Sad Songs Say So Much (Pt 1)

After my last post, I decided to compile a list of sad songs that brought a smile to my face or made me feel good inside. It sounds paradoxical, I know but let's face it. There are songs that can make you cry and also give you incredible strength and a degree of clarity in your own life. There are songs that are just beautiful. The voice, the melody and the lyrics are soooo good that the subject matter is of little consequence. The first song that came to mind was "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted". Just reading the lyrics without listening to the song could make you believe that the protaganist in the song is on the verge of suicide.

I walk in shadows searching for light,
Cold and alone, no comfort in sight
Hoping and praying for someone who cares
Always moving and going nowhere

It's desperate stuff. And Jimmy Griffin plays the role to a T. He's so convincing as the lonely heart who's loved and lost.

Then there are the songs that describe a relationship that's slowly unravelling in front of your eyes and you're powerless to do anything about it.

You never close your eyes
Anymore when I kiss your lips
There's no tenderness
Like before in your fingertips

No sooner do you hear those lines and you know it's going to end. Bill Medley's mournful tones on "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" convey sadness and desperation, ending in a plea to his soon-to-be ex,

We had a love, love, a love you don't find every day
Oh, don't, don't, don't, don't take it away

It's gut-wrenching stuff. Alas, you get the feeling it's a little too little, too late.

A similar level of paranoia can be felt on Bruce Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise". As the song proceeds, you can feel your chest tighten as Bruce expresses a level of insecurity and doubt about his feelings for the woman he shares his life (and his bed) with.

Now you play the loving woman
I'll play the faithful man
But just don't look too close
Into the palm of my hand
Oh, we stood at the altar
The gypsy swore that our future was right
But come the wee, wee hours
Well maybe, baby, the gypsy lied

Although the intro in Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is iconic and bursting with energy, the lyrics convey something much darker.

When routine bites hard
And ambitions are low
And resentment rides high
But emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways
Taking different roads

This doesn't end well. Even more unfortunately, the lyrics reflected the real-life problems of the song's writer and lead singer, Ian Curtis, which ended with his suicide in May 1980. Listening to the song again as I write, the song sounds distinctly like an army song. I can imagine listening to this song with big bass drums and French horns. Maybe it was Ian Curtis' Last Stand. Truly sad. But all things considered, the song is still breathtaking and bizarrely, even danceable too.

Ray Davies is someone I'll be mentioning a lot in my blogs. Like all the best writers and artists in music and film, the true greats are the ones who are able to tell a story. And Ray Davies can paint pictures or worlds in your head like almost no other writer. "Don't forget to Dance" always brings a tear to my eye. I don't know whether it's Ray's vocals. It sounds so personal, like he's telling you about someone he knows and loves who's hit a real low. It's a kind word to a friend or even perhaps a stranger.

You look out of your window
Into the night
Could be rain, could be snow
But it can't feel as cold as what you're feeling inside
And all of your friends are either married, vanished
Or just left alone
But that's no reason to just stop living
That's no excuse to just give in to a sad and lonely heart

Unfortunately I can't claim to know Ray Davies at all, but there's a humanity and empathy in his lyrics which I feel is unmistakable.

The last song and masterpiece I wanted to mention this time round is "Tears of a Clown". The song is a whirlwind from start to finish. From the distinctive sound of the calliope, a loud, steam-powered musical instrument invented in the United States in the mid-19th century, known for its distinctive, shrill sound and association with circuses and fairs. Add to that, the driving beat of the Funk Brothers, Motown's group of session musicians who appear on most of the label's greatest hits. And then there's Smokey Robinson's magical vocals and the Miracles' perfect backing harmonies. And the cherry on the cake: Smokey's outstanding lyrics. There's a level of sophistication and beauty to the lyrics that, to this day, makes this song stand head and shoulders above its peers.

Now there's some sad things known to man
But ain't too much sadder than
The tears of a clown
When there's no one around

On the subject of sad songs, I'll leave the last words to Elton:
So turn 'em on, turn 'em on
Turn on those sad songs ...

Check out:
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted - Jimmy Ruffin
You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling - Righteous Brothers
Brilliant Disguise - Bruce Springsteen
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
Don't Forget to Dance - The Kinks
Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson and the Miracles