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Holly Huitt's avatar

Hello beautiful community! I couldn't help but make a playlist with every single song you all suggested (barring songs that just aren't on Spotify, of course). Really looking forward to listening to this, getting misty, then thinking about all of you wonderful people listening to it, and then getting even more misty. Thank you for all of your suggestions!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Cc0J9tarr1rjJMiAS38at?si=604896ea4a7042e0

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Carmen Radley's avatar

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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Carmen Radley's avatar

Lordy, that's almost 12 hours of sad songs! Deep dive!

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Suleika Jaouad's avatar

Yesssss ♥️

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Marcia McNiff's avatar

Oooh, thank you so much! Can’t wait to listen!

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Karen Cadiero-Kaplan's avatar

Wow!! Just the best !!

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DJ B. aka Raincoastgirl's avatar

Oh my goodness!!!!! This is AWSOME!!!! Thank you Holly for compiling all of our songs. Love this connection of music (and writing) that brings us all together. Such a special community this is 💜

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Dodie Jones's avatar

Thanks so much. This is a great idea. I can't wait to listen to it. Thanks for taking the time to do it!

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Oh boy . . . from the Melancholy Playlist . . . . . "River "- Joni Michell, "Walk On By" - Smokey Robinson version, "Old Man" - Neil Young, "Kingdom of Rain" - Sinead O'Connor and The The, "Breaking Us Into" - Joe Jackson, "Song for Sharon" - Joni Mitchell, "Smoking Section" - St. Vincent and the biggest tearjerker of all for me . . . "Wasted Time" by Joe Jackson. Sometimes you just need to wallow in it. I lost my dad last week and can't visit these songs just yet but there is something powerful about sharing these emotions through music and lyrics. Thanks for this topic today.

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Suleika Jaouad's avatar

Sending love and wishes for comfort ♥️♥️

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you Suleika; obviously today's post hit home with me. I did not expect to receive so many kind words about my dad . . . . thank you all so much. Words matter . . . . : )

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Marnie B's avatar

It's so hard to lose a parent. Give yourself some time to grieve before you dive into this therapeutic playlist.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thanks Marnie . . . . my brother and I are working on the playlist for my dad's memorial . . . some of his favorites make us laugh - he loved Boston and ELO lol . . .

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Thea Braren's avatar

Thank you for all these great tunes. I am so sorry for the loss of your dad. Sending love to you and your family for this difficult time.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you so much for the kind words . . . .

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Dodie Jones's avatar

I'm so sorry for your loss. Sending some love and strength your way. 💜

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you Dodie . . .

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Sandra Yudilevich Espinoza's avatar

My deepest condolences on the loss of your father. I hope the time of finding comfort in your memories of him comes Sooner rather than much later.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you for your kind words, Sandra.

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Neil Crowe's avatar

Love and healing to you and yours

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you Neil.

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Kathyrn Merrithew's avatar

What a significant loss you’ve experienced, and you’re plugging along through it, thankfully. But know others feel sorrow knowing you’re going through rough waters.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you Kathryn

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Gail Saenz's avatar

So sorry for your loss! ❤️ Sending Prayers for healing and comfort.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thanks so much Gail.

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Laurie L Moulin's avatar

I’m so sorry for your loss.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you Laurie.

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William Dickinson's avatar

"Song for Sharon" is special. I am sorry you lost your Dad.

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Allison Merriman's avatar

Thank you William.

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Dixie Lou's avatar

"Here in the dark, in these final hours, I will lay down my heart and I feel the power . . ."

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

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Marnie B's avatar

Yes, Bonnie has the uncanny ability to bring tears of joy, grief and strength, all at once!

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Lisa Philip's avatar

I was thinking about writing about that one too, but ended up picking a different one.

Good choice!

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Joanne O'Neil's avatar

Ohhh, I Love that song. Beautiful.

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William Dickinson's avatar

Oh God...Bonnie, I love you. Burning Down The House, Thing Called Love...Angel From Montgomery...on and on.

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Linda Ylitalo's avatar

Recently, it's the Foo Fighters featuring 16-year-old Shane Hawkins on "My Hero" -- a tribute to Shane's late father. I have tears in my eyes each time I listen to and watch this heart-breaking and inspiring performance. I'm also sitting up straighter -- my heart and inner strength getting a booster shot. ❤

Suleika and Jon -- what recent sad song inspires you?

With Love,

Linda

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Ela's avatar

That tribute was beautiful and so powerful ❤️

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Linda Ylitalo's avatar

I watch it on YouTube every day. Take care, Ela.

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Laura Daniels, Writer's avatar

That was a beautiful and powerful tribute by his son.

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Linda Ylitalo's avatar

Yes, so moving. Wish you well, Laura.

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Mary McKnight's avatar

Ahhhh...The Depression Hit Parade...(the term I used coined by my dear friend, Ellin). The song, "Martha" by Tom Waits, especially the version by Lisa Hannigan and Cormac Curran. My tears come from age 14, an unrequited love, for a boy four years older-he was so kind and such a gentleman. (We were Army BRATS and BRATS in the same neighborhood then, all became friends) He used to lend me his albums, recommend books, discuss literature with me and treat me like I had a brain. WE would sit on the curb in the front of my house (Frankfurt Germany) and life opened up for me, dreams, knowledge, longings...I adored him. His ending was tragic many years later, but my tears are for the boy who opened my mind. Thank you Suleika for your story this week...it reminds me so of my own daughter and Carmen, for the prompt so that we all get to expand our "Depression Hit Parade". I love a good, planned cry.

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Sherri Rosen's avatar

Hi Everyone!

Interesting that here I live in NYC and today is 9/11. A day of remembrance in my soul. After this horrific event I would go to Strawberry Fields across from the Dakota, where Lennon lived and was killed. Yoko donated the space in Central Park in honor of John. As you walk into the space there’s a beautiful Mandela with the word “Imagine” in it. After 9/11, John’s death, my 2 divorces, I always played “Imagine”. It helped me cry, gave me hope, and when hearing John sing it feels like a balm of hope washes over me and others and all the pain we inflict on one another or we inflict on ourselves. To me it’s a song of forgiveness and tells me “let me do better each and every day.”

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Marney Winn's avatar

“Imagine” is to be played at my celebration of life. It captures my hopes for my loved ones and our world. It is so needed in our fractured, hurting world today. Thank you for your post.

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Laura Daniels, Writer's avatar

I want that song also played on my celebration of life day.

I wanted it as my wedding song but I was overruled but I did have it played twice that day.

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Sherri Rosen's avatar

Blessings and thank you

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Laura Daniels, Writer's avatar

thanks - I shared it on my Facebook blog - The Fringe 999 - always gives me goosebumps

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Laura Daniels, Writer's avatar

I also chose Imagine as my sad song. Blessings to you on this day of remembrance.

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Linda Stefkovic's avatar

Someone mentioned Billie Holiday, and her version of "Strange Fruit" guts me every time. But the first song that came to my mind is Eva Cassidy's "I Know You By Heart" from her "Eve By Heart" CD. It is a song about lamenting love and loss through each season. It ends with autumn, walking paths of orange and gold. Eva left us in autumn, November 1996, age 33, of melanoma. The album came out almost a year later. I was particularly attached to her spirit, and dreamt about her for years after she passed. The song makes me cry still, and not just for Eva, but for the universal lamenting of love and loss throughout my life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crUm-v6o-0s

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Cathy's avatar

Eva came to my mind as well. "Over The Rainbow" is the song that means the most and brings me to tears. "Fields of Gold" is another. Her life was cut short tragically but thankfully her music lives on.

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Gail Saenz's avatar

I love Eva Cassidy as well! Thank you for sharing how her music impacted you. ❤️

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Laurie L Moulin's avatar

Oh yes! That one gets to me too.So many feels!

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Beth Feldman's avatar

At seventeen by Janis Ian

My sister had a tough time growing up with a nuro muscular disease CMT

Kids and teens can be so mean .

The crazy thing is after my stem cell I too got the disease.

Adults are kinder ……

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Thea Braren's avatar

Love that entire album, Between the Lines, accompanied me through my teens.

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Sandra Yudilevich Espinoza's avatar

Oh my. Awful, sad, so many words could be used to describe those events in your life. I send you comfort and joy.

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Jeannine Rainone's avatar

My best friend was my older sister, Annette. She was killed in a car accident after dropping me off at my parents house. In the 43 years since her death, I’ve never experienced a close friendship. The song “The Long and Winding Road” hits my heart hardest. Every line speaks to my longing to see her again and to wonder if I ever will. When the song comes on the radio, my husband will turn it off because he knows it makes me cry. I don’t say anything when he does this because I know it comes from a place of love and desire to keep me from hurting. But every now and then, I put the song on because I need to feel the connection to my sister.

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Thea Braren's avatar

Alone Again Naturally, by Gilbert O'Sullivan (released 1972) is my all time sad song. The year of its release followed my mother leaving our family for the neighbor, and absconding with him and his 3 boys. With a narcissistic father incapable of empathy and connection, my 3 yo brain and heart became completely detached. The other day on a road trip to my home town to visit my elderly father whose memory is quickly retreating, this song came on and my memory shot back to the days of listening to it over and over and the melancholy that ensued. By the time this song came out I was 7, and had already been trained enough at the piano to read music. Once I finally got the sheet music, I played it again and again, singing with tears. It wasn't until just hearing this song last month on the radio with my visit to the homeland and my childhood encroaching on my autonomy, did I connect with the depth to which this song allowed me to process my loss, and feeling of being alone, when there was no one there with watchful eye and caring heart to guide me through. I love the first 2 verses of the tune:

"In a little while from now

If I'm not feeling any less sour

I promise myself to treat myself

And visit a nearby tower

And climbing to the top

Will throw myself off

In an effort to make clear to whomever

What it's like when you're shattered"

I thought over and over about taking my life as a young child. I would not doubt that the resolution found in this song to pull through and stay, trudging along in life as the singer seemed to be doing, made me feel not alone, and hence a life long yearning and knowing that surely there is a way has continued to support me in my darkest of hours.

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William Dickinson's avatar

Last two lines remind me of a phrase in Paul Simon's "Graceland":

...And I see losing love is like a window in your heart

Well, everybody sees you're blown apart

Everybody feels the wind blow

Ooh, ooh, ooh...

Here's a wonderful version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VTcBO4q5kY

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Neil Crowe's avatar

Incredible lines and images and so true

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Nocapes's avatar

I need to drop everything for:

The Adagietto from Mahler's Fifth Symphony -

John Coltrane - Alabama

Sarah Vaughan - Dream

Carmen McRae - Dedicated to You

Miles Davis - tossup between Flamenco Sketches and Blue in Green

I could go on, but suffice to say - the thing these have in common is the ability to stop time. I completely surrender to the sheer magic of the mood they create and experience an inwardness, yet also a release, and a soothing sense of sadness if that makes sense. An opening into the vast.

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Neil Crowe's avatar

Alabama is immense

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Sarah Langfur Stuart's avatar

Laughing and crying you know it’s the same release - Joni Mitchell. That’s all.

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judi hoffman's avatar

Thank you Carmen and Suleika for this interesting prompt. The first saddest song on the planet for me is Linda Ronstadt's version of "What'll I Do?" The other sad song is actually Louis Armstrong's "Wonderful World"...so beautiful it's sad, so sad it's beautiful. When I hear it I always cry from so many different emotions all at once. Sadness is definitely one of them.

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Linda Ylitalo's avatar

Suleika's husband Jon performs a gorgeous rendition of "What A Wonderful World." 💜

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Thea Braren's avatar

Yaas! Linda Rondstadt, amazing tune.

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Lois Sloan's avatar

It’s Quiet Uptown from HAMILTON never fails to bring me to tears. From “the unimaginable”...to “she takes his hand”...to “forgiveness”, the grief is profoundly moving.

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Mary Kate May's avatar

Wichita Lineman…I need you more than want you and I want you for all time.

This song reminds me of the love, grieving, and heartache that we carry with us through the everyday.

When my father passed, this song broke my heart, then eventually helped heal it.

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Carmen Radley's avatar

Such a beautiful song ❤️

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Jdeplume's avatar

One of my very favourite sad songs, I always think of another song that probably came out at the same time- if you read my mind by Gordon lightfoot.

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Jdeplume's avatar

If you could read my mind

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Kathy Sireno's avatar

https://youtu.be/H46yXW4qR_M

This beautiful arrangement of Blackbird ❤️

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William Dickinson's avatar

Yeah, this is timeless. Jon does it best.

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Neil Crowe's avatar

I love xorrine Bailey Rae with Herbie Hancock at the white house too, when Macca was awarded the Gershwin prize

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