The 20 most heartbreaking songs of all time

Yahoo Music ^ | Nov. 20 2008 | The Lonely Hearts Club Banned

[kik5150]

For the last month Rock's Backpages has offered up a slew of sobworthy classics from all walks of pop. Country, soul, AOR, dance: you name the genre, we've scoured it for heartbreak greats. So get yer handkerchiefs ready... here's our tearjerking Top 20 , from the Everly Brothers to George Jones via Lorraine Ellison and Little Feat. --Barney Hoskyns, Rock's Backpages

[kik5150]

One of the worst lists I have ever seen. Three I thought of immediately: Johnny Cash "Hurt" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go Death Cab for Cutie "I will follow you into the dark" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNIS0cuDOMw Pink Floyd "Wish you were here" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPm4GH3UUC8

[Sharrukin]

Never even heard half of them.

[valkyry1]

I got the pelosi blues again

[Lizavetta]

"Till I Get it Right" by Tammy Wynette.

Hands down fabulous. She had The Voice.

[Slings and Arrows]

There's one song that never fails to bring a tiny tear to my eye.

[dr_lew]

I could go with 5,6, and 7 on the list. My personal choice for most heart wrenching isn’t there, though. Whispering Winds, by Patti Page. “Whispering winds, don’t whisper to me of a love that can never be.” ... not on Youtube!

[mylife]

ABBA?

Allison Krause~Ghost In This House

[rdl6989]

rotflmao!

[Carling]

Johnny Cash singing “You Are My Sunshine” is one of the saddest songs of all time.

Any list that doesn’t have this song on it does not count.

[DB]

Cats in the Cradle and Taxi are pretty strong in the sad department.

[count-your-change]

Can anything match, “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On The Bedpost Overnight”? Or how about some the great songs by Alvin and the Chipmunks? Always brought tears to my eyes, lemme tell ya!

[Carling]

Also have to wonder why “Jolene” by Dolly Parton isn’t on the list.

What an incredibly sad song, true and from the heart of Dolly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiO3SIOOc_4

[Sharrukin]

Just listened to 17 Soft Cell: “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye,”

Criky that was bad!

[xjcsa]

Half the songs on Amy Grant's album Behind the Eyes would qualify here - especially "The Feeling I Had" and "Missing You".

Example:

Missing you is just a part of living
Missing you is just a way of life
I'm living out the life that I've been given
But baby, I still wish you were mine.

And:

I cannot take the heat
I guess I'm letting go
I'm tired of stitching up my dreams with
This thread of hope
I'm still a believer of
Twin hearts and timeless love
And all I ever wanted was
The feeling I had with us

[mylife]

Hows about Johnny Cash’s “flushed from the bathroom of your heart”? L0L

[Wil H]

Poignant, or haunting, rather than heartbreaking...Harry’s Theme by Clanad

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

“Tell Laura I Love Her” - a real tearjerker. None of this pretend stuff.

Or “Endless Sleep”
Try “Running Bear”

[Lizavetta]

“Sunday Morning Coming Down” is wrenching. And beautiful.

[brivette]

Inever thought much of Johnny Cash until I heard “Hurt”. What a song.

[Carling]

Listen to all the lyrics of “You Are My Sunshine”.

“...But now you’ve left me and love another;
You have shattered all of my dreams:.”

My kids never hear that verse. heh