What song makes you cry like a baby every time you hear it?

Happy Birthday, usually...

Coat of Many Colors.

None anymore. Sadly .

Against the Wind by Bob Seger

Loving You - Minnie Ripperton

Billy Joel - Goodnight Saigon

I don't know why I had to play it before I came here to post it -- because it made me cry again.

Prison Trilogy by Joan Baez

Times sure were different then.

YMCA.

It was an anthem for what we are experiencing politically in the country today.

Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-rah

"This used to be my playground" by Madonna

“Wildfire” by Michael Murphy

Shatter by Liz Phair.

Sinéad O'Connor's cover of Elton's "Sacrifice"

The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel

[quote]Said Carlile in an interview, “There are so many people feeling misrepresented [today] … So many people feeling unloved. Boys feeling marginalized and forced into these kind of awkward shapes of masculinity that they do or don’t belong in …

Lyrics: You're feeling nervous, aren't you, boy? With your quiet voice and impeccable style Don't ever let them steal your joy And your gentle ways To keep 'em from running wild They can kick dirt in your face Dress you down, and tell you that your place Is in the middle, when they hate the way you shine I see you tugging on your shirt Trying to hide inside of it And hide how much it hurts Let 'em laugh while they can Let 'em spin, let 'em scatter in the wind I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends And the joke's on them

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

Instrumental: Summer of '42.

Any number of songs which, when used in a movie or television show to extract tears, succeed in doing so.

On their own, “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” “He Thinks I Still Care,” (early Cher), and since Brian Wilson died in June, “Be My Baby.”

The Carpenters' version of "Solitaire." Karen's vocals are just heart-wrenching

“Maybe This Christmas” by Ron Sexsmith gets me every time.

And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call

Someone we love, someone we've lost

For reasons we can’t quite recall

Maybe this Christmas

Streets of Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen

You Don’t Know Me, Ray Charles

She’s Got A Way, Billy Joel (reminds me of my dead sister)

“Both Sides Now,” Joni Mitchell (2000 version)

Queen’s These Are the Days of Our Lives

"Boxing" by Ben Folds Five

"Babylon" by David Gray.

To be honest, I have no idea why "Babylon" effects me so much, but every time I hear it, I get weepy.

Maybe This Christmas may be the most wistful song I’ve ever heard.

I Wasn’t Expecting That - Jamie Lawson

Rainbow Connection - The Muppets (I know, Inknow)

I don't cry, but the following songs make me wistful

"I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt

"Bitter" by Me'shell Ndegeocello

"The Dark End of the Street" by Auntie 'Retha

"I Wanna Go Home" by Holly and the Italians" --this makes me feel melancholy

"When Will I See You Again" by Three Degrees

Several, including "Baker Street," "Cat's in the Cradle," "Vincent"

"The Flame" -- Cheap Trick

r24 I feel the same way about 'Babylon'

That lovely waltz-meter theme from Brokeback caught me by surprise earlier this year. It was in some art gallery owner’s playlist, and my eyes brimmed with tears.

Boulder To Birmingham—Emmylou Harris; Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters—Elton John; Hasten Down The Wind—Warren Zevon

Tiny Dancer (Elton John) always gets me

And more recently, this version of Bob Dylan’s Chimes of Freedom (Lynne Arriale Trio)

“A Day in the Life” by the Beatles.

'Fairytale of New York' - Pogues and Kirsty MacColl

'Into The Mystic' - Van Morrison

This song came on the car radio as I drove home after my Rodney's funeral. I had to pull over on the shoulder gutted. Still can't listen to it.

"If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks I'll follow you into the dark."

Livin’ In a World (They Didn’t Make) - Janet Jackson.

"Long, Long Time" and "Goodbye, My Friend," Linda Ronstadt

"Ghost," Indigo Girls

"My Little Town," Simon and Garfunkel

"Say Something," A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera

Speaking of Death Cab for Cutie, "Someday You Will Be Loved" also makes me depressed because it reminds me of my beautiful and sad little niece.

A Summer Place, because it take me back to my childhood—my parents were alive, my grandparents live two blocks away, and my siblings and I all loved each other.

"This Song Should Not Exist" by Ruxley

"Fuck I Wish" by Levantine Geiger

Mr. Bojangles - NGDB

"Sleepy Man" from the musical The Robber Bridegroom. I used to sing it to my husband every night while he was slowly dying in the ICU.

I can't say I cry every time, but there is something about "Ferry Cross the Mersey," by Gerry & The Pacemakers, that just breaks me up. It hits in a weird way that I've never been able to put my finger on. Yes, it's 60 years old but still. . . These have the same effect:

"Ventura Highway" by America.

"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by B.J. Thomas.

"My Ever-Changing Moods" by The Style Council.

"Body and Soul," Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse.

Something about this duet is so melancholy.

Ordinary World by Duran Duran

Beautiful song. Makes me want to die.

"Someone That I Used to Love," Natalie Cole.

The sadness and resignation in her voice tears me up every time.

Too many to name but one that gets me very misty kind of inexplicably (the lyrics arent sad, its more the orchestration) is this beautiful colab between Angel Badalamenti and Davie Bowie, a very unique take on "A foggy day in London town"....it's so heart shatteringly melancholy, especially that outro. Bowie does a wonderful job here, but the genius of the song is pure Angelo.

Ferry Cross the Mersey gets me every time too.

R46 I also think "Come Undone" is such a beautifully sad song.

"Can't ever keep from falling apart at seams. Can I believe you're taking my heart to pieces?"

Lots of songs from the 70s, 80s and 90s will make me tearful because of nostalgia, and some of those are happy songs.

But one song that always makes me cry by the end......by the time it gets to 4:00 I'm weepy, and then the crescendo to the ending.....😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

James - Say Something

This song reminds me of the film "James White" starring Christopher Abbot and Cynthia Nixon—a sad/excellent movie.

Elton John’s “Daniel” and I’m not one of his fans. Likewise James Taylor’s “Sweet Baby James.”

There was a Danny and a Jimmy, though. Both gone way, way too soon.

R53 I always hated "Daniel." It was one of a slew of '70s songs about dying, along with other sappy tunes like "Wildfire," "Seasons in the Sun," and "Shannon."

[quote]I always hated "Daniel." It was one of a slew of '70s songs about dying

But "Daniel" is much more subtle about death than some of those other songs, and it's also a beautiful, sweet song in its own right.

R54 Do you have a heart? Daniel is heartbreaking and beautiful.

R56 "Daniel" is shmaltzy and cloying. I love Elton John, but I've always hated that song.

let the bodies in the floor - slipknot

Abraham, Martin, and John. Especially the Moms Mabley version

The Dells : The Love We Had.

"Old Friends" and "Bookends" by Simon and Garfunkel

"Skeletons" by Rickie Lee Jones

"The Bed" by Lou Reed

None. Am I dead inside?

Did I just see Midnight Plane to Houston here?

Go Tell Aunt Rhody

R57 Nope. You’re wrong.

Harvest Moon by Neil Young, I think it's so sweet and timeless.

"The Living Years" by Mike and the Mechanics. Because I wasn't there that morning when my father passed away.

Speaking as a recovering alcoholic…

Two songs: "Cat's In The Cradle" and "The Lord's Prayer", the latter by Sister Janet Mead

“10,000 Miles” by Mary Chapin Carter

I don't know about "like a baby", but there are a handful that have made me cry over the years. These ones immediately come to mind: "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle" by The Smiths, "Softer, Softest" by Hole, "Metal Heart" by Cat Power, and "Halah" by Mazzy Star.

When Judy sings The Man That Got Away.

The man that won you has run off and undone you...

The World War II song "I'll Be Seeing You" was a favorite of my mother's. I always thought it was lovely. The day after she died, I walked into a restaurant and, within a few minutes, "I'll Be Seeing You" started playing over the sound system. I cannot hear that song now without becoming teary-eyed.

This one gets me where I live...

When September Comes; it's a duet between Rosanne Cash & Johnny Cash. Rosanne has a very nice voice, but Johnny had a rough craggy voice like he was some Old Testament prophet that sets it apart from a typical ballad. There is a tinge sadness & loss (without being overly melodramatic) that just brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it

“His Eye Is On the Sparrow.” It’s an old spiritual recorded by everyone from Ethel Waters to Whitney Houston.

My mother wanted it sung at her funeral. She knew her music: the soloist got a standing ovation. Which pissed off the Monsignor. It’s not a Catholic hymn and when the applause stopped and he was back on the altar said, “How can I compete with that?” The congregation thought he was being complimentary, which he was not, so they gave the soloist another hand.

R67 To this day, I can't listen to that song because it reminds me of when my father died.

Dusty Springfield’s version of “Goin’ Back”

My Mother sung by the Chipettes in the Chipmunk Movie

No song really makes me cry but I get wistful hearing Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney sing Counting Your Blessings, in White Christmas.

Vincent

Good one.

Somewhere Tonight by Beach House

This one.

Auld Lang Syne. Dan Fogekberg

Killing Me Softly. Roberta Flack

R66 love that one. My favorite not so well known Neil Young song has to be "Razor Love"

And another hauntingly melancholy Neil Young song

R35 have you seen the valedictory performance of “Fairytale Of New York” that Glen Hansard performed at Shane’s funeral?? Oh, that sets me going.

r84 that one is just vulgross!

Yee-uck!

Wild Horses - The Rolling Stones

Daniel- Elton John

Songs that hail the end of summer/ beginning of fall

Boys of Summer

Wake me up when September Comes

Maggie May

Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry is not particularly a sad song but i get teary eyed every time i hear it. It reminds me of my childhood, brings me back to the late 90s particularly a summer I spent in London with family , when everything was innicent and promising.

Back To Black- Amy Winehousd

Someone like you - Adele

Whiter Shade of Pale- Procol Harem

Wonderwall- Oasis

‘Never My Love’ by The Association

Fix You/The Scientist by Coldplay or Nothing Compares to You - Sinead O'Connor

MmmBop by The Hansons

Make our Garden Grow from Candide. I have no idea why it affects me so.

Happy Birthday. It's just gets more depressing each year.

Wings Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler. I listened to it when my father was dying and it helped me cry because my emotions were stuck.

Mandolin Rain by Bruce Hornsby. I listened to it when my aunt was dying of a strange and horrible cancer and this song reminded me of the times I spent at her house when I was a child.

One that gets me instantly, is the John Barry soundtrack for Indecent Proposal. As soon as it starts, I'm dead. I cannot watch this movie with another person because I'm crying half the time. I think it's because we see the pier and the ocean in the beginning and then the music starts while Demi is speaking. The scene reminds me of my childhood and walking on the beach with my father.

[quote][R35] have you seen the valedictory performance of “Fairytale Of New York” that Glen Hansard performed at Shane’s funeral??

I have, thank you! Amazingly, the BBC broadcast Shane's funeral live, a blazingly offbeat farewell, but of course. I certainly had something in my eye when 'Fairytale' was performed on that of all occasions...

[quote]Make our Garden Grow from Candide. I have no idea why it affects me so.

The version of it that closes the Barbara Cook tribute at the Kennedy Center Honors is gorgeous. Barbara is visibly moved by it.

Enya's "Exile"

Does classical music count? If so, then Barber's "Adagio For Strings."

Levon by Elton John always wrung my heart.

"I'll Plant My Own Tree"

We lost David Lynch this year. We also lost Rebekah del Rio, who performed songs in three of Lynch's films. For those who have seen "Mulholland Drive," her passionate, a cappella, Spanish version of Roy Orbison's "Crying" is a guaranteed tear-jerker.

The Boxer for sure plus Luka.

So damned sad.

I’m not that sensitive.

Time Waits For No One - The Stones

At 17 by Janis Ian. The day before u came by Abba is just so sad and melancholy. On my own from Les Miz, sung by Frances Ruffle, who won the Tony. I still believe, from Miss Saigon....amazing Bridge.

James Taylor Fire and Rain…

"Alone Again, Naturally" by Gilbert O'Sullivan

"Sunday" by Sondheim

"Stars" by Janis Ian

It’s not a sad song, but the crystal pure expression of how much one can love another in The Beach Boys, “God only knows” hits me that way. Even in my darkest of times, it makes me feel that there is someone who loves me.

Boats Against The Current-Eric Carmen

If it’s not a sad song r112, why post it?

R114

[quote] What song makes you cry like a baby every time you hear it?

Please find the word "sad" in the thread title for me.

I'll wait.

“Save a Place on the Dance Floor’. Sobbed like a baby the first time I heard it.

Beautiful

'Pōkarekare Ana', sung by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. It's a traditional love song, but brings your mind back to New Zealand when you're living overseas and feeling a bit homesick.

R112, I was going to post that same song. For me:

Home by Stephanie Mills

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

We May Never Pass This Way Again by Seals & Crofts. I was in choir and we sang it at graduation. I was graduating HS so it didn't make me cry then but now? Oh boy! Pass the Kleenex, or your hankerchief, if you're a Southern gentleman.

Der kranke mond

R101, a touching tribute. It brings tears to my eyes that tributes like that will now be a thing of the past

Urp.

"Tonight" by Saint Etienne makes me mist up - not because it's sad, but instead summing up my lifelong experience as a music fan.

When they performed it at Webster Hall in 2012, happy tears were running down.

A Datalounger in training

R124 For Christ's sake, dad, just change the station and stop exploiting your child for clicks.

Charles Aznavour's "What Makes a Man a Man."

Steven Foster's "Linger In Blissful Repose." Put to very good use in the wonderful film "Big Eden.

Kate McKinnon's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." And don't one of you say ONE word.

Gounod's "Ave Maria." Until you've attended the funeral Mass of a 6 month old baby you have no idea how powerful, moving and introspective this composition can be. People who had been dry-eyed during the service absolutely lost it a few bars into the solo, which was played as a recessional. The soloist was amazing.

"My Buddy," written by Donaldson and Kahn. It was my husband's favorite song to play on our piano. He will have been gone 8 years this October, so this composition is quite poignant in my memories of him.

[quote] What song makes you cry like a baby every time you hear it?

"Cry Like a Baby"

R105, Twin Peaks' Laura Palmer's Theme really gets to me.

Everybody's Talkin from Midnight Cowboy makes me cry because my dear little Dad had dementia, and he was my little buddy. He still is alive in all my dreams.

The entire Amy Winehouse album "Back to Black". The songs were heart wrenching before she died. But after she died, I just can't, I bawl uncontrollably.

Yes I know, MARY!!!

Another one is Elton's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. A yearning and longing, despair.

"Go Tell Aunt Rhodey" by Burl Ives.

I choke up every time he tells us the old grey goose is dead.

Velocity Girl - My Forgotten Favorite

Sleater Kinney - Memorize Your Lines

Morrissey - The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get

These songs don’t make me cry--cause I’m dead inside--but they do remind me of missed opportunities (both in love and professional) and friends who are no longer near me OR on this plane. Not sure why THESE specific songs do that for me. I guess because they each remind me of a person.

Also, what happened to Sleater Kinney? Not really the same since Janet…left.

Neil Young's "Philadelphia". Springsteen's song was great but NY's deserved the awards more than Bruce's song.

Restless Heart: I’ll Still Be Lovin You. Not a fan of CW, but this song moves me.

This - turn off all the lights, grab the kleenex, crank it and WEEP!

It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday - Boyz To Men

See You Again - Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa. It's the song they played at the end of the Fast & Furious movie Paul Walker was unable to finish due to his death.

"A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri, but only when it's played over YouTube videos showing cats and dogs being rescued or soldiers being reunited with their families.

John Denver: For Baby.

Tracy Chapman: Baby Can I Hold You (I played this at my dear friends funeral)

Arlo Guthrie: The City Of New Orleans (Because I live in New Orleans and I went through Katrina)

OP ironically mine is Northwest Passage also by Stan Rogers.

Someone Saved My Life Tonight - Elton John (my Dad was dying of leukemia when this song was on the radio)

Madreselvas en Flor (A Tango by Carlos Gardel about one's first love, without the cynicism of later years)

If You Leave by OMD. Made me bawl once.

Some songs mentioned make me choke up too like Vincent and Ordinary World. A lot of 80s songs do.

I WONT HOLD YOU BACK by Toto.

There’s a song in Spanish called “Amor Eterno”. I hate that song with a fiery passion of a million suns.

But it makes everybody cry whenever it’s played . Especially at funerals.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted sung by Jimmy Ruffin.

Willie Nelson's cover of "A Song For You."

Alex North’s Love Theme from “Spartacus”

What makes it so beautiful, sad, and ultimately uplifting is it seems to acknowledge the fleeting nature of existence, the desire to love and receive love, and to accept that eventually everything passes away.

Not a country fan, but Allison Krauss's "Paper Airplane."

"Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" from Les Mis...makes me think of all my friends who died of AIDS.

“Missing You” - Diana Ross

Willow, Joan Armatrading.

Mad World performed by Adam Lambert on American Idol.

“It’s Ok,” by Nightbirde.

Another vote for Linda Ronstadt’s Long Long Time.

Billie Holiday's version of I Loves You Porgy

Nothing Beats A Try But A Fail, James Brown

Desperado, The Eagles

The Boxer, Simon and Garfunkel.

Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain, Willie Nelson.

Life In The Bloodstream, The Guess Who.

Sting’s A Thousand Years

In This Life always makes me cry.

'What Is Life To Me Without Thee' (J'ai Perdu Mon Eurydice) - Kathleen Ferrier

Sinead O’ Connor, “Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Kings of Leon, “Use Somebody.”

Carole King - So Far Away

In My Life, The Beatles.

I'm another who loves "Daniel" from Elton John for a sweet cry. I think you need to have experienced (even not first hand) Viiet Nam to get it.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt. Like, actually ugly crying. Makes my stomach hurt. I teared up even typing it.

Sinead's Nothing Compares. It's her voice, it's magic.

Little Drummer Boy, I have absolutely no idea why, it just always has.

Duran Duran - Come Undone. I am not sure if it's meant that way but it hits me as incredibly hopeless.

Hole- Northern Star. Not sure why but I feel like it's the sound of my soul.

Slipknot's Skeptic but only because it makes me think of my beloved Big Guy. I actually had line from it engraved on his urn.

R163 Yeah Daniel is heartbreaking, especially when you know that’s it’s about a Vietnam vet.

The poster above who called it “cloying”? What?!? It is not remotely in the same category of Seasons In The Sun or his other examples. Just goes to show how wildly different the range of human experience can be.

[quote]Little Drummer Boy, I have absolutely no idea why, it just always has.

I have a hatred of "The Little Drummer Boy" that borders on the irrational. I really can't explain why. I hated it even as a child. I think it's just the constant repetition of "pa rum pum pum pum." I can't think of another song that I hate more.

How Can I Help You to Say Goodbye by Laura Brannigan

My mother is 89 years old and this song tears my heart out. First time I heard it on the radio 25 years ago I burst into tears.

Set Sail

R168 Good lord. I've never heard that song before and now I'm in a heap.

Stay with me Baby by Bette Midler

The version from the Rose soundtrack only. She sings it on occasion in concert but it's not the same.

The last 4 lines in The Rose embarassingly chokes me up every time.

Laura

Christopher Cross

R174 That song has always made me want to poke out my ear drums.

Celine Dion, WITH THIS TEAR. Written by Prince, of all people.

Time in a Bottle Jim croce, knowing he died shortly after

Time Alan Parsons Project

I was caught off-guard watching Toy Story 2 on TV one day and Sarah McLachlan's "When She Loved Me" played (with the visual montage of a kid outgrowing her doll/childhood).

Had to leave the room to bawl my eyes out.

I can't make you love me- Bonnie Raitt Don't take the girl- Tim Mcgraw

R180, I hit Reply to post Bonnie Rait's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and there you were.

Once in a while there's that memory of a person and time.

"The River" by George Michael.

This oldie makes me wistful. The singer's voice is what cinches it:

Wichita Lineman…

"Merry Christmas" sung by Nat King Cole. In my family, we always call it "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire"

'I'll Be Home for Christmas"

"In a New York Minute" by Don Henley

The first song's actual title is "The Christmas Song," Cosmo.

Thanks, R186! I had no idea.

Written by Mel Torme!

What's the Matter Here?

The Heart Of The Matter

Marilyn and Alan Bergman's "Where Do You Start".

‘Corner Of The Sky,’ from ‘Pippin,’ sung by John Rubinstein

If I saw an adult crying like a baby I would be weirded out beyond belief

[QUOTE]Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt. Like, actually ugly crying. Makes my stomach hurt. I teared up even typing it.

This so much. I can't listen to it without some intense feelings. Yes, Mary! I actually had to check posting times to make sure rescue-chick/r165 wasn't me from a few years ago. I could swear I posted on a similar thread about a crying jag when it came on my car radio as I got home after work. I had to pull over and stop looking for a parking space because I couldn't see so well.

This version of Neil Young's Hurricane is beyond haunting and sad, sad, sad. I know a lot of folks have big problems with his nasally voice. Obviously I'm not one of them.

Forgive me on this one.

The Christmas Shoes song

The Sweetest Gift

Gloria Estefan “I see your smile”

The Commodores “Oh no” 😭

Apparently Cindy Lauper Time After Time. I forgot about that until I was watching her documentary and just had tears running down my face.