Sad Songs...

[Sploops]

... are nature's onions.

I was just listening to "You Are My Sister" by Antony and the Johnsons and I started to tear up.  So I wondered - What songs make you cry?

[Sarah]

"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (I know the Pogues' version best), Billy Bragg's "Great Leap Forwards," Seize the Days' "United States," and other songs like that.

[Susannah]

"Holding Back the Year" by Lou Barlow, "Apology Accepted" by the Go-Betweens; mainly on account of an ex-boyfriend.  Love stinks.

[erika]

Passing Afternoon by Iron and Wine. Every time.

[Matt]

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=mVcb1Hl46Ds[/youtube].

[TL]

Ugh - where to begin?
Short list:
Jimmy Mack - Martha and the Vandellas
The Broad Majestic Shannon - The Pogues
Carolan's Farewell to Music - Turlough O'Carolan (I only know it as performed by Derek Bell)
Many, many Waterboys songs - The Whole of the Moon, Fisherman's Blues, Always Dancing, Never Getting Tired, etc.
Linden Arden Stole the Highlights - Van Morrison
Move on Up - Curtis Mayfield
Lots of Thin Lizzy - The Black Rose, Chatting Today, Sitamoia, etc.
Corporal Chalkie - Mekons
Oro Mo Bhaídín - Mary O'Hara
Everyone Sees What I See - Clive Product
It's Good to Have Met You - The Pupils
Straight to Hell - The Clash
Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
Parts of Yes Sir, I Will, by CRASS
If I'm in the right mood, One More Time, by Daft Punk (don't judge!)
Salt Lick - Tad (just kidding!)
And, uh...  this:
[youtube]0k17RSzxTvM[/youtube]
That's actually me crying at the side of the stage.

[Laurie]

Most Lisa Germano songs.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1iErRTVp518

"It's a Rainbow" on the Lisa Germano/Joey Burns/Howe Gelb collab, OP8, was my anthem in high school. It never failed to make me cry.

[samir]

any of the songs from:

[Chris L]

Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros

This used to make me cry too, because it often meant that John From Cincinnati was starting. 

[emma]

Autumn's Here by Hawksley Workman, Imaginary Bars by the Great Lake Swimmers, Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens and Virtute The Cat Explains Her Departure by the Weakerthans (natch!) are usually pretty surefire bets.

[Laurie]

Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros

This used to make me cry too, because it often meant that John From Cincinnati was starting. 

HA!

[Stan]

Maybe it has to do with an association with another time in my life, maybe it's Fripp's solo but either way this isn't my video:

[youtube]k6n9s1e8EXs[/youtube]

[dave from knoxville]

Autumn's Here by Hawksley Workman, Imaginary Bars by the Great Lake Swimmers, Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens and Virtute The Cat Explains Her Departure by the Weakerthans (natch!) are usually pretty surefire bets.

I want to jump on the Casimir Pulaski day bandwagon. A few other come to mind. (Just go ahead and insert your own "Don't judge!" after each of these.) I am really opening myself up to censure here; maybe Tom doesn't read this part.

Pretenders - Stop Your Sobbing
Bruce Cockburn - You've Never Seen Everything
Bruce Springsteen - Stolen Car
Kate Bush - Walk Straight Down the Middle
Ben Folds - Hospital Song
Richard Thompson - Beeswing
Aimee Mann - Save Me
Weather Report - A Remark You Made
Todd Rundgren - Torch Song
Ryan Adams - Come Pick Me Up
Jules Shear - The Mystery's All Mine

and, I gotta say it; GO AHEAD AND JUDGE

Yes - And You And I (I have also been known to get misty over the climax of The Revealing Science of God.)

[God Stewart]

Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
Pedro the Lion - Arizona
Silver Jews - Pretty Eyes

and lately...

Silkworm - The Bones

[emma]

How about songs that aren't associated with any particular memories and sometimes are not even sad-sounding but they still just make you cry? Like there's some kind of weird pressure point in your brain? I only have, like, two or three of these, but do most people have any? Or am I just nuts?