Top 20 Tearjerker Songs
Sad tearjerker songs stick in the memory forever.
The song that stands alone at the top is… Alone Again (Naturally) by Gilbert O’Sullivan. It has a great title, self-pitying lyrics, whiny vocal and an infuriating catchy tune (which forms the basis to any true tearjerker) all with the backing of a lush orchestra.
Three of my top four choices are sung poignantly by one hit wonders. (Gilbert O’Sullivan, Eric Carmen, Terry Jacks) There are others that are sung by truly tragic figures. (Karen Carpenter, Roy Orbison, Maurice Gibb) And there are maudlin offerings by some of the top artists. (Beatles, Elton John) Plus there are some truly touching melodies. (Vincent, Faded Love, Are You Lonesome Tonight?)
So here are my Top 20 cringe-worthy, teeth-curling, fingernails-on-the-blackboard, depressing, heartbreaking, ripe, maudlin, sentimental, self-pitying, self-serving, irritating, tasteless and sad anthems of the Me Generation.
1. Alone Again (Naturally) Gilbert O’Sullivan
2. All By Myself Eric Carmen
3. Vincent by Don MacLean
4. Seasons in the Sun Terry Jacks.
5. Where Have all the Flowers Gone? Kingston Trio (wr. Pete Seeger)
6. At Seventeen Janis Ian
7. Eleanor Rigby Beatles
8. Goodbye to Love The Carpenters
9. Honey Bobby Goldsboro
10. Faded Love Patsy Cline
11. My Eyes Adored You Frankie Valli
12. Patches Clarence Carter
13. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? Bee Gees
14. Without You Harry Nilsson
15. Are You Lonesome Tonight? Elvis
16. Candle in the Wind Elton John
17. Crying Roy Orbison
18. Fire and Rain James Taylor
19. Green Green Grass of Home Tom Jones
20. Mr. Bojangles Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (wr. Jerry Jeff Walker)
Other similar lists include Spinner’s Top 25 Exquisitely Sad Songs and the Top 25 Top Sad Country Songs from About Country Music.
If you have any I missed, please check in!
May 22, 2010 at 22:37 am
Jerry~ I sit here all faclempt missing you and your warped brilliant mind.
How about The Isley Brothers Who’s That Lady?
Oh My goodness… not sure why but I chose to click on Karen Carpenter’s Goodbye To Love……How could they allow that on National TV. The FCC missed that one! For an anorexic, singing that song over and over again it had to drive her to an early grave. Thoughts are things, image performing that song repeatedly.
I will be driving by on my way to Maine in June…. Stay tuned! x LG
May 22, 2010 at 22:38 pm
The lyrics to Goodbye to Love are shocking in regards to Karen’s situation. We’ve all been there of course, pining for “the one”…but to sing so sweetly about giving up hope for love, while having anoerxia, well that’s too much to take.
June 1, 2010 at 01:19 am
Oh my. Lest we forget Wayne Newton’s “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast”
I know you’ve tried.
June 4, 2010 at 04:23 pm
I never heard that one. It’s touching.
December 15, 2010 at 15:47 am
I BELIEVE “NOBODY KNOWS IT BUT ME”BY TONY RICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUT THERE!!HANDS DOWN,IT WAS TO ME THEE BEST TEAR JERKER JOINTS OF THE 90S.IT REMINDS YOU OF A GOOD ONE YOU LET GET AWAY(WHY DIDNT I SAY THE THINGS I NEEDED TO SAY/HOW COULD I LET MY ANGEL SLIP AWAY)AND YOU DO KNOW IF YOU’LL EVER RUN ACROSS ONE LIKE THAT AGAIN!A ONCE IN A LIFETIME DEAL BLOWN!
January 8, 2011 at 08:47 pm
After mom died I was looking thru a box of stuff and found a homemade cassette tape labeled songs that make you cry. It was the first time I remember hearing anything by Red Sovine and let me tell you, those songs make you cry. Youtube Red Sovine, pick any song and grab the kleenex.
February 7, 2011 at 07:33 pm
OK, here’s Glen Campbell in “By the Time I Get to Phoenix,” another great oldie that tugs at the heartstrings:
January 13, 2012 at 13:15 pm
“In the Ghetto”
“Mother”
“Wise Up”
“Neither One of Us”
January 29, 2012 at 29:39 pm
I do not think that you can all Gilbert O’Sullivan a one hit wonder with songs as nothing rymed, underneath the blanket go, clair and get down, those where hugh hits in the beginning of the seventies but I am from europe so maby he did not so well in the USA, must say that I enyojed your list, some of them I didnt know some of them I completly forgot, thanks, Nils
February 17, 2012 at 17:38 am
you miss a big one one that even tough men cry ,one more year of daddy s little girl