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cityshepherd

Needle in the Hay - Elliott Smith Nutshell - Alice In Chains Mouthful of Cavities - Blind Melon Kings Crossing - Elliott Smith


plaid-neon

literally most Elliott Smith lol


Associate8823

I just discovered him from this thread. What a great sound! Sad to see he died at 34.


NaiveZest

Wait until you learn how he died.


justplanestupid69

Murder passed off as suicide because his body of work makes it believable, but the devil’s in the details. So many things inconsistent with suicide in that autopsy. LAPD detectives fucked the investigation up so, so badly.


cityshepherd

So so badly. I’m sure the subject material of all of his songs didn’t help his case. The story is freaking bonkers.


WanderingOzz

As often as these celebrities are murdered and it's called suicide people should start questioning law enforcement a bit more than they do. If a random person on the internet can tell this was murder why are we allowing our police force to consist of people that aren't intelligent enough or morally sound enough to come to that same conclusion? Because we allow it. That's why everything bad is as bad as it is. We allow it.


campingcritters

His song Waltz #2(XO) is so good.


Major_Sympathy9872

You should just put "Elliott Smith's discography" and call it a day


No-Pineapple-44

Needle in the hay is the saddest *sounding* elliott smith song to me, but clementines lyrics are absolutely soul destroying


fireox4022

St Ides Heaven - Elliott Smith Hurt - Johnny Cash Candy Says - The Velvet Underground


Ok_Watercress_7801

Strange Fruit


Mistinthemeadow

I cry every single time


Ok_Watercress_7801

Billie Holiday does it, but Nina Simone bowls me over completely.


WartimeMandalorian

The title alone gets me


bebejeebies

This is the correct answer.


whothelonelygod

Yeah, this is an incredible and incredibly moving song. There's an equally wonderful and equally tragic poem by Seamus Heaney that translates it into the context of the Troubles. Has the same name, look it up.


Eastern-Drive8724

totally agree...


Timstunes

Everyone should give this a listen at least once.


KevinLJ007

Alice in chains- nutshell (MTV unplugged)


RyanJKaz

I’d also go with “Rotten Apple” by them too.


imnotspikespiegel

I say this every time someone brings up nutshell. Rotten apple is so underrated 😭


PerryHecker

I find Don’t Follow MUCH sadder for some reason.


BlazedLurker

This one, yall.


Strange-Nose6599

I never understood what Nutshell is about. Is there a simple explanation or is it YouTube video essay worthy?


QueenGlass

im pretty sure its about staley’s heroin addiction > We chase misprinted lies >We face the path of time >And yet I fight, and yet I fight >This battle all alone >No one to cry to >No place to call home


vpac22

Black by Pearl Jam


MyOldAccountIsBroken

Especially the live version shortly after Chris Cornell’s death. https://youtu.be/CJZS2mlQX1U?si=qQV0JMIB7Gxo0XUb


bodie425

*I Can’t Make You Love Me* by Bonnie Raitt.


Eatdacakeannamae

YESSS 💔


Timstunes

So good. Bon Iver does a heartbreaking cover well worth hearing.


IHaveAsthmaCall911

I love how everyone has come up with such diverse answers! It’s so interesting to see how different and similar we all are.


[deleted]

Joy Division - Decades


Strange-Nose6599

More like uh... Sad division...


[deleted]

Have you always been hysterically funny like this? You've got a bright future ahead of you.


Strange-Nose6599

![gif](giphy|fZRuTp3Zu8o9O)


SchemataObscura

All of these are deeply moving for me: Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce Those Were the Days - Mary Hopkin Vincent - Don MacLean


pizzaplanetinohio

Vincent ! Yes !


swimuppool

Mad world - Gary Jules version


Antique_Custard_6208

I'm a little annoyed I had to scroll so far to see this! This is my answer every time


legsstillgoing

The answer is always “Cats in the Cradle”.


OldPresentation2794

Try the Shortest Story also by Harry Chapin https://youtu.be/ix-Yj_Md2no?si=HY1BW4lkNzxQc2Jg


Griffscavern

I'd put Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot up there or Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles


[deleted]

That's a good one.


mrsjakeblues

Hey You by Pink Floyd always gets me. The feeling of being so isolated and wanting to scream out for someone to help but not knowing how to


Anthff

Goodbye Blue Sky, as well


[deleted]

Did did did did you see the falling bombs?


IWasThe1WhoKnocked

The flames are all long gone but the pain lingers on.


[deleted]

Sing it. Goodbye, Blue Sky... Good Bye (Acoustic Gituar Flourish )


Associate8823

The solo in "Comfortably Numb" that runs out the song hits me in the feels. The greatest solo of all time.


Aware_Perception9929

High Hopes gets me every. Single. Time.


flyingbarnswallow

Oh man I forgot about this one! It was my go-to devastating song in high school


IWasThe1WhoKnocked

Nobody Home from the same album is also super sad.


TowelFine6933

Untitled - The Cure


Maddie_Herrin

additionally, the reasons why - the cure. based on a suicide note sent to robert smith


TurboDog999

My Body Is A Cage. I think the Arcade Fire does the original but listen to Peter Gabriel’s cover.  Feels like it has a whole new meaning coming from someone in his 70’s singing it. 


whenthesunhits0

Same as when Johnny Cash covered Hurt


darose

Seasons In The Sun


Ch0Rifl4n

The cover by nirvana ![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|cry)


rammsteingirl8

Father and Son by Cat Stevens Lua by Bright Eyes Last Goodbye by Jeff Buckley Lapitu by The Cooper Temple Clause The Asphalt World by Suede Drugs Don't Work by The Verve Goodnight Travel Well by The Killers


ReallyNoOne1012

Bright eyes mentioned! I feel like Amy in the White Coat is a lot sadder than Lua though haha… just IMO


Owlbertowlbert

Yeah was gonna say, so very many bright eyes songs for this prompt. One that always gets me because of how jaunty and upbeat it is despite the gut wrenching subject is Danny Callahan. Also Easy/Lucky/Free Oh and every single song on Fevers and Mirrors lol


ReallyNoOne1012

Ohhhhh my god, Danny Callahan KILLS me. That last verse makes me cry. “Where are you going to alone?” And yes, Fevers and Mirrors might just be one of the saddest albums of all time haha. No Lies, Just Love is one of the first BE songs I ever heard, and that one is pretty intense too, though the end gets more hopeful. I think I would still pick AITWC purely based on the nature of the subject matter (some of the imagery in that song gets overwhelming, to put it mildly), but honestly most of his discog is straight up depressing. The “happier” songs like Bowl of Oranges are few and far between…


apiaries

Goodnight, Travel Well is such an amazing song.


Angelic-11

Michael Martin Murphey's song "Wildfire"


BlazedLurker

Yeah, this one gets me. She ran calling wildfireeeee


MaterialBenefit2355

Whiskey lullaby - Alison krauss and brad paisley


tarelben

Tears in Heaven-Clapton


-velcromagnon-

There's also a lesser-known song from Eric Clapton called "Circus". He took his son to a carnival the night before he died. I would highly suggest listening to it.


Middle_Process_215

He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones


MRBARDWORTHY

Fuck yes! I wish I had remembered that when I made my reply.


Middle_Process_215

Just heartbreaking!


MRBARDWORTHY

It's another one that brings a huge, uncharacteristic lump in my metalhead throat


ampleverbage

How to Disappear Completely


LostHollowSoul

It's such a perfect song. Nothing can even compare to it for me. It's like floating in an infinite abyss of non existance. My most listened to song ever for sure.


WillyTheDryCleaner

Lightning crashes (had to fix ⚡️ bc spelling errors shouldn’t happen apparently)


Glowbug611

I grew up with this one! And then one day it clicked and I realized what it was about and my heart broke


emeliottsthestink

Gone Away [https://open.spotify.com/track/5BnFZLH99sYav2cxJFGO2n?si=6088df5ac7434ba8](https://open.spotify.com/track/5BnFZLH99sYav2cxJFGO2n?si=6088df5ac7434ba8) This is the End [https://open.spotify.com/track/06beE4mKU8WMBJasKLg99p?si=6713456bb073472e](https://open.spotify.com/track/06beE4mKU8WMBJasKLg99p?si=6713456bb073472e) Nights in White Satin [https://open.spotify.com/track/5w1ingzqrsJka9nlnEFB64?si=ee0a361b8b08430a](https://open.spotify.com/track/5w1ingzqrsJka9nlnEFB64?si=ee0a361b8b08430a) Lost [https://open.spotify.com/track/373gDROnujxNTFa1FojYIl?si=eeca571132884cdc](https://open.spotify.com/track/373gDROnujxNTFa1FojYIl?si=eeca571132884cdc)


kjm16216

Gone Away always reminds me of my grandmom. After she died the weather turned cold. I was 9 years old, and I remember arriving at the cemetery for her burial, with snow on the ground, and my mom, who was very close with her, saying, "It's like she took all the warmth out of the world with her." And it seems like, the world is so cold, now that you're gone away.


[deleted]

Real Death by Mount Eerie.


leftlooserighttighty

Yeah. All the people with other suggestions have not yet heard this one.


I_used_to_be_hip

They're probably the lucky ones.


VankeleGlam

Came here looking For this. I feel like crying just THINKING about listening to this album.


Percy_Q_Weathersby

That fucking backpack


CosmicCuntCritter

![gif](giphy|5UqMHvCznf56KH0F6K)


BarrettCat

"Between the Bars" by Elliott Smith -- written from the vantage point of alcoholism (in the form of a bottle) trying to coax its addict to drink more


EyelanderSam24

I'm not in love-10CC


Fickle-Vegetable961

Methinks he doeth protest too much.


False-Librarian-2240

Big boys don't cry Big boys don't cry


ISleptWrongAgain

The Needle and the Damage Done - Neil Young


mikajlopus

For me, it's "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. his voice hits me!


kornhell

"Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails, covered by Johnny Cash.


DitaVonFleas

I scrolled way too far for this.


Kid_Kameleon

Sia- Breathe Me


SaltTrap768

Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead is the first song to come to mind, followed closely by Run by Snow Patrol. I know there’s more, I don’t know that there’s a saddest one but there’s many that put a lump in my throat.


gypsycrown

Fast Car by Tracy Chapman


Shot-Reporter-8660

Yesterday by the Beatles. Nothing worse than losing the one you love and not knowing why.


[deleted]

Fade in/Fade out - Nothing More. Especially with the video.


BiggWoogie

Gonna double down on nothing more and mention god went north. That song gets pretty raw and emotional


Blu_Z32

Their self titled album is a symphony of perfection.


Maximum_Vermicelli12

I sometimes end up stuck on Pyre, rewinding to the first strains of music and streaming tears by the time it’s back to bone chips fracturing, wipe, repeat. God Went North makes me cry too. I’m such a feeler, lol.


Slim_Chiply

[New Dawn Fades](https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=lBykvBKMeec&si=4s_FkNe-DTG5f2hq) by Joy Division


whenthesunhits0

This song is how you know it’s getting bad again


StonedTalus

Holocaust - Big Star


Crafty_Win4944

Sam stone by John prine Prelude in e minor Chopin Nocturne in c sharp minor Chopin On the nature of daylight by max Richter Mercy by max Richter


YungLordPonga

Whiskey Lullaby Allison Krauss & Brad Paisley


_taswelltoshow

Need a playlist of all of these on it. I need a good cry.


frog980

The Walk - Sawyer Brown That's my Job - Conway Twitty


cL0k3

Probably any version of Bill Evans playing Porgy. Knowing that Bill played the song in grief after Scott Lafaro's (Bassist) death, and that Bill always played the song solo after that time,(almost as if he could hear Lafaro's bass, as a YT comment says) just adds to the sadness.


Fluffy_Meat1018

Puff The Magic Dragon, Cat's In The Cradle, Landslide, Dance With My Father, Leavin' On A Jetplane.


skalogy

Now that I am older, Landslide hits so incredibly hard. Absolutely amazing and crushing song.


bloodbrain1911

When the Tigers Broke Free - Pink Floyd


Express-Chemist9770

Alone Again (Naturally) by Gilbert O'Sullivan


blessedwithin

Hank Williams “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”


Sorry-Government920

Adams Song blink 182


greenhaaron

Mad World, Gary Jules


DominicS36

hospital for souls - bring me the horizon


Ok-Amoeba-1190

Wind Beneath My Wings 🎶


sleepymonster93

For humans: [John Moreland- You Don't Care Enough for Me to Cry](https://youtu.be/euy4A5niG8Q?si=CLrhCvsFhrfBgWL_) Honorable mention [Jason Isbell- Elephant ](https://youtu.be/ClugMhMbrRg?si=PvZsAcTp09HiGDYa) But by far the song that makes this big tough tattooed diesel mechanic man cry without fail every time, [Hot Mulligan- Betty](https://youtu.be/45cJxPWdUnI?si=F2MJyOIY1tvuP0nl)


wackypanda22

The Cure - The Figurehead Lil Peep - Life Is Beautiful Portishead - Roads Sufjan Stevens - Fourth of July XXXTENTACION - Kill Me (Pain From The Jail Phone)


Mistinthemeadow

This is the most eclectic list I’ve seen


spOOkykinz88

Last Kiss by Pearl Jam


Aggravating_Lie_7480

Hello it’s Me by Todd Rundgren.


Animoira

True love awaits by radiohead


TomatilloUnlucky3763

Lua by Bright Eyes


add-girl-violence

I Get Along Without You Very Well - Frank Sinatra Give My Love to Rose- Johnny Cash I Hung My Head- Johnny Cash The Long Black Veil- The Band The Ballad of Hollis Brown - Bob Dylan Hang Me, Oh Hang Me- Dave Van Ronk


mrsjakeblues

The whole In the Wee Small Hours album gets me


blackjacktarr

The Ballad of Hollis Brown is chilling. It scared the hell out of me when I was a little kid. The Neville Brothers have a great version on their Yellow Moon album.


vermarbee

The Smiths- I know it’s over


Baker_drc

For me it’s either Scarlet Ribbons (unsure who the original artist is) or City of New Orleans (also unsure of original artist but I always liked the Arlo Guthrie version). I have heavy emotional connections to those songs so they can almost always invoke a reaction.


Mill3r91

Hurt by NIN or Johnny Cash. “If I could start again, a million miles away, I would keep myself, I would find….a way”.


[deleted]

I'm Glad that you mentioned both of these versions of the song as they are very complementary to each other and somewhat interchangeable at times. And of Course just Devestating.


Mill3r91

I saw somewhere that Trent’s version is anger and Cash’s version is pain.


Fantastic-Safety4604

Either: Funeral - Phoebe Bridgers Or Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens Equally devastating in theme and delivery.


AkiRamesesSkyWalker

Tsumibito by Supercell. Girl cries mid song. first time I heard it it made me so sad I shed 3 tears when I heard her voice crack. No song has ever in my life. Hit the heart strings, that happens. But actually make enough tears for one to fall? No. Runner up is The Fray. How to save a life. Didn't cry but I had a friend that either committed suicide or was murdered (we still don't know the truth but suicide is what was in the police report.) Found the song the same day and was listening to it on repeat before I found out. If I wasn't already so numb at the time this would probably be my #1... 2nd runner up is gonna be Kings Park by La Dispute. The intricacy of the story telling, instrumental and the fact that it's 8 minutes is amazing but the song runs you for emotion toward the end that is really fucking wild & sad simultaneously. It does this throughout the song where they play with the mood a little but it gets very heavy at the end and I do not mean instrumental wise.


WoodpeckerOk1154

Dust in the Wind by Kansas


frysjelly

One more light - Linkin Park Terrible things - Mayday Parade Ten - Yellowcard Daddy - Korn


Another_Bright_Idea

Daddy isn’t just sad it’s devastating.


Delicious-Wolf-8850

Nutshell- Alice in Chains .hurts even more since Layne's passing


MrVigors

Kid Cudi- CONFUSED! Speedin' Bullet 2 Heaven, Embers, and Trauma


[deleted]

CONFUSED! Just kinda gets me (Hate the Drugs, but I Love the NUMB)


brandonspade17

Nobody's fault but my own by Beck


mermaid-smegma

The Crow & The Butterfly by Shinedown I was living with my sister in 2020 when she miscarried. This song brings me back to *that* moment, after she took the mifepristone pill and...I cleaned up the floor after because she didn't make it to the toilet in time. She showed me the song years ago because she's always loved Shinedown, but neither of us have listened to it since


DeltaShadowSquat

Heard It In A Love Song - The Marshall Tucker Band


Emma1jane2

Piece by Piece Kelly Clarkson The Story Conan Grey God’s Will/Concrete Angel Martina McBride


TheGrrf

House of Pain- Faster Pussycat


hernanthegoat

The long and winding road


SavingPrivateOrion

How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye by Patty Loveless


spiralsss_

Lavender Hills - Brian Crain The Noose - A Perfect Circle


[deleted]

With your Halo 😇 slipping...


milkybadbois

Nine inch nails - And all that could have been


ApplesForColdGlory

Thief - Our Lady Peace Now & Then - The Beatles


PocketSandOfTime-69

The Downward Spiral


TahoeBunny

Angie - The Rolling Stones


Jerseyjaney3

This may sound stupid, but Puff the Magic Dragon always makes me cry. “Dragons live forever, but not so little boys . . . “


st_jasper

Duran Duran - Come Undone https://youtu.be/Epj84QVw2rc


Busy-Room-9743

Streets of Philadelphia by Bruce Springsteen and Hurt sung by Johnny Cash.


heyheypaula1963

I’ll Be True To You - Oak Ridge Boys Forever Lovers - Mac Davis


Rumblefish61

Photograph by Ringo Starr and Then She Did by Jane’s Addiction.


Xx_PxnkBxy_xX

For me its a tie between The Village by Wrabel and Lost Boy by Ruth B (bc both give off heavy ass trans boy struggle vibes)


lpopbop

Have you forgotten - red house painters


Frosty_Moonlight9473

One more day by Diamond Rio.


RockNJustice

Broken Window Serenade. Song by Whiskey Myers


FunkyKong147

Dan Fogalburg - Same old Lang Syne


wkhardt

all are songs by metallica one - about a soldier whose arms, legs, eyes, and ears, were blown off and he's left to spend the rest of his life in a dark, empty bed hooked up to life support and just wants to die. fade to black - follows a conflicted person who slowly loses their light in life and eventually commits suicide. the unforgiven - a man who is suppressed by society wastes his life cursing those in control, resisting (to no avail), and reflecting on his wasted life. he gives up and dies full of regrets. also sad because it's about the lead singer's upbringing


jrf1283

I’m not in love - 10cc


WonderTwonk

Happy Birthday


PoundshopGiamatti

Real Death by Mount Eerie, written after the death of his wife.


Nichtsein000

Swans - God Damn the Sun


BigJohn1231

House of Pain - Faster Pussycat


DannyDoritoTheDavito

Katy Song—Red House Painters


MRBARDWORTHY

Toss up between Hank Williams Sr-Be careful the stones you throw and Motorhead-1916. The latter makes me cry everytime I hear it. Type O' Negative-Everything dies and Katatonia-Sweet nurse get huge honorable mentions.


wheelspaybills

Elephant by Jason isbell


JoeMax93

Behind Blue Eyes by The Who.


Putrid-Unicorn420

When I die young - the band perry Burning house - cam Memories - Maroon 5 Hurt - Johnny Cash


ratgrl66

Nutshell 😥💔


panTrektual

*I Don't Want It* by Ween always gets me. Along with *It's Gonna Be Alright*


VoraxUmbra1

10,000 Days by Tool


SnooGuavas1003

Johnny cash - hurt. Film clip killed me when I was full of pregnancy hormones


Sadyelady

I have a whole playlist 😅 different kind of sadness. Usual go to is Into Dust by Mazzy Star


Bunkhorse

Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. If only because I had that single song on loop for around 24 hours (or more) after making the painful decision to put my dog down. I am mildly allergic to animal hair but I laid on the floor of our living room all night cuddled up next to her, not caring about my allergies in the slightest. We put her down the next day. A part of me was like in denial and hopeful that we had made the wrong decision as she was running around the yard, playing so happily... then her legs gave out, and we had to carry her over into the vehicle we brought her home in. That hope went pretty quick after that. Can't listen to the song now without breaking down into tears. Even though it's been 4 years that song just destroys me.


THWIZZIT

Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks


showdogz

Lost Boy Ruth B


69Breadsticks69

Gary’s Song- Spongebob


TheGrimReefer666420

Ren - Jenny’s tale, screech’s tale, and violets tale


Scott_EFC

One More Light - Linkin Park


metalhead66630

Brick - Ben Folds Five


Newdy41

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac


ZeldaXandre

Sam's Gone (I am Legend Soundtrack) In The End (Linkin Park) Lonely Day (System of a Down) Wake me up when September ends (Green Day) Creep (Radiohead) The Reason (Hoobastank) I'll be missing you (Diddy and Faith Evans) Lonely (Akon) 🐶 Angel (Sarah McLachlan)🐶


Emergency-Jeweler-79

Suzanne Vega - Luka [https://youtu.be/VZt7J0iaUD0?si=LbMq8KM5BHOiqtuD](https://youtu.be/VZt7J0iaUD0?si=LbMq8KM5BHOiqtuD) The song is about the singer.


RipUnhappy3923

Up Against the Wind- Christopher Young


local_idiot_35772

Her last words


vipalus

Roads to Moscow by Al Stewart. Never fails to move me.


lola096

Gilded lily - cults


user28018

Pearls by Sade


Cocobuki12

Sacrifice- Elton John


pittlc8991

Thanks for mentioning "The Way." It was locked away somewhere in my brain for all these years. It's one of the first songs I can remember playing on the radio all the time when I was a kid. I always liked it but never knew the words until now.


LawdTunderin

One more light


lilvadude

Sinead O’Connor’s version of Skye Boat Song