Songs that make people cry?

[Bookstorecowboy]

I once played the "Streets of Laredo" for some kids in Budapest (they spoke English). The idea was that they would learn to sing the song. But after I played it once and explained the lyrics, then played it again, some of them started crying. They begged me not to play it again and asked for a happy song. Of course I changed to something else (I forget which song; I probably knew at least one happy song). But I was wondering today: Have you ever played a song that reliably made at least some people cry? What was it? How do you feel about playing songs like that?

[rmp]

I have one.

John Prine, Summers End

I think wasn't so much the song, but that official video is a real tear jerker.

At the time I saw this my youngest granddaughter (16) was hospitalized for anorexia and, we had no idea how bad her health was until she was admitted.

Coming up on that video during those days was the last thing I needed to see.

[The Bard Rocks]

Someone's going to try this, so I'll scoop them and say, "Whenever I sing, there's always someone who cries". .... Enough of that.

I cannot say that I have experienced people actually crying over the lyrics, but have had requests for happier music. In response to thee requests, I now have quite a bit of that, enough to realize that, more often, lyrics are not happy. My thought is that people are moved to create music more by unhappy events than by uplifting ones. When you are down, it is a way to bring yourself up. I've often said you can't stay unhappy when singing the blues.

[fitness1]

I would certainly never perform a tune that was that potentially gut wrenching that it would produce that result. It's one thing to be deep and thought provoking, but outright sad is another.

That said, one tune that would fall into the avoidance category that makes me tear up every time is this L.J. Booth tune (he's not the composer)

[catdaddy]

Twenty years ago I wrote and performed a song for my father-in-law's funeral. It was very hard for me to keep it together while I played it, but somehow I managed. Everyone else in attendance was in tears. Later, I did a recording of the song, but I won't ever be performing it again.

[therbulus]

Originally Posted by The Bard Rocks

Someone's going to try this, so I'll scoop them and say, "Whenever I sing, there's always someone who cries". .... Enough of that.

I cannot say that I have experienced people actually crying over the lyrics, but have had requests for happier music. In response to thee requests, I now have quite a bit of that, enough to realize that, more often, lyrics are not happy. My thought is that people are moved to create music more by unhappy events than by uplifting ones. When you are down, it is a way to bring yourself up. I've often said you can't stay unhappy when singing the blues.

"A way to bring yourself up"--exactly. Robert Frost said a poem would solve something for him in life..."a momentary stay against the confusion of the world."

[Wellington]

I've made myself cry while trying to sing some songs I've written about dark times in my life. I don't perform though, but come to think of it I mostly play sad songs.

[kkrell]

Originally Posted by Bookstorecowboy

Have you ever played a song that reliably made at least some people cry?

"Kilkelly"

Live version by Pat and Becky Egan on "Music At Matt Molloy's", recorded at Matt Molloy's pub in Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

[Methos1979]

We play primarily assisted living facilities so there are often a few tears as people relate certain songs to lost loved ones or times in their lives. But the one song that is at once the most loved, the most sang by many and the most likely to induce some tears is the classic Elvis hit 'Can't Help Falling In Love With You'.

A few tears are expected for some songs at these places. We consider it a positive thing in that we are doing the song justice and even though there are tears on occasion, we've never been asked by anyone - staff or resident - to not play a certain songs. In fact, most thank us for bring back a memory.

[Boozehound]

Supermarket Flowers by Ed Sheeran leaps to my mind as a bit of a tearjerker. I'm not the biggest Sheeran fan (although I don't dislike him, either), but that is just a very well written song.

[Jim Owen]

When I played “Lakes of Ponchatrain” at a gathering of a group of Geordies here a few years back, several of them teared up. Even though it’s a song I associate with the Irish diaspora, it clearly struck a chord with the Northerners.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

I had to stop singing Eric Bogles songs about the first world War, because I found I was making myself cry. This has become a bigger problem for me as I have aged. I find there is a very fine line between delivering an emotionally charged rendering of a song and breaking down entirely.
As far as the audience is concerned I recently had people in tears with "Crazy" and "The green, green grass of home".

[tbeltrans]

John Prine's "Sam Stone", first heard when I got back from Vietnam.

Tony

[airborne1]

I make people cry whenever, and whatever I play!

But I’m determined, and I will keep hacking away until there is barely a sniffle!

[J Patrick]

…”Lydia”….a song written by Karen Poston and recorded by Slaid Cleaves on his “Broke Down” album is a heart wrenching song that’s brought many listeners to tears…..