On September 27th, NPR posted an article called "The Saddest Music in the World: 6 Tunes to Make you Teary Eyed." Well, NPR. I am throwing my glove at you. That's right. This is a duel.
First off, NPR only chose (quote/ unquote) classical music. That simply isn't right. Part of what makes music beautiful (and tragic) are lyrics. Call me biased, but I like words. I don't feel that music is complete without them. So, if we are talking about lyrics, we really have to examine folk-rock and classic rock genres. That's where it's at people - back when people weren't writing total idiotic nonsense and using auto-tuners on their voices (I'm looking at you Gaga). Again, call me biased. And bitchy. I'm good either way.
1. For God's sake, look at Joni Mitchell's "River".
"I wish I had a river/
I could skate away on/
I made my baby cry."
Does anyone have a sharp razor I could use? Seriously. Not convinced by the words? Have you ever listened to that song? It is the definition of DEVASTATING. Don't think so? Listen to Joni's "Case of You." If you don't cry, you're not human.
2. How about Blind Faith's "Can't Find My way home"? Steve Winwood killed this with his sweet tenor voice.
"I'm near the end and I just ain't got the time/
And I'm wasted and I can't find my way home."
I mean, "Higher Love" - his crap from the 80s - is funny and all, but this is painfully good. It isn't bogged down with sax and keys (all too typical of anything from the 80s). There's also a really old live version on Youtube.
3. "Landslide" - Fleetwood Mac. Between Lindsey Buckingham's fingerpicked chord changes and Stevie Nicks' desperately sad lyrics (which she's said are a tribute to her father, I mean consider singing this to your father, folks).
"Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?/
can a child within my heart rise above?/
can i sail through the changing ocean tide?/
can i handle the seasons of my life?/
i don't know..."
I am still spellbound by the original recording. The fact that she is literally asking questions to the universe and responding to herself with "I don't know." We all don't know, Stevie. Not a one of us. And I've heard the original recording a ba-zillion, ga-tillion times. So I like to alternate that version with The Dance (Reunion Tour) version.
4. Sad music just wouldn't be sad music without Nick Drake. Part of this is because Nick Drake got famous way after his death because of a freaking VW commercial that played "Pink Moon." He'd committed suicide decades before that "big break." And how did he do it? He overdosed on anti-depressants. Here are some lyrics from my favorite sad one, "Time has Told Me".
"Time has told me/
Not to ask for more/
someday our ocean/
will find its shore"
I know the words seem a little sing-songy, but if you listen, it's anything but. I like to think he wrote this as a pep talk to himself. That's just my analysis.
Aren't depressed yet? Listen to this next name.
5. Elliott Smith. That's right. I went there.
"Waltz No. 2" from his album XO. The second I heard this song in 1999, I ran out, bought the album and proceeded to play the song a trillion times in my little portable CD player in my little old Geo Metro hatchback. Like Nick Drake, Elliott also took his own life. Too sad.
"In the place where I make no mistakes/
in the place where I have what it takes"
6. Lastly, Joan Armatrading's "Down to Zero." If you are feeling heartbroken, simply press play. Side effects of listening to this song include: bawling your eyes out, rocking back and forth in the fetal position, and more bawling your eyes out. Don't believe me?
"Oh the feeling/
when you're reeling/
you step lightly thinking you're number one/
down to zero with a word 'leaving'/
for another one..."
Take that NPR.
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