songs that make you shiver/cry

[Edward]

'And the band played Waltzing Matilda' esp the June Tabor version.

The one I'm familiar with is the Pogues' cut from their Rum, Sodomy and the Lash album.

There are a few songs that have set me off in the past...

Two Little boys - Rolf Harris.

Occasional performances of I'm Going Home, Frank'n'Furter's swansong in the Rocky Horror Show - most particularly by David Bedella in the role during the 2006/07 UK Tour.

The Pogues' Fairytale of New York - live, or on record.

Last year, I attended about a dozen showings of the West End run of the revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Sheridan Smith's rendition of Somewhere that's green set me off every time. Pretty impressive given what Audrey laments the absence of is actually my idea of hell. lol

 

[Folly]

Most things sung by Johnny Cash, particularly Hurt, Bridge Over Troubled Water and If You Could Read My Mind. If Johnny Cash had sung Bright Eyes, I would have been of no use to anyone.

Bright Eyes by absolutely anyone
Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton

 

[Samsa]

Hm, there are a lot of these for me - some corny, some not. A few are:

The Pogues - The Broad Majestic Shannon
Leonard Cohen - Dress Rehearsal Rag
Bob Dylan - If You See Her, Say Hello [the New York version]
Gordon Lightfoot - The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The Bee Gees - New York Mining Disaster
Chris Bathgate - Cold Fusion (Snakes)
Hank Williams - At the First Fall of Snow
The Wolfe Tones - The Men Behind the Wire

 

[miserabelle]

There are a few Antony and the Johnsons songs as well as Martha Wainwright.

Anything sung by Judy Garland for some reason... and when I see her in films I just burst into tears - I thought it was just confined to the Wizard of Oz but I've seen more and more of her recently and just... floods! I have no idea why though. xxx x

 

[Sunny]

"Dutch Rhapsody" from A Bridge Too Far.

One particular song out of the Civil War. It's a narrative with dialogue, between a station master and an man who comes down to the station to meet his son, coming by train. It's not until the last line of the song that you learn that the son is dead, and it's his body coming home. I can't even stand to listen to it, much less learn it. "Coming To Us Dead."

"The Highwayman", Loreena McKennitt.

"Lament for Boromir", as recorded in The Starlit Jewel album.

Many parts of The Messiah. Particularly "Surely he hath borne our griefs", "He trusted in God that He would deliver Him", and "Worthy Is the Lamb."

"Non Nobis Domine" from Henry V.

"Empty Chairs and Empty Tables" from Les Mis?©rables.

"Battle in the Air" from The Battle of Britain. Nothing but shivers.

 

[PSK123]

Wayyy to many:

John Waite - Missing you.
Pink Floyd - The Gunner.
Samuel Barber - Adagio for strings.
Edward Elgar - Nimrod (though not a song).
Bill Withers - Ain't no sunshine.

List goes on and on.

Oddly enough, "dancing cheek to cheek" sung by anyone, always upsets me as well. No idea why.

 

[PSK123]

Oh, and;

Enya - May it be, although most stuff by Enya (and Clannad), makes me feel a bit odd [huh]
Pachelbel - Canon.

Phil

 

[Avalon]

You folks have already named a few of them for me, so I'll include one that you didn't: Goodnight Saigon by Billy Joel.

 

[Alex Oviatt]

Obvious things like Albinoni's Adagio, as well as the Rolling Stones' "Fool the Cry" and REM's "Everyboby Hurts." And any lament played on a bagpipe. Sentimental war tunes like "I'll Be Seeing You" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas" and on the Christmas note, Nat King Cole's "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot."

 

[JazzBaby]

The king of all sad songs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloomy_Sunday

While we're on the subject of Nat King Cole, his version of Autumn Leaves is beautifully wistful.

 

[Mary]

I cried a lot to 100000 fireflies by the magnetic fields when I got over my first love. He had starry eyes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvSY4NYkySM

And Marine girls On my mind. I plan to use it the next time I'm miserable. Can't find it on youtube. It's very repetitive pop and it aches in my when I hear it. The text so brilliant. She sings with such emotion.

M

 

[Antje]

annie lennox - into the west
johnny cash, but i don't seem to remember the title

 

[dr greg]

Keening

Sinead O'Connor's take on Skibbereen, but anything with them bloody pipes in it will do the trick, as well as all that Balkan wailing...Trio Bulgarka etc.

 

[deadpandiva]

Speak Low
South Tacoma Way-Neko Case

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Allman Brothers "Whipping Post" brings me back to some bad days, one of which is when I was driving alone through the foothills of West Virginia from Maine to KY when my husband was in the USMC. It always makes me feel alienated and alone. So of course I had to go listen to it right now! Ah, angst and pain.

 

[imoldfashioned]

Samuel Barber - Adagio for strings.

Guh! The first time I heard this was when Princess Grace's funeral was televised and now that's what I think of everytime I hear this piece of music. It's so beautiful but it makes me teary.

 

[pgoat]

The king of all sad songs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloomy_Sunday

most people know Gloomy Sunday as sung by Billie Holliday (and rightfully so) but for extra dirge power check out the goth version.

 

[Hawkcigar]

I know it's kind of sappy but "Mr. Bojangles" by Nitty Gritty Band always makes me kind of melancholy.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I thought I should add, since we're getting so maudlin, that for a period of time the songs contained on Neil Diamond's 'Stones' and 'Moods' LP's (This is before he became Elvis II and then lost his voice!) Neil's version of "If You Go Away" is particularly tender and sentimental. I've just become too happy and contented this late in life and I just can't listen to songs like that anymore. I think my love-sickness got cured.

-dixon cannon

 

[PADDY]

Fields of Gold. (sung by Sting).

Makes me think of my youth and my father when he was alive.
Adaggio for Strings - that 'always' pushes the emotional buttons with me too.