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Readers' Sad Songs: No.15

We launched our 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World on a lonely Friday night ... and then the crying really began. Not just from the weepy ballads we cued up for you, but from the ones we left off ("No Gilbert O'Sullivan?!?").

To show you, our cherished readers, that this is not a one-way pity party, we've tallied up your comments and assembled a list of your top 15 write-ins. Warning: You guys are way sappier than we are.


'Tell Laura I Love Her'
Ray Peterson (1960)

Tommy raced his car at the track to get the $1,000 prize to buy Laura a wedding ring. Only he died on the track:
"As they pulled him from the twisted wreck/On his dying breath they heard him say/'Tell Laura I love her/Tell Laura I need her/Tell Laura not to cry/My love for her will never die."
I cry every time I hear this song. --Trisha Pritchard, Lancaster, PA

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340 Comments

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Maegan

What about "Whiskey Lullaby?" Really? I still cry at that song...

December 15 2011 at 8:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bkelevra

A couple thoughts on additions:

Eels - It's a ************
Harry Nilsson - Don't forget me

December 15 2011 at 1:10 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David A Wynter Jr

How is Gilbert O'Sullivans "Naturally" (Along Again) not included on this list? I like some of the list, but its almost like the author was a bit short-sighted

June 17 2011 at 4:42 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Derek Farr

I think the saddest song I've ever heard, is by mayday parade one man drinking game the lyrics tell a story of the lead singer losing his girlfriend although I don't know how she died the last few minute with her were written into this song Always brings a tear to my eye

May 31 2011 at 5:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
DeAnne

eric clapton tears from heaven wow this was written for his son who died... very surprised it is no on the list

November 25 2007 at 4:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Karyn S. Davis

TIME by the Alan Parsons Project. To me, this is in the top ten of saddest songs in the world. Utterly depressing.
FOR ALL WE KNOW by Donny Hathaway. He made an album with Gladys Knight and had 2 solos at the end. This song will rip your heart out. He plays a piano solo next, no singing, but the tune alone is plenty sad enough. No words needed. I wasn't surprised that he committed suicide ~ you could hear it in these two songs.

November 22 2007 at 8:49 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steven Smith

if you've ever lost a really good friend
listen to "but life goes on-By 2pac"

November 21 2007 at 9:40 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Luce

The Saddest Song I've Got by Annie Lennox

August 06 2007 at 2:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
The Martins

Old Man River by Paul Robeson. Ya can't get any sadder than that. People also omit "I Wish it Would Rain" and I Will Never Love Another (After Loving You) by the Temptations. Listen to David Ruffin's heartfelt vocals while pondering that the lyricist for both songs, a Mr. Roger Penzebam,commited suicide one week to the day after "I Wish it Would Rain" charted in 1968. Sad stuff.

August 05 2007 at 8:29 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ali

Stevie Nicks, "Storms" from Tusk. "Every hour of fear I spend, my body tries to cry..living through each empty night..a deadly calm inside". Not to mention the rest of the song. I can't really listen to it as much as I love it. It makes me too sad.

August 05 2007 at 6:09 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply