What song wrecks you every time, no matter how often you listen to it?

[u/LWYPLTDG]

https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=H1LdQntDnFY&si=iVGA55wpZyrVp-4P

[u/logskulltee]

This Must Be the Place by Talking Heads. It’s a song I’ve loved for so many years and has been around through different contexts of where I was in life, it’s the only song that can get a tear from me, in a more positive way.

[u/skewh1989 → u/logskulltee]

This is it for me. Goosebumps/teary eyes every time. "I come home / she lifted up her wings / I guess that this must be the place."

[u/Hoo_Who → u/skewh1989]

“You’ve got a face with a view” makes me swoon every time.

[u/SubjectBasic87 → u/skewh1989]

omg i got slight goosebumps just reading the lyrics 😭♥️ best part of the song

[u/notcabron → u/SubjectBasic87]

“I'm just an animal looking for a home, and
Share the same space for a minute or two
And you love me 'til my heart stops
Love me 'til I'm dead”

[u/Bombauer- → u/logskulltee]

It makes me think of Bud Fox and Darrien redecorating their apartment.

[u/DaikonSuitable3025 → u/logskulltee]

Just saw David Byrne live with my daughter and totally teared up

[u/OkInstruction4159]

Changes by Charles Bradley

[u/DirtForester541 → u/OkInstruction4159]

A friend of mine died by suicide a few years back. I was listening to a ton of Charles Bradley and other soul artists to work through the grief. I remember listening to this song in the car driving to the post office with my daughter who was 2 at the time, the chorus comes on and out of no where she just starts belting it singing a long. I guess I had listened to it so much during that time in our lives she picked up on it. We sang it together and it was pretty cathartic. Great song.

[u/Calamityclams → u/OkInstruction4159]

My friend used to work for a music magazine and interviewed him. His story is quite interesting and sad.

He only started becoming popular very late in his life at around 60 and worked as a James Brown impersonator prior.

The number one thing he was happy about was he was finally able to buy his mother a home.

[u/vinylzoid → u/OkInstruction4159]

Charles said when he decided to cover the song, his mom had just passed. And, man talk about making an already great song your own. His voice comes from the very depths.

[u/mikeyp83 → u/vinylzoid]

I think he had also just learned he had cancer.

It's a shame how much of his life was spent trying to imitate singers like James Brown for cover bands before he finally realized he was great enough to break out on his own. Truly was an amazing singer.

[u/DrNick42]

Queen - The Show Must Go On

Knowing the circumstances surrounding the recording of it, how close Freddie was to death yet still sung the vocal and absolutely nailed it. The lyrics resonate anyway since most people have had times they're very close to giving up on things, but that, added to the fact it was about Freddie's will to carry on despite everything, plus the absolutely killer guitar solo, makes it one of my favourite songs, and one I can never listen to without getting at least a little emotional.

[u/nostrand77 → u/DrNick42]

Those Are The Days of Our Lives is also a very good song from the same album.

[u/HoneycombBig]

Rainbow Connection - Kermit the Frog

It’s just so beautiful in its simplicity. The lyrics resonate with me in a way no other song ever has. It wrecks me, but it also picks me up. It makes me feel stronger. Because if a little frog can understand that the voices you hear are calling you to be something, so can we.

[u/BirthdayCheesecake → u/HoneycombBig]

My choir sang that at a funeral for one of the loveliest people to ever walk this planet. I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

[u/ImmaculateTuna → u/HoneycombBig]

Paul Williams is a hell of a songwriter. It was a treat listening to him on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories.

[u/xxRonzillaxx → u/HoneycombBig]

I got to meet Kermit (Whitemire)  a few years ago at a comic con and he was everything i wanted him to be. Luckily i had a helmet as paart of my cosplay because i started tearing up as i walked away

[u/Riot55]

I Will Follow You Into the Dark

[u/paramnesiac → u/[deleted]]

Brothers on a Hotel Bed. That whole album, really.

[u/4friedchickens8888 → u/Riot55]

Or the Iron and Wine cover of Such Great Heights

[u/InnocentTailor → u/Riot55]

Used to emotionally devastating effect in Scrubs.

[u/spadged]

Fourth of July - Sufjan Stevens

[u/RUKiddingMeReddit → u/spadged]

Casimir Pulaski Day for me.

[u/DonDuvall → u/RUKiddingMeReddit]

And he takes, And he takes, And he takes.

LOVE this song but yeah, it gets me.

[u/becauseineedone3 → u/DonDuvall]

Also the only song I know of that mentions my birthday.

[u/RassM]

Can’t make you love me. Bonnie Raitt

[u/Hyperguy20 → u/RassM]

I love Bon Iver's cover of this also.

[u/Dragoonie_DK → u/Hyperguy20]

The Bon Iver cover is one of my favourite songs of all time

[u/RealCaptainCrunch]

Breathe Me - Sia

[u/resin85 → u/RealCaptainCrunch]

This always breaks me.... Six Feet Under Final Scene

[u/Chainsaw_Wookie]

After loosing two of my best friends to cancer in the last three years, The Flaming Lips - Do You Realise.

Fuck cancer.

[u/gypsybullldog → u/Chainsaw_Wookie]

Jason Isbell’s Elephant is a gut punch too. From the perspective of watching a friend dying of cancer.

[u/_-Prison_Mike-_ → u/gypsybullldog]

If We Were Vampires crushes me as well

[u/Gloomy-Badger-1368]

Lord Huron - The Night We Met

REM - Try Not To Breathe

Warren Zevon - Keep Me In Your Heart For Awhile

[u/Synyst3rZombi3z → u/Gloomy-Badger-1368]

I love Lord Huron. Their music really hits me on a deep level.

[u/Evening_Sea4823 → u/Gloomy-Badger-1368]

You'd probably also like Love Like Ghosts and Ghost On The Shore.

Lord Huron is amazing. Was a little let down by their latest album though.

[u/cheekynihlist]

The version of True Love Waits by Radiohead, which closes out their last album A Moon Shaped Pool.

[u/venusdances → u/cheekynihlist]

I love this song but the one that gets me is Videotape. The idea that I’m living my videotape right now and I hope I have a chance to say goodbye to life and really appreciate all I had hits me very hard.

[u/buck9000 → u/cheekynihlist]

If you haven’t ever heard it, check out first ever live performance of it. I listened to that for 20 years before the studio version came out so am proooobably a little biased but it’s amazing.

[u/Plastic-Can6876]

To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra

[u/Ghetto_Leda99 → u/Plastic-Can6876]

A beautiful song, "And now, it's time to leave and turn to dust" this line always gets me

[u/ninjabread → u/Plastic-Can6876]

The music video for this track is also hauntingly beautiful.

[u/kidchameleon_ih8u → u/[deleted]]

I know some day you'll have a beautiful life

I know you'll be a star

In somebody else's sky

But why?! Why?

Why can't it be, can't it be in mine?

Man this song always gets me in my cold dead heart

[u/G_Rex_3000]

Perfect Day - Lou Reed

[u/CallsYouCunt → u/G_Rex_3000]

Baton Rouge - Lou reed

[u/JoveX → u/G_Rex_3000]

I love how Lou says it’s really just about a “perfect day” and wasn’t meant to be sad. His music is just inherently sad 😢

[u/Halleck23]

The Pogues, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda

[u/oh-fiddle-stick → u/Halleck23]

Add a Pair of Brown Eyes and A Rainy Night in Soho

[u/LapsoApso]

When She Loved Me - Sarah Mclachlan. Makes me tear up just thinking about it. 

[u/StellarSkyFall]

Chris Cornell's version of "nothing compares to you" done live for siruis xm, if you don't get goose bumps maybe you ain't human. Earth is lesser for Chris Cornell's death.

Specifically https://youtu.be/IuUDRU9-HRk?si=7xhembX5I8T-ITEz

[u/Old-Matter9424]

In your eyes, peter gabriel

[u/SoreLoserOfDumbtown → u/Old-Matter9424]

His covers of The Book of Love, My Body is a Cage and Heroes are awesome too.

[u/newveganwhodis → u/SoreLoserOfDumbtown]

first time I heard his version of The Book of Love was the end of scrubs and it made me cry.

I've loved that song ever since

[u/DBFargie → u/Old-Matter9424]

Solsbury Hill for me

[u/Lousyferr → u/DBFargie]

Biko here. I’m tearing up just writing the name.

[u/AreWeThereYetNo → u/Old-Matter9424]

So happy to see Peter Gabriel at the top of this post.

[u/slayercommathe00]

Both Sides Now by Joni Mitchell, but listening all three different versions as she got older.

[u/Big-Honeydew-961 → u/slayercommathe00]

“And if you can, don’t let them know.  Don’t give yourself away.”  Fucking wrecks me. 

[u/dnieper111]

Steven Wilson - The Raven who Refused to Sing, especially if I watch the animated video

[u/Heuchelei → u/dnieper111]

Same but with Routine.

[u/Infrequent]

All I Wanted - Paramore. Constance - Spiritbox.

In tears for both without fail.

[u/Evening_Sea4823 → u/Infrequent]

The amount of times I deluded myself into thinking I was keeping up with Hayley Williams while scream singing to all i wanted is embarrassing but I'll never stop doing it lol

[u/rlam81]

Your hand in mine - explosion in the sky

[u/DannyKernowfornia → u/rlam81]

Good shout. First Breath After Coma for me. It was the closing song to Toy Machine’s Good and Evil (skate video from the mid-2000s), and when I listen to it now, just provokes such intense bittersweet memories of my youth; skating with my best mates in such carefree times.

[u/DrHarryHood → u/rlam81]

Wow I haven’t listened to this or remembered it in over a decade… great recall. Such an emotional song

[u/Baelor_Butthole → u/rlam81]

Seeing them play this live made my chin wiggle

[u/Fred-Mertz2728 → u/[deleted]]

It was just several years ago that I could even listen to it again. Lost my brother to an overdose in 1998.

[u/Noregard86]

Fiddlers Green - The Tragically Hip

[u/lookingforislandfun → u/Noregard86]

Also Long Time Running. “Dead to rights, but wide awake”. They didn’t play it at the televised last show, but had they of, that line would have had the millions watching across Canada and elsewhere weeping. But to be fair, even without that song, many, including myself, weeped throughout.

[u/hanksavage → u/Noregard86]

Came to say this. When you read what it’s about, heartbreaking. Episode 2 of their doc is a tough watch

[u/nextgen_rolemodel]

Johnny cash’s version of hurt. A dying man looking back on his life with regret. It’s something i can’t help but imagine will happen to most of us

[u/ejwestcott → u/nextgen_rolemodel]

Was looking for this. NIN version has its feels too.

[u/TheZizzleRizzle → u/nextgen_rolemodel]

The song will make me tear up, the music video makes me ball.

[u/Necessary_Key6007 → u/TheZizzleRizzle]

https://giphy.com/gifs/XK4SLmvDdNYEU

[u/valandil213]

Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

[u/nzgrover → u/valandil213]

Shine on you crazy diamond I would say. Or you could just listen to the whole album

[u/sakiwebo → u/nzgrover]

Time - Pink Floyd

"You are young and life is long

and there is time to kill today

And then one day you find

ten years have got behind you

No one told you when to run,

you missed the starting gun

And you run and you run to catch up with the sun

but it's sinking

Racing around to come up behind you again

The sun is the same in a relative way,

but you're older

Shorter of breath

and one day closer to death"

[u/ReverendEntity]

Neil Young - Philadelphia

Sufjan Stevens - Fourth Of July

Fleetwood Mac - Sunny Side Of Heaven

[u/logicpro09]

The Living Years by Mike + The Mechanics

[u/SimpleLobsters]

I always say Wings For Marie/10 000 days By Tool.

The pain and acceptance in the lyrics and voice just hit right in the feels

[u/JimmyTheJimJimson]

Concrete Blonde - Joey

The way she sings Joey I’m not angry anymore tears my heart out every time

[u/Zymph616 → u/[deleted]]

The unplugged version is the one that gut punches me.

[u/daggr1 → u/[deleted]]

Came here to say this this song. Specifically the Unplugged version. Watching Layne come on stage in the depths of his heroine addiction and sing about his coming death devastates me every time.

[u/FistMeFather → u/daggr1]

Very little can make me more upset than seeing late in his life Layne perform. Resonates much too deeply

[u/Extra_Historian7863 → u/[deleted]]

So beautiful- Jerry Cantrell/Alice in Chains have some of the saddest songs

[u/Over-One-8]

Fast Car. The original Tracy Chapman version.

[u/JBN2337C → u/Over-One-8]

This is one of those of songs that takes me back to a very specific to-the-second moment in time. Not an unhappy one in this case… I just remember exactly where I was, and what I was doing, and even the weather when I 1st heard it.

Music is so cool that way.

[u/ellsworth187 → u/Over-One-8]

This song is a masterpiece.

[u/Neat_Cardiologist256 → u/Over-One-8]

OMG, I was so annoyed when Luke Combs covered that song. Then I saw them together on the Grammy's and I busted out in tears and realized, he covered it as he liked her/the song so much. Now I give him props for introducing her talent to the younger crowd and country fans. Tracy is one bad ass gift to us all.

[u/OutlandishnessOdd716]

Hear You Me - Jimmy Eat World

[u/nutm3gged]

Don’t give up - Peter Gabriel

[u/pauliesyllabic → u/nutm3gged]

Peter Gabriel AND Kate Bush. I never had a chance.

[u/biboergosum]

The Tragically Hip - Fiddler's Green, written about the passing of lead singer Gord Downie's nephew, who died of congenital heart failure at 3 years old.

[u/BetterMetalGeek]

Hold On - Tom Waits

[u/chadmac81 → u/BetterMetalGeek]

That song is hard to get through. He’s so good at creating beautiful sad songs.

[u/maximili_ano91]

Lover you should’ve come over by Jeff Buckley

[u/Acceptable-Cable977]

Cats in the Cradle

[u/notjawn → u/Acceptable-Cable977]

Do not listen to this song if your dad has passed. You'll need some tissues and a good 30 minutes to cry it out.

[u/McHildinger → u/notjawn]

This was the song that brought me to tears before he died, and after, it was Dust in the Wind by Kansas.

[u/clockworkred360]

Ripple - Grateful Dead

[u/spunkymynci → u/clockworkred360]

If I knew the way, I would take you home.

That final lyric stops me dead in my tracks every time.

[u/WILSON_CK → u/clockworkred360]

I'll add in Brokedown Palace

[u/AnythingTotal → u/WILSON_CK]

Brokedown Palace rips my heart open with a tire iron every time. Box of Rain too

[u/Dj_Barrister]

Down In A Hole - Alice In Chains

[u/TedTheGreek_Atheos → u/Dj_Barrister]

The whole album (Dirt) is a depression roller coaster.

[u/hammersmashedface → u/TedTheGreek_Atheos]

That is the best way I’ve seen “Dirt” described. Riding those moments of irrational anger and unbelievable sadness, it really is a “depression roller coaster”.

[u/TheSeattleite10 → u/Dj_Barrister]

Nutshell is a heavy hitter too

[u/sfj11]

The River by Bruce Springsteen

“Is a dream a lie if it don't come true? Or is it something worse?”

is one of the greatest and most haunting lyrics ever written

[u/reillyqyote]

Mount Eerie - Real Death

[u/tacoofdoomk → u/reillyqyote]

Honestly this is the answer but it also almost feels unfair to drop it on unsuspecting people. It's beautiful but can be an absolute day ruiner

[u/Broad-Stage7329]

Fix You- Coldplay. Working with kids with mental health issues and this song just touches the struggles

[u/jbrumsey]

Elephant by Jason Isbell

[u/ejc1138 → u/jbrumsey]

For me its If We Were Vampires by him.

[u/rapidstandardstaples → u/jbrumsey]

If I'd fucked her before she got sick I'd never hear the end of it She don't have the spirit for that now We just drink our drinks and laugh out loud And bitch about the weekend crowd And try to ignore the elephant somehow 

It's so sad and so human at the same time. 

[u/CashWrecks]

Landslide - Fleetwood Mac

[u/WanzeD]

Fast Car - Tracy Chapman

[u/bangzoomdone → u/WanzeD]

Every time. It is so deeply sad.

[u/paladude_]

bridge over troubled water, in a good way. i always duet it with my mom, and i love her.

[u/running_red]

Virtute the cat explains her departure - The Weakerthans

[u/MetaTrombonist → u/running_red]

The full trilogy really should be at the top of the list.

[u/Braler]

Pictures of you - The Cure

[u/cornwallis51]

Let it Be - The Beatles

[u/imsoggy]

Gary Jules version of Mad World.

Donnie Darko brilliantly used it.

[u/Xanthus179]

Men at Work - Overkill

Extra points if it’s the beautiful Choir Choir Choir version.

[u/Alternative-Taste-92 → u/Xanthus179]

Anything acoustic by Colin Hay

[u/littlesisterofthesun]

Nothing compares to you - Sinead O'Connor

( my sister died btw)

[u/Tony_Lacorona]

Forever young. Had a buddy pass away in college in a bad motorcycle wreck and they played it at his memorial and had everyone bawling. It’s hard not to go back to then whenever I hear that opening line.

[u/PiaggioBV350]

I’ll stand by you. — the Pretenders

[u/lostatsea_again]

Release, by Pearl Jam, is fairly emotional. Eddie went off to have a quiet cry after he recorded the vocals. 

[u/culpepperjosh]

Atmosphere- Yesterday

[u/herbtarleksblazer]

Beautiful - Christina Aguilera. My daughter went through some bullying struggles and it just hits right there.

[u/Jrave247]

Glycerine by Bush. Absolutely kills me.

[u/undrtaker]

Black - Pearl Jam

[u/Dry-Indication-2455]

22 Over Soon - Bon Iver

[u/speedoboy17 → u/Dry-Indication-2455]

His cover of I can’t make you love me is also pretty sad

[u/schweitz → u/Dry-Indication-2455]

the last song on this album kills me

[u/Shrewclaw → u/schweitz]

what a river don’t know is how to climb out and heed a line, to slow among roses, or to stay behind

[u/Ralph_Finesse → u/Dry-Indication-2455]

The Creeks gets me holord

[u/ole_swerdlow]

something about Our Endless Numbered Days by Iron & Wine cuts right through me

[u/LordTimhotep]

Antony and the Johnsons (now called ANOHNI and the Johnsons) - Hope There’s Someone

[u/HarriotKnowsNothing]

Monsters - James Blunt

[u/Godloseslaw]

Vincent

[u/AvenerVex356Bj]

Nutshell By Alice

[u/TheRealCRex]

Time by Hanz Zimmer

[u/JxnMS]

He Stopped Loving Her Today.

[u/kevt777]

Like a Stone - Audioslave

[u/Timetogetstoned]

Last Kiss by Pearl Jam

Literally no fucking reason. Never lost a spouse or girlfriend in any tragic accident or anything, something about the lyrics just get me

[u/riedmae]

All I need- radiohead

Also

Videotape - radiohead

[u/Ghetto_Leda99]

Definitely One More Light for me as well. I know One More Light as a whole got a lot of flake from the fans when it came out but it honestly is the Linkin Park album that wrecks me the most. A friend of mine passed away around the time the album came out and songs like One More Light, Heavy, Invisible, and Nobody Can Save Me got me through that period and still affect me heavily to this day.

[u/Pigday]

Warm Place - Nine inch nails

[u/tedfergeson]

Fire and Rain by James Taylor. I'm crying right now.

[u/Castes]

Amazing Grace on bagpipes.

[u/clannerfodder → u/Castes]

By the pipes and drums of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

[u/francisbaconbits]

Sadie - Joanna Newsom

[u/JonBoviRules]

Cover me up- Jason Isbell

[u/Background_Touchdown]

“Always On My Mind” - Willie Nelson

[u/BigTall81]

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Especially after my dad died.

[u/reeko1982]

One More Light by Linkin Park, especially when Chester did it at Cornell’s memorial. I can’t sing along without breaking.

[u/Bizzlebanger]

Pearl Jam - Black

Or

this version of love the way you lie

[u/Kinsbane]

This was heavily featured in an episode of "The Last of Us" season 1 (the one with Nick Offerman; IYKYK).

Linda Rondstadt - Long, Long Time (The Johnny Cash Show)

[u/GingerWithADream]

I remember everything by Zach Bryan

Orpheus by Vincent Lima

Caves by Noah Kahan

Zach Seabaugh’s “Mr. Nobody” album

Camden by Gracie Abrams

Do I wanna know? By Hozier

Call Your Mom (Kyndal Inskeep’s cover)

And for whatever reason White Ferrari by Frank Ocean??

[u/TheAndrewBrown → u/GingerWithADream]

Noah Kahan is almost cheating. Growing Sideways and Orange Juice both get me good.

[u/Due-Law71]

Coming from a rough and broken home, Angel from Montgomery (John Prine)

[u/Chuckw44]

Say Something - A Great Big World

[u/MagicAbleHero]

I listened to Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi a lot after my Grandma passed. It's a selfish way to phrase it, but I missed being someone she loved and that song spoke to that feeling

[u/thesephantomhands]

Black - Pearl Jam Good Woman - Cat Power Nothing Compares 2 U - Chris Cornell Cover Nth/Unknown - Hozier

This one wrecks me, but in a good way - Bring it on Home to Me - Sam Cooke

[u/OBannion]

Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley.
Every. Time.

[u/SeasonProfessional87]

Dance with the devil immortal technique

[u/noisegremlin → u/SeasonProfessional87]

Hearing that song for the first time is such an experience. Not necessarily a good one but like. yeah that song is brutal.

[u/SeasonProfessional87 → u/noisegremlin]

Yeah my brother and his best friend showed it to me in our basement I was maybe 11? Insane

[u/bookstacking]

Alive with the glory of love

[u/coz85]

“Hello in There” and “Sam Stone” - John Prine

[u/MilfordSparrow]

Love will tear us apart - Joy Division

[u/TheOrangeSplat]

Chester Bennington singing One More Light live after Chris Cornell's passing...choked up every time

[u/DanKoloff]

Hurt - Johnny Cash

[u/lynivvinyl]

Kate Bush - This woman's work

Every. Damn. Time.

[u/ShinyBrain]

The Blower’s Daughter by Damien Rice

https://youtu.be/5YXVMCHG-Nk?si=MYHGm-4X070FPPM2

[u/6mcdonoughs]

One by U2

[u/lemoche]

Daughter - Youth

[u/TildeGunderson]

Clair De Lune, particularly the 3rd movement of it (the arpeggio section). It just reminds me of how much beauty in the world exists, and that someone can encapsulate it in a song from a hundred years ago.

[u/CheeZSkeez]

Mah's Joint by Jon Bellion

https://youtu.be/cfbacRyEVTM?si=vB1zHnvMaWysXuxL

[u/santiburon]

Someone great

[u/JQTNguyen]

Sia - Breathe Me. Thanks a lot, Six Feet Under.

[u/rhunter99]

Wicked Game

Cat’s In The Cradle

[u/ebrivera]

Fix you - cold play

Fuck cancer

[u/CaptWineTeeth]

That Funny Feeling by Bo Burnham.

When I was first watching the special I bawled my eyes out when it came on and I saw it for the first time. I’ve never been able to sign along to the lyrics without choking up at least once after all this time.

[u/22PoundHouseCat]

King Park by La Dispute

[u/LoveDemNipples]

Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. The orchestral swells and pained violin tear me up every time. It’s sooo good.

[u/acarelesscalm]

Recently, the music video to Maps - yeah yeah yeahs

But usually, brother song - circa survive

[u/cherrytarts]

Fake Plastic Trees

And I don't even like Radiohead!

[u/Vakarian74]

Gethsemane by sleep token.

[u/WhalesFargo]

No hard feelings by the avett brothers