Friday, March 30, 2012

Sad Songs Blogfest

You know... I've always preferred a sort of sad song. My earliest memories of favorite songs are Sound of Silence from Simon and Garfunkle and Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks, which amazingly has a cover by Nirvana (win).

So when Diane at Spunk on a Stick offered up the Sad Songs Blogfest, I thought , HEY, that sounds good!

Now my idea of sad songs is probably a little irregular (which should surprise NOBODY who knows me). I am not much for whiny love lost stuff. Romance Schmomance. Poo! I am far more into LIFE gone wrong. So without further ado, and in no particular order:


Hate Me by Blue October

This song is about someone telling someone they love to hate them so that they don't have their life screwed up any further. It is the DEPTHS of self-loathing, but also the purest of love. I dare anyone who's ever loved an addict to listen to this and not cry. Killer line: “Hate me in ways, Yeah ways hard to swallow. Hate me so you can finally see what’s good for you .”


Creep by Radiohead

Self Loathing at its deepest. I am too unworthy to have anything to do with you. Killer line: “I want you to notice, when I'm not around. You're so very special. I wish I was special. But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo. What the hell am I doing here? I don't belong here.”


Murder of One by Counting Crows

This one is about falling for someone who has already cast in their lots with someone who doesn't allow them to really live... controlling or horrible, in whatever way. I find it sad because there is someone there who wants to love her, but she can't take the leap to leave. I'm not sure this one has the killer line so much as a build—he is alternating observations with temptations for a girl he sees as completely trapped.


Joey by Concrete Blonde

Her very voice has a cry to it. This whole CD is really dark—perfect for when I'm in a dark mood. Caroline would work, too. But Joey, I find sad because it is sort of the aftermath... the couple had a lot of trouble because of his addiction stuff, she's gotten angry and left, but here she is letting him know she's not mad anymore... it's just DONE. It is like a break-up is a lot of screaming and fighting, but this is filled with both compassion and a finality. The killer line, “I know you've heard it all before, so I don't say it anymore. I just sit by and let you fight your secret war. And though I used to wonder why. I used to cry til I was dry. And sometimes I get a strange pain inside. Joey, if you're hurtin' so am I.”


Strawberry by Everclear

We're back to my addict theme. I had a few years where this was on my mind nearly all the time and this song came into my life in the midst of it. Art Alexakis is himself a recovering addict (and I've said on this blog before, I think he's the best storyteller-songwriter out there), so he sings it SO TRUE. The killer line, “Ten long years in a straight life. They fall like water. Yes, I guess I fu*^ed up again. Don't fall down now. You will never get up.”


I Believe by Chris Isaak

The only one that doesn't fall solidly into the heavy side of rock, though Chris Isaak sings with a ton of passion.  This song is beautiful irony. The narrator truly believes happiness is possible—sublime love—that it can happen. And then delivers, “But not for me, and not for you. I know you tried. I tried too. But sometimes all our dreams just don't come true.”


So that's probably enough. I know there are more. I could probably go through my CDs and find dozens, but these are the ones that come to mind.

Be sure to check out the other blogfest participants!

And I will see you all Monday for the beginning of the Crazy A to Z marathon! (see upper right corner if you need to learn more)


ANNNNND... Bloody Blogger seems to be having commenting problems--what a hassle. Just FYI--I am making my way down the middle column for the blog fest... Wish i could leave comments. Hmph.

42 comments:

Creepy Query Girl said...

Great choices! I don't know if I would have the patience to go listening to sad songs (I tend to cry if a song contains to many minor keys) but one that comes to mind is 'Too Late to Apologize' by One Republic.

RHYTHM AND RHYME said...

A good list, you mentioned The Sound of Silence a firm favourite of mine,

Yvonne.

Kyra Lennon said...

Ooh, very dark stuff. Creep by Radiohead is one I should have added to my own list!

baygirl32 said...

GREAT list! each one of these songs is on my playlist

Jessica Bell said...

Concrete blond! OMG that brought back memories ...

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Chris Issak has a great voice.

I did pick some sappy ones, so be prepared.

vic caswell said...

GAL!
i don't know any of these! WOW!
didn't expect that!
will look into remedying that!

Tamara Narayan said...

Joey is a great pick.

I've been having trouble leaving comments on Diane's page, but no other so far.

Catherine Stine said...

Interesting post! My older son used to love that song Creep, and it really worried me. But my son was not, and is not a creep, and he's doing amazing stuff with his life. It just goes to show, that angsty songs can carry people through difficult patches.

Tonja said...

I can leave comments if I enter the blog only from the blogger dashboard. Very odd and annoying.

I only know the sad hippy songs, none of the rest. My kids listen to newer songs but know all the words to Simon and Garfunkel. Even the baby.

jaybird said...

I love Blue October, got to see a live show in Atlantic City last year and they were brilliant!

Dawn Ius said...

Great list! Concrete Blonde - love that song!

Jeremy [Retro] said...

radiohead and the counting crows... brilliant, very strong list.

Please Check out My Sad Song List...
Jeremy [Retro-Zombie]
Visit The Madness:
iZOMBIE

Heather Savage said...

Seriously love sad songs. My movies I like happy, but with music, the sadder or more melancholy the better. I would like to add Metallica's Fade to Black and from my teen years, Floyd's Comfortably Numb. Granted, a bit of a masturbatory teen angst sort of song, but I had a friend who would turn to this one whenever she was feeling dark and so it's taken on a special place for me (she had lots of troubles we worked through over many a pot of coffee and packs of cigarettes back when those were my vices).

Heather Savage said...

Oh, and Run by Snow Patrol. Going to their show next month.

Unknown said...

After visiting all these blogs, I'm nearly on the verge of a breakdown. I'm going to have to stop listening to the songs. You have some great ones here though.

Sarah Ahiers said...

Aww! i wish i had known about this, because i LOVE me some sad songs!
Alice in Chain's Nutshell would've topped my list. Oh god, i can hear it in my head RIGHT NOW!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Lovely choices. I've heard of several of these songs and I like how you described the elements that drew you to pick this particular song.

Gossip_Grl said...

Checking out the sad song blogfest list. Nice song choices.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Crap, you might even think mine are sappy then!

J.L. Campbell said...

Hi, Hart,
I like Seasons in the Sun. Had I remembered it, I'da put it on my mega list. :D

Don't know most of these, but they do sound 'dark'.

~Sia McKye~ said...

Hart, I almost included Hate Me. That song just grabs me on so many levels. Blue October is a group I want to see again in concert.

You're so right about Art Alexakis. He Does sing true and it's also the reason I love Aaron Lewis of Staind.

Sia McKye OVER COFFEE

Sangu Mandanna said...

I haven't heard any of these! This blogfest's really taught me just how few sad songs I actually know.

Cate Masters said...

Excellent song choices, especially Radiohead and Chris Isaak. I'm off to check out the few I don't recognize too.

Dean Bryant Johnson said...

I am unfamiliar with all of these...but they are on my list to investigate now. Thanks!

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I'm sad that I don't know any of these songs! Well, at least I know "Sounds of Silence" and "Seasons in the Sun." Had no idea that Nirvana covered "Seasons" (who'd have thought?!) I'll have to look that up.

Anonymous said...

Chris Isaak is a great singing who can really deliver. I see Creep a few times today as I cruise around the Blogfest.

M Pax said...

I love Joey. I can't believe I forgot about that one. A concrete blonde song inspired the new series I have coming out.

Arlee Bird said...

I'm only familiar with "Creep", but I know all the groups. I agree about what makes the sad song. It doesn't always have to be something maudlin related to love or romance, but for me it's mostly the emotion evoked by the sound or melody or whatever I hear or it might be what I relate the song to in my life at the time I was hearing the song.

Interesting list.

Lee
Sad Songs Blogfests—Places I Remember
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog

lisahgolden said...

I love your list of sad songs. One of the best shows I ever saw was Concrete Blond in a really small venue.

Also, hi!

Jessica Marcarelli said...

Good choices! Can't wait to see what you come up with for A to Z. I'm adding my face to your Google list...


Jessica
Visions of Other Worlds

Jessica Marcarelli said...

Good choices! Can't wait to see what you come up with for A to Z. I'm adding my face to your Google list...


Jessica
Visions of Other Worlds

Emily R. King said...

When I saw Everclear in concert YEARS ago, Strawberry was my favorite song they performed. Very memorable!

N. R. Williams said...

Hi Hart
I didn't even consider addict songs. Oh, they are so sad and those about abuse too.
Nancy

Old Kitty said...

I am so not NAKED and feeling very SAD as I haven't a clue about these sad songs! :-(

Take care
x

Jemi Fraser said...

I don't know all of these ones very well - I'm going to have to check them out! :)

Heather M. Gardner said...

Love Concrete Blonde! Love the whole album! Great pick!

Creep is another favorite.

Great list!
HMG

kate n said...

More songs to add to the list of must listen too!

Jennie Bailey said...

Awesome choices!!! Joey - I listened to that over and over when it came out because my best friend had just broken up with her boyfriend...Joey! And Hate Me is such a great song as well!

Melissa Sugar said...

Strawberry has always been a favorite of mine. I did not know about the blogfest. I listened to all of yours -most I was familiar with and love.

The saddest song in the world to me is "Seasons in the Sun." It reminds me of my brother, Blake who I loved and idolized (my older brother). He died in a tragic car accident in 1990. My thirteen year old daughter is named "Blake" after him. He was my hero and the song really fits. He was sort of the black sheep of our family-tons of fun,but always getting in trouble. My mom was usually tipsy or drunk from "too much wine" when they had their arguments & his girlfriend at the time of his death, my best friend since grade school was named Michelle, so just about every part of the song rings true and I still cannot listen to it without crying my eyes out and it has been twenty one years.

I will try to check out some of the other participants if I can, but I still have some work to do to get ready for A to Z.

Ciara said...

Great list. I actually know all the songs. I've found a few sites that I wasn't familiar with the songs.

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, man--so many fabulous visitors yesterday! I will spend tomorrow getting back to the people I didn't manage to hit, but thank you all for stopping by!!!