The 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World: No. 1
'Chicken Wire'
Pernice Brothers (1998)
The Breakdown: Breathy Massachusetts sad sacks offer a lovely ballad about a woman choking to death on exhaust fumes ... and a cloud of minor chords.
The Waterworks: "They found her car/Still running/In the garage."
Casualty Count: One woman, and the drink she was holding.
Listen to 'Chicken Wire'
Buy it on iTunes
Did We Jerk Around Your Favorite Tearjerker? Cry Us a River Below.
('Seasons in the Sun,' Anyone?)
Posted by Spinner Staff
Filed under: Songs, The Hit List
Reader Comments(1 of 131)
elinqoeat 5-05-2007
This is a really lame list because it doesn't include Janis Ian's "At Seventeen"
Adrobat 5-05-2007
Honey _bobby Goldsboro??
Wildfire?
Have you seen Her?
Robat 5-05-2007
Astonishing. How could you even NOT consider "Goodbye to Love" by the Carpenters? That blows my mind. It is one of the saddest songs of all time!
"Time and time again the chance for love has passed me by and all I know of love is how to live without it - I just can't seem to find it."
Those aren't sad words? Sheesh, gimme a break.
drewat 5-05-2007
What about "last kiss" by Pearl Jam?
Claudia Wolfat 5-05-2007
Tears from Heaven by Eric Clapton. How could any song be sadder than the one he wrote for his late 5 year old son, who died falling from a hotel window. I cry every time I hear it.
Jolene Richardsonat 5-05-2007
The list should've included "Last Kiss" covered by Pearl Jam.
marissaat 5-05-2007
what about gravedigger by dave matthews band?
Jorgeat 5-05-2007
I have two songs that I could have seen in there.
Dixie Chicks - Traveling Soldiers
About a girl's young love and his death far away.
Alabama - In Pictures
About a man who never gets to see his daughter grow up in person, only through pictures.
Paulat 5-05-2007
Uhh.... how can you not include one of the most recorded saddest songs of all time??? "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen! The title says it all, you don't even have to SEARCH the lyrics to know it. LAME list.
Peteat 5-05-2007
Can't believe you didn't consider "Alone Again, Naturally" by Gilbert O'Sullivan or "Where've You Been" by Kathy Mattea
Claudia Wolfat 5-05-2007
Tears from Heaven by Eric Clapton. How could any song be sadder than one written inspired by the death of his 5 year old son, who died falling from a hotel window. I cry every time I hear it. Heartbreaking tenderness and vulnerability.
kdogat 5-05-2007
You Need to Ad george jones (the grand tour) one of the best tear jerkers ever
joshat 5-05-2007
what about metallca's fade to black? its about wanting to commit suicide because of lifes changes.thats sader than the beegees
Jasonat 5-05-2007
Keep Me In Your Heart For A While by Warren Zevon?? " Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath; keep me in your heart for a while". One of the last songs he wrote before he died. This should be on the list.
Jimat 5-05-2007
My Immortal by Evanescence???? totally sad! Longing
for a lost love one, describing the emotions and the
pain... sadness...
Jettnroundat 5-05-2007
The 1997 re-release of Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind' redone for Princess Diana Spencer death August 31, 1997. That is a sad powerful song.
George Mole'at 5-05-2007
This list is totally incomplete without Brook Benton's "Rainy Night in Georgia." While the rain pours down, he takes shelter in a boxcar and thinks of someone he loves who's not there. It's a masterpiece.
"Late at night when it's hard to rest I hold your picture to my chest and I feel fine...it's a rainy night in Georgia...I feel it's rainin' all over the world."
SDat 5-05-2007
Bread's "Lost Without Your Love" I mean with lyrics like, "Lost & out alone, I always thought that I could make it on my own, but since you left I hardly make it through the day, my tears get in the way & I need you back to stay". & that's only the first verse.......
tomat 5-05-2007
I think you could add these to the list as well:
Lightning Crashes - Live
Hemmorrage - Fuel
Cat's in the Cradle - Harry Chapin
Jaimito El De Caimitoat 5-05-2007
How on earth is the Stones' "Angie" not on that list?