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Sad Songs (Say So Much)
I have to admit, I am a sucker for sad songs. I hope that doesn’t reflect badly on my personality, but when I think of all the songs I know, it’s the sadder songs that have moved me the deepest, and that has had the biggest impact on me. The latest new Beatles “Now And Then” remind me of that, hauntingly beautiful, and melancholic, but by the end it leaves me feeling better, hopeful.
I think Elton John was onto something when he wrote “Sad Songs (Say So Much)”, and indeed they do. I think a good sad song within the blues and sadness, has a deep beauty that leaves you with hope and resolution. Don’t get me wrong, I love upbeat happy songs too, heck the Beach Boys was my favourite band growing up, but even within the Beach Boys they had amazing sadder and melancholic songs like Surfer Girl, In My Room, Don’t Worry Baby, God Only Knows that made Paul McCartney cry, or the Beatles “She’s Leaving Home” that made Brian Wilson cry.
If you took away all the sad songs, music would be so much less than it is. Half of all of Beethoven and Bach’s music would be gone. Even the Beatles “Hey Jude” is a sad song – “Hey, Jude, don’t make it bad, Take a sad song and make it better….” In the Beatles repertoire alone there are these sad songs: Yesterday, Eleanor Rigby, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, In My Life, Let It Be, The Long and Winding Road, She’s Leaving Home, Hey Jude, A Day In The Life, Nowhere Man…etc….and now “Now and Then”.
Anyone else here like sad songs?
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34 Replies
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I think we talked about this somewhat on another thread, but there are certainly a lot of sad songs that draw me in. I’m especially fond of this ABBA song. Agnetha delivers a great visual performance here, probably inspired by the fact that she and Bjorn were getting a divorce at the time. The lyrics cover a fascinating mix of emotions: exhaustion and vulnerability, but also acceptance and empathy.
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Hi David, thanks yeah that was a great one by Abba, a huge hit for them. I also liked their “Fernando” which has a very longing feel to it. I think that is another aspect of sad songs, there is a strong longing, like longing for a time from the past, or someone you are missing that can be so powerful and shake your foundations.
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Hi David and everyone. I’ve been away from the Forum for a bit. I hope everyone’s been well. David, since you mention “The Winner Takes It All,” I’d like to add a second ABBA song from late in their catalogue: https://youtu.be/AtjFLUx-a5M?si=r4r48hfGCxIqL-Ll
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Welcome back David. This is a calming and soothing song. I like the music box effect with a clock or metronome in the background. It’s an introspective song, beautiful.
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David,
Nice ABBA song choices! I got a great ABBA 4-CD set from my wife a while back. There’s a lot of great stuff on it that wasn’t in their top hits. I do love “Dancing Queen” and other hits of theirs, but the lesser-known songs are some of my favorites, the same as with the Beatles.
Here’s another sad ABBA tune, & a beautiful one at that! It’s very touching, & I believe it’s one of their best! (This song came out in 1980, when Agnetha was 30 years old, & Frida was 35. And they recently recorded new material!) — Bud
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David,
Agnetha had, & has a very powerful voice, similar to the power in Judy Garland’s voice, only with a much different style of course. Although ABBA’s Music is much different than Mona & Lisa’s, they remind me of each other in the following way. Both Mona & Lisa have wonderful solo voices, with personal differences in vocal quality, yet they blend so well together!
It’s the same with Agnetha & Frida; both are different, yet they have such a great blend together! While I doubt that our Twins would do any ABBA songs, I still appreciate both groups, & there’s no necessity for comparison.
And with the lack of quality in much of today’s Pop Music, I’m so glad we have the Mona Lisa Twins to enjoy, with the bonus of their feeling like a family with all of us fans who support their endeavors! — Bud
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I totally agree, Bud. Another similarity between ABBA and MLT is their ability to write and perform great songs in a language that isn’t native to them. I can’t imagine ever having that degree of facility with a foreign tongue.
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David,
Yes, & also, who would think that Sweden or Austria would turn out singers in this age that have been so popular! (Or Korea for that matter!) America & Britain don’t have to be the only countries with hit recordings.
Mona & Lisa might have a small Fan base now, but who knows what the future holds?! Well, I’m off to work soon! — Bud
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I mentioned this one before but have to include it here. The MLT song that made me cry, in fact the only song I can remember that made me break down and cry. The heartstring pulling longing in the song is so powerful, and Lisa and Mona sing it with so much feeling, every guitar note tugs at the heartstrings too. It’s beauty made me feel so good, it consoles and soothes the soul.
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Jung, there are a few of the Twins songs that bring a tear to my eye Vincent, Imagine and Wish You Were Here are a few. The guitar playing on Wish You Were Here gets to me, it’s not sad though, it’s just that beautiful. The song that really floored me was Alone. I listened to it four or five times the day they released it in the club and then I suddenly remembered a young girl I knew from work who took her own life because she had been hit with depression from many angles at the same time. She was betrayed by her boyfriend, her boss and her union steward and stabbed in the back by co workers and so called friends. I didn’t realize she was so depressed. I only knew her a short time but considered her a friend and even now wonder if there was something I could have said or done to help her. I can’t imagine how alone she must have felt. I love this song so much but still tear up from it. I’m having a hard time even writing this while the song is playing but I guess that is what a great song is suppose to do, bring out your feelings.
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Hi Tim
Yeah, “Alone” is so tender and beautiful, it is the highlight of the new Duo Sessions II album for me, but not to lessen any of the other beautiful gems on the album. The song just underscores the amazing song writing prowess of Mona and Lisa.
Thanks for sharing about your friend, that is sad to hear. Perhaps your enduring kind thoughts and regard for her would make her happy knowing that where she is. With sad songs, it’s a mysterious thing, in the darkness it evokes an amazing beauty that give hope and insight, and healing.
I’ve posted this one before, but it’s one of the most consoling songs out there.
https://youtu.be/wXT7X_bf9lU?si=lAJhLjwfpbW_ipKd
Sometimes just knowing you are not alone, and others have felt the pain or anguish you are feeling is amazingly consoling. When I discovered MLTs “The Wide, Wide Land” after losing my mom to dementia the year before, the song was so beautiful and moving, and knowing that beauty was being expressed by artists who went through what I went through was amazingly consoling, knowing I was not alone with the pain I was feeling.
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That’s a beautiful song Jung, I never heard it before. It’s amazing how those simple lyrics can be presented in a way that anyone can understand and that everyone can relate to. It’s funny that when we go through sad times we feel like we go through them alone but the truth is that everyone will go through these same feelings at sometime in their life. I guess that’s why sad songs are so popular, they speak to everyone.
Here’s another song that works the same way, just simple lyrics but words anyone can understand especially if you’ve had your heart broken deeply. I’ve always liked the line ” I’m gonna find a hole in the wall, gonna crawl inside and die” it doesn’t get more real than that.
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Right on Jung! — Bud
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I’ve been a huge Elton John fan since the mid 70’s when he and the band first really started to rattle the music world. The Too Low For Zero album and Breaking Hearts album signified a resurgence in his music collaborations with Bernie Taupin after a brief hiatus on more or less his own due to some other issues in Sir Elton’s life. I did enjoy his Single Man album during that time, it was different and had a melancholy tone that likely told some stories of his broken relationships and personal troubles.
But the two early/mid 80’s albums and resulting tours offered up Sad Songs (Breaking Hearts) and the previous I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues (Too Low For Zero) that were more in the bluesy “tear jerker” genre, especially with Stevie Wonder playing the harp on I Guess That’s Why. I consider Nikita (Ice On Fire ’85) a sad song as well, but with a positive/hopeful dreamlike undertone. Something that I think we have all felt with an unrequited love experience in our lives; bitter but sweet. If you want to go way back to the Don’t Shoot Me days, High Flying Bird is definitely a song of sorrow.
And of course, Empty Garden (Jump Up ’82) is a sad but loving tribute to John Lennon. A very heartfelt song that he decided could only be performed live in NYC. I can attest to that, his tour in ’97 played all over the world, but he only played it in NYC. I was at that show/tour a couple months before my 50th birthday in Edmonton, and it was noticeably missing from the songlist….everything else was the same. But it was part of the show in MSG, when he announced the reasoning why. Doesn’t get much more poignant and sad than that.
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Hi Daryl
Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny) is so heartwarming and what a great tribute to John Lennon. The lyrics “I’ve been knocking but no one answers” really express the feeling of loss. Elton John is the king of ballads, and back in the 70s I recall his music was everywhere, so many beautiful melodies. He was like a Mozart, and for a while was cranking out the hits like the Beatles did. In my early teens had a good friend who really loved Elton John and so got to listen to a lot of Elton John albums he bought. Songs like Daniel were so sad but beautiful. Even his love songs had a melancholic feel that could reach deep inside and move you and make you teary eyed. He certainly had a magic with his songs like this one. He had great rockers too.
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Jung, I just started a forum thread on live performances and started with an Elton John performance and then I seen this one of yours started with an Elton John song, Lol. I guess we were both on the same cosmic wave length today. Anyways I do love sad songs, especially the ones that could make your heart cry. It’s because of these songs that I love Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show. They were more known for their novelty songs like The Cover of the Rolling Stone but their best music was the gut wrenching tear jerkers that were mostly album cuts. They played mostly country music but would never get played on country radio because they had long hair and didn’t conform to the Nashville standards. They did clean up their act and had quite a few pop hits later in their career but to me their best stuff was their early gut wrenching country stuff. This was their first major hit and I bought their first album because of it. I’ve been a life long fan ever since. That lap steel guitar in this song is so hauntingly beautiful.
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Wow Tim, “Sylvia’s Mother” is so touching and moving. I’ve never heard this one. I can feel that gut wrenching pull of it. I’ve heard of Dr Hook, they had a number of big hits I recall. When You’re In Love with A Beautiful Woman, Sharing the Night Together, Only Sixteen….
The Rolling Stones had some great melancholic ballads like Wild Horses, Angie, and this one:
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Jung,
I remember this song from WAY back, but I hadn’t seen this video before. It is a very nice song, and to me so different from their Rock ‘n’ Roll tunes! I’m glad to see that Mick and Keith, like Paul and Ringo are still going strong! Maybe it doesn’t make up for John Lennon being gone, and many other great musicians who are no longer with us; but it does ease the pain!
I feel so lucky to be alive in this era, having seen so many great musicians & singers “live” in concert! I love to see the many who are still around after so many years! Sometimes it feels like the rest of the World sucks, with all the tragic events that are going on now. But we still have great Music! To me, Music really does help make people feel better, & hopeful about our collective future!
For whoever is reading these posts, I hope you all have a great Holiday Season, and that we all have a Happier New Year! CHEERS! — Bud
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Tim, some of us had the good fortune to meet with Ray Sawyer at a local gig here in town some years ago. A bunch of us just happened to be outside the venue between sets (reasons not important or why I was out there, merely friend associations) when this fellow just walked up and started talking to the crew. Never introduced himself, but myself and a couple others that were long time fans recognized him (but didn’t say anything) just let him be himself and enjoy some small conversation. Really cool personable dude.
Their music style changed in the 80’s, and really gave the group a new fan base from those of us that were a tad, em, “older”. Us more senior types identified more with Cover Of The Rolling Stone, Queen Of The Silver Dollar, Sylvia’s Mother era, but came to enjoy the smoother mellower songs of the early 80’s too. -
Thanks Daryl, Dr. Hook is one of my all-time favorites and I like their 80’s pop records too. They even had a disco hit with Sexy Eyes. But there first 3 or 4 albums were the best, I still go back and listen to them now. Ray Sawyer was a cool dude and toured on his own up until he passed away a few years ago. My younger brother has a copy of The Rolling Stone magazine with their picture on the cover that Ray signed for him and dedicated it to my mother who also loved their music. The majority of the songs on those first 3 albums were written by Shel Silverstein who has quite a biography in his own right. There’s some great videos on YouTube of a time the group spent relaxing on Shel’s houseboat. Having a good time and playing some great music. No matter how influenced they were by controlled substances, when they started playing, they were as tight and dedicated as any band I’ve heard or seen. Here’s a sad song from those houseboat sessions that demonstrates their commitment to a song, incredibly done by lead vovalist Dennis Locorriere.
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Dennis had a vocal style that was unique and instantly recognizable. So much of that whole album was so characteristic of the way they put themselves into their music. And yeah, their lifestyle habits never detracted from the end product. I never saw them live until finally the mid 80’s when they had cooled their jets a tad, like so many groups had to as time caught up with the haywire activities and the long term abuse took its toll.
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Yeah, I am real glad they cleaned up their act before that lifestyle destroyed them. I never seen the band with Dennis. I seen Ray twice, once touring under the Dr. Hook name and once just as Ray Sawyer. Ray was a great singer in his own right as well as Bill Francis who was the tall keyboard player. They really had some great harmonies too.
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There are many sad songs, and songs that make you cry, but with Mona and Lisa, some of those can just be beautiful songs, like Tim said. There are so many of each kind.
Great to listen to all of these songs, some of which I don’t recall hearing before. I like all these songs.
The song below is beautiful and has gotten me to tear up. I loved that song before they were born. When I first checked last winter, jonimitchell.com said they knew of 1607 covers of it. A few months later, 1634 covers. And this week, it’s up to 1650. But of course, nobody does it like Mona and Lisa do. If this was the only song Mona and Lisa ever did, they’d still be my favourite band.
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Now I’ll give you a song that’s only just sad.
Another one that I’ve loved since the ’70s.
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Chris,
Yes definitely, I think this is one of M&L’s best & most moving performances! It’s perfect, as is their version of “God Only Knows.” They have done so MANY great versions of an amazing variety of covers! And of course, their originals are all wonderful too!
— Bud
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Hi Chris,
Both Sides Now is a great example of Lisa and Mona’s beautiful vocal abilities. There is something about Mona’s dizzy dancing harmonies that really got me the first time I heard it. I also love how Mona fades her blues harp to accent Lisa’s voice. I guess their somber tone does bring a sense of loneliness to it. Listen to this while in traffic. As it instantly relieves your road rage, try not to make eye contact with the driver next to you. Your tear swollen face might frighten them. Not that that ever happened to me.
TGIF!
JP
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Elton John is my #1 influence as a keyboard player. There was a time, back in the ’70s when I played lots of his songs from his early albums.
Elton John, Tumbleweed, Madman, Honky Chateau, Don’t Shoot Me, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Caribou and Captain Fantastic. I did hear songs off the later albums, but the early ones are what I focused on.
My fave Elton album is Tumbleweed Connection. One time we actually played the song below, which is from Tumbleweed, in public. People came up to us after we were done and asked if we were okay. It’s that sad. We were 19 years old when we were playing it. Imagine doing it now, when I actually am old.
Talking Old Soldiers
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Chris, I love the Tumbleweed Connection album as well as Honky Chateau. Here’s my favorite from Tumbleweed called Country Comfort. I actually first heard the song on a Rod Stewart album but Rod’s version was missing the last verse. Maybe he didn’t want to sound too “country”. My brother’s band used to play it a lot. Who knew a song by a British rocker would go over so good in the bars in cow country.
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Tim, you found it. Country Comfort is my all time favourite Elton John song.
It’s just a peaceful, wonderful song, about living with family in the country. With some nice steel guitar licks. I’m guessing Elton and Bernie thought it could get played in country bars. There are a number of MLT originals that I think could definitely cross over to country fans too.
I like Rod Stewart. I knew about his cover of Country Comfort, but I guess I didn’t notice he forgot the last verse. I discovered him with The Faces – Stay With Me is one of my favourite rock tunes ever. If you aren’t familiar with his Great American Songbook albums, they’re different, it’s that old Songbook music, but he is great on those too. I love those old songs.
The only time I ever saw Elton live was October of 1972, on the Honky Chateau tour. I was too young to drive, so it’s a good thing my older sisters liked him too. That’s a great album.
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Chris, from the old into one of the more recent of Elton’s songs that have that melancholy yet somehow uplifting quality he is so good at. It has become one of my favorite cuts he’s ever done. Which is pretty hard given I love just about everything he does. I have struggled a bit with trying to make it work on a guitar, but it’s getting there. I have managed a couple of his other songs (Your Song is relatively easy) but I’ll get there eventually. This one is from The Diving Board, clearly one of his most piano driven albums in a very long time.
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Daryl,
Thanks for posting this song. I put a list of Elton’s first 8 US studio albums above ^^, and after those, I really stopped paying much attention. I should go back and listen to the other 23 studio albums he did. And the other live albums, etc. I never heard of this album. I like this song. I looked this song up to see who wrote the lyrics and was glad to find it was Bernie Taupin again. And I found a short interview with him about it. Maybe you’ll find it interesting.
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That list wasn’t lost on me. The early releases were great, it was easy to see the progression of Elton and Bernie’s collaborations gaining momentum and maturity with time. I remember a documentary where they both talked about the creative processes they used. Often, Bernie would write lyrics at home (by himself) and give them to Elton to put music to. I forget which song it was, but he told Elton that he “might have trouble with this one” as Bernie thought it was deep and difficult. Elton called him up during the drive (somehow) on his way back home only 10 or 15 minutes after getting the lyrics from Bernie and said ” I have it!” Amazing how two musically creative genius’s can work so well. I was dumfounded and crushed when the two of them had their falling out and went separate ways in those difficult middle years. But thankfully they got it back together and wrote some of the best songs ever afterwards.
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It must be very sad if it resulted in 96 Tears.
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Thank you for posting. I also love sad songs. Among those you mention, the MLT version of God Only Knows is a great example. Others that spring to mind are Supertramp’s “Lord is it Mine”, Barclay James Harvest’s “The world goes on” (I think it safest to pass “Suicide” by) and, of course, Paul McCartney’s ballad to his dear departed friend John in “Here Today”
Here’s the link to the BJH track:
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