Sad Music

[tiger_smurf]

Okay, I'm looking for some music to use as an 'inspirational soundtrack' for my screenplay. I always find it helps me get in the right mindset for writing to have some music that flows with what it is I'm typing.
Could some of you offer the best sad/somber songs that you can think of? Stuff that really makes your heart ache. . . I'm not talking about sappy love song crap. Something with a melody would be nice. Anything alternative or otherwise edgy would also be a plus. nothing too old-fashioned unless it's really timeless. Hopefully something that hasn't already been heard a hundred times by everyone (so that's a 'no, thanks' on Time Of Your Life by Green Day.) Anyway, I'd love some suggestions. I realize most of you are older and might not have the same taste in music as me, but I'm willing to listen to anything you think is worth while. thanks.
-CK

 

[cantdog]

Wo. This is a toughie.

 

[gauchecritic]

Atmospheric: Bridge of Sighs

Sad: Long Misty Days

Both by Robin Trower. (70s metal)

Gauche

 

[Guest]

Classical music?

Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings

(If you're not familiar, it was used in the movie Platoon.)

 

[shereads]

Listen to some Gregorian chants.

You won't just be sad, you'll be sad you're almost compelled to join a religious order to escape from the world, and wear a scratchy wool robe.

 

[shereads]

Blues by Ray Charles.

What could be sadder?



Ray Charles' cover of "A Song for You."

 

[Guest]

"Qui la voce" from Bellini's I Puritani sung by Maria Callas.

Perdita

 

[bg23]

Casablanca.

is this a *bump*?

 

[matriarch]

Lascia ch'io pianga from Handel's opera,
Rinaldo, sung by Cecilia Bartoli........*sigh*..........listening to it now.

Exquisitely heart-wrenching.

Matriarch

 

[psychocatblah]

Nearly anything Elliot Smith is great.

Turin Brakes' Ether Song CD is almost in constant brood rotation for me.

I also really love Lori Carson, she can turn on a dime with broodiness. Particularly, "I Want to Believe You"

I adore Jeff Buckley, particularly Grace the CD. But that can get to rocking out a bit. But for my money you can't beat, "Lover, You Should've Come Over" or "Last Goodbye"

Coldplay, of course.
Radiohead, early tunes.

The Doves, "Lost Souls"

Things in Herds

Love Spirals Downwards (This is a bit gothy)

Beth Orton

Some David Grey

Dead Can Dance (this is more celtic and gothy though)

Loreena McKennit

Depeche Mode, of course
The Cure, of course

Massive Attack (although this isn't altogether broody, but 100th Window kind of spaces me out sometimes)

Moody Blues, "Days of Future Passed" because really, the whole thing should be listened to not just Nights in White Satin)

Peter Murphy!!!! (goth fangurlie moment)

Slowdive, "Souvlaki Space Station" (this is more obscure, but worth the look)

Tori Amos

That should be enough to get you started?

 

[matriarch]

......or...........

the 2nd movement of Bach's Concerto for two violins and strings in D Minor.

If you hear that and are not moved......you have to have a heart of stone.

M.

PS - Good morning world.

 

[psychocatblah]

Listen to some Gregorian chants.

You won't just be sad, you'll be sad you're almost compelled to join a religious order to escape from the world, and wear a scratchy wool robe.

I'm always compelled to do that. Only instead of wool, I'd wear a fleece robe. With a hoodie. That had cat ears on it.
p

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

I apologize in advance if my list is overplayed crap because in truth I haven't listened to the radio in uh...ooh, wow...ever, so...here goes:

"Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails
"Ballad of the Paralyzed Citizen" by The Faint
"Prisoner of Your Eyes" by Judas Priest (Yeah, sappy broken heart song, but it rends the heart pretty wicked)
"Genius" by Warren Zevon (Yeah, another quasi-love song, sorry)
"Fade to Black" by Metallica (don't listen to if suicidal)
"Turn the Page" by Bob Seger (for light sadness)
Anything by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
"Immortal" by Kittie
"Man in the Box" by Alice in Chains
"Down in a Hole" by Alice in Chains
"Frogs" by Alice in Chains
"A Therepy for Pain" by Fear Factory
"Black Lodge" by Anthrax
"Vera" by Pink Floyd
The first part of "One of my Turns" by Pink Floyd
"Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd
"Strange" by Tori Amos
"Crucify" by Tori Amos
"1000 Oceans" by Tori Amos (sappy, yes, but brings down the temperature a bit)
"Legion" by VNV Nation
"Solitary" by VNV Nation
"Paint it Black" by Rolling Stones
"Black Planet" by Sisters of Mercy

(And I seriously doubt you're interested in game music and I'm showing my extreme geek side by saying this, but...)
"Duel" from the Metal Gear Solid soundtrack (really good at producing tears)

(I don't know if any of this list is helpful or even if my ecclectoc splattering of musical tastes is even 10% close to yours, but this is what I've got so far)

 

[SnoopDog]

- Mad World - Gary Jules
- Hurt - Johnny Cash
- Buenos Tardes Amigo - Ween
- Daydream Believer
- Everybody Hurts - REM
- The Saddest Song - Annie Lennox
- American Beauty Songs
- My Immortal - Evanescence
- One - Aimee Mann
- Out Of Time - Blur

Snoopy

 

[tiger_smurf]

thanks for your feedback, everyone. I'm gonna get started on downloading some of these right now. I'm sure I'll find some that will go nicely with what I have so far. I might even try to post the screenplay somewhere once I've finished writing it, and if I do I'll include a link here. That may take ages, but hey, I promised myself I'd finish it eventually

 

[oggbashan]

What is Life? sung by Isobel Baillie

Og

 

[CharleyH]

Well, I often play music when needing to get to a particular emotional place, but particular pieces of music resonate differently with different individuals, and the "sadness" of a particular song is a subjective thing. Nonetheless, music that does it for me?

I find most of the music on Nathalie Merchant's Ophelia to be sad, but particularly "My Skin."

Definately Beth Orton can put you in a slow, soft or contemplative mood, but nothing stands out as particularly sad except maybe 'Blood Red River' off Central Reservation album.

Dido I find more or less the same. "Isobel" is good for sad reminiscent mood.

Practically everything on the City of Angels Soundtrack, especially Sarah McLachlan's Angel, Goo Goo dolls "Iris", Peter Gabriel's "I Grieve," and Jude's "I Know."

Edgier? Hm. Patti Smith's "Pissing in the River" which can be found on a soundtrack called Times Square, Lou Reed's "Sweet Jane" as covered by the Cowboy Junkies, and The Cult's "Ciao,Edie" all roll off the top of my memory.

As for vintage rock The Stone's "Angie," is the only one that comes to mind this early in the morning, but I KNOW there are plenty of others.

 

[tiger_smurf]

does anyone know of a sad Belle and Sebastian song? I think they have the right sound for the album I'm putting together, but I haven't found the right song of theirs if there is one...

 

[tiger_smurf]

I love coldplay. i think most of their best songs are a bit too overplayed tho. i'd use 'don't panic' but it was on the igby goes down soundtrack and i was really hoping for songs that most people haven't heard before.

so far I have Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Kweller, Kimya Dawson, Abandoned Pools...I'm really tempted to put a Counting Crows song on there but again with the fact that they're already way popular. What do you guys think about 'black black heart' by David Usher? love tori amos, but everyone and their brother has heard her. thanks again. keep tossing suggestions out there if you feel like it, hey it's fun, right?

 

[tiger_smurf]

woah...i just listened to 'My Skin' by Natalie Merchant, and it blew me away. Thank you for suggesting it. that's definitely going on the album.

 

[Guest]

Tiger, excuse me please. I want a complete list of heart-wrenching songs and movements from Matriarch.

Perdita

 

[matriarch]

Tiger, excuse me please. I want a complete list of heart-wrenching songs and movements from Matriarch.

Perdita

Hi, Perdita,

Just got in from work. What a day. Hot, sticky and fractious.

I'd be delighted to send you a list of the songs that leave me a wet, wrung out puddle on my chair, heart in shreds, and not a kleenex left in the box.

Give me a chance to come down a bit, eat, take a shower, and I'll be back.

But just for starters....

The Adagio from Mahler's 5th (sound track to 'Death in Venice';

'Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix', (Samson and Delilah, Saint-Saens), sung by Marilyn Horne;

The love duet between Annius and Servillia, 'La Clemenza di Tito' (Mozart) sung by Fredereica von Stade and Lucia Popp



That will have to do for now, I need sustenance.

M

 

[psychocatblah]

so far I have Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Kweller, Kimya Dawson, Abandoned Pools...I'm really tempted to put a Counting Crows song on there but again with the fact that they're already way popular. What do you guys think about 'black black heart' by David Usher? love tori amos, but everyone and their brother has heard her. thanks again. keep tossing suggestions out there if you feel like it, hey it's fun, right?

Ahh.. I wasn't clear that you just wanted bands that most people hadn't heard of, but there's still a lot on there that are fairly obscure.

Do you want certain songs picked out? I could also upload them to a directory for you if you're interested. I think I have most of it on mp3. I'm one of those cd buying nerds.

 

[matriarch]

What is Life? sung by Isobel Baillie

Og

Oh no, no, no, Og. Puhhhhlease.
That song should only be listened to being sung by Kathleen Ferrier. The English popular version, and the original Italian aria ('Orfeo and Euridice', by Gluck).

First thing I ever heard her sing, when I was around 20, melted me on the spot, and I was hooked for life. I felt like I was being stroked with a velvet glove. And still do, every time I hear her voice. One of my all time regrets that she died before I was ever old enough to hear her in real life. *sigh*.

M

 

[Guest]

Oh no, no, no, Og. Puhhhhlease.

Gawdalmighty! my kind of music lover.

sighing, Perdita