Before You Cry

So Entertainment Weekly did a list the other day of the “50 Most Heartbreaking Songs of All Time”, and naturally, I have some thoughts on the matter.

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/04/heartbreaking.html

It’s a decent enough assortment.  I agree that all of the songs are sad, just not necessarily the ones I would have chosen. First of all, no Radiohead? I could easily try and make a list and let Radiohead occupy numbers 25-1. But I won’t do that. I’ll limit myself to only one.

There’s several artists on the list that I agree have sad songs, but I can’t see the song on the list being their saddest song. Lauryn Hill’s “Ex Factor” over “When It Hurts So Bad”? Not a chance.

So here’s the younger, much, slightly hipper perspective on this. 50 songs, limiting myself to one song per artist (no matter how difficult that might be. In alphabetical order seeing as it’s far too hard to quantify sadness, especially when it comes to good songs.

The Arcade Fire-Haiti

Beck-Lost Cause

Beirut-Rhineland (Heartland)

Belle and Sebastian-Boy Done Wrong Again-

Bloc Party-Biko

Bob Dylan-Just Like A Woman

Brand New-Soco Amaretto Lime

Bright Eyes-Land Locked Blues

Broken Social Scene-Shampoo Suicide

Cat Power-In This Hole

The Cure-Charlotte Sometimes

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Darci Cash-Sunshine (At My Funeral)

Dashboard Confessional-Screaming Infidelities

Death Cab For Cutie-What Sarah Said

Elliott Smith-Trouble

Gary Jules-Mad World

Gnarls Barkley-Who’s Gonna Save My Soul

Grandaddy-Jed’s Other Poem

Handsome Furs-Sing! Captain

The Honorary Title-Revealing Too Much

Interpol-The New

Joanna Newsom-Stardust and Diamonds

Johnny Cash-Hurt

José González-Hand on Your Heart

Joy Division-Love Will Tear Us Apart

Last Days of April-Fast, So Fast

Lauryn Hill-When It Hurts So Bad

Led Zeppelin-That’s The Way

Leonard Cohen-Hallelujah

The Libertines-What Became of the Likely Lads

Modest Mouse-Trailer Trash

My Bloody Valentine-Sometimes

Neko Case-Deep Red Bells

Pedro the Lion-Secret of the Easy Yoke

Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here

PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke-This Mess We’re In

The Postal Service-This Place Is a Prison

Radiohead-How to Dissapear Completely

Regina Spektor-Samson

Rilo Kiley-Does He Love You?

Ryan Adams-Anybody Wanna Take Me Home?

Sigur Ros-Untitled 5

Sleater-Kinney-The Last Song

The Smashing Pumpkins-Stumbleine

The Smiths-I Know It’s Over

The Strokes- Trying Your Luck

Tegan and Sara-Where Does the Good Go

TV on the Radio-Ambulance

Wolf Parade-Dinner Bells

Yeah Yeahs Yeahs-Modern Romance