: failure.

Ah, then: Swans: "Failure." Once requested by a TA when I was DJing while he was grading papers.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 18 November 2002 16:54 (twenty-three years ago)

'waiting for superman' ?

― piscesboy, Monday, 18 November 2002 17:49 (twenty-three years ago)

'Shipbuilding'?

― DavidM (DavidM), Monday, 18 November 2002 19:11 (twenty-three years ago)

"Surf's Up", "Mercy Mercy Me", there's one by Black Sabbath where Ozzie flies around the universe and gets a bit depressed by it all, King Crimson: "Starless", Pavement: "Infinite Spark/Fin" (although some of these may be debatable).

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 18 November 2002 20:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Durch das Gebuesch starrten wir
auf jene
die uns an andere Zeiten
erinnerten
und sagten, dass alle Hoffnung
fuer immer
entschwunden war...

Wir hoerten Elfengesang und
Wasserrauschen

Was einst war, ist nun vorbei
all das Blut...
all das Verlangen und der
Kummer, der herrschte
und die Gefuehle, die man greifen
konnte
sind nicht mer...
fuer immer...

Wir sind nicht gestorben...
wir haben nie gelebt

― Siegbran (eofor), Monday, 18 November 2002 22:22 (twenty-three years ago)

is that Black Sabbath song 'Planet Caravan' - thats a bit of saddun

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 00:07 (twenty-three years ago)

what's that, Siegbran? (interested)

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 00:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I second Shipbuilding.

― Ally (mlescaut), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 02:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Larry by Buffalo Tom

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 02:38 (twenty-three years ago)

shiloh

― keith (keithmcl), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 04:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Alex Chilton: No Sex

although in another sense it is about relationships AND sex.

Luomo: Class ("nothing to do that others can't do")

― Sterling Clover (s_clover), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 06:02 (twenty-three years ago)

shipbuilding is good. maybe 'the fear' by pulp, too.

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 06:14 (twenty-three years ago)

marianne faithful's "guilt" while not exactly sad is pretty gloomy

― H (Heruy), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 08:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Somewhat clumsily (neither English nor German is my native language) translated:

Through the coppice we gazed
at everything
that reminded us
of other times
and said that all hope
had vanished for ever...

We listened to the singing of Elves and
the soughing of water

What once was, is now over
all the blood...
all the longing and the
sorrow, that reigned
and the emotions, that were
tangible
are no more...
for ever...

We have not died...
We have never lived

- Burzum Det Som Engang Var

― Siegbran (eofor), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 10:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Little Drummer Boy

― toraneko (toraneko), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 13:26 (twenty-three years ago)

The saddest thing
He's just a king in mirrors
...

But the saddest song, maybe - Thrasher, Neil Young.
about the lonely farmer getting replaced by technology.
..
No - wait! Neil's song "Ambulance Blues" - not only sad, but depressing as hell.
"you're all just pissing in the wind"

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 13:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Thom Yorke to thread.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 14:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Disco Inferno - The Last Dance

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 14:16 (twenty-three years ago)

Death and mortality = REM, 'Automatic for the people'
Lost love and regretful breakups = Everything but the Girl 'Amplified Heart'

― Wiggy, Tuesday, 19 November 2002 23:32 (twenty-three years ago)

"Paradise" by John Prine?

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 19 November 2002 23:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Richard Hell & the Voidoids - "Blank Generation"

Triangles were fallin at the window as the doctor cursed
He was a cartoon long forsaken by the public eye
The nurse adjusted her garters as I breathed my first
The doctor grabbed my throat and yelled, "God's consolation prize!"

― Myrt, Wednesday, 20 November 2002 17:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Shonen Knife's "Catch Your Bus"

I hear it as attempting to comfort someone who feels left behind or who believes they have missed opportunities. It means a great deal to me.

― meirion john lewis (mei), Wednesday, 20 November 2002 19:30 (twenty-three years ago)

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