Music for a melancholy mood
Posted by: Chillkram on 22 December 2007
I was listening to a radio programme yesterday and they were discussing weepy films and which were the favourites for inducing tearfulness. It was discussed how people 'liked a good cry' and it is clearly a cathartic experience for some people.
Now I don't particularly like weepy films (indeed I'm not a film 'weeper' at all) but I do enjoy a bit of sad music. There's nothing like a bit of minor key moaning to move my soul and it can sometimes move me to tears.
There are many individual tracks that do it for me, it can be the music itself or the lyrics or some knowledge of the personal experience that has gone in to the performance.
My all time banker to set me off is 'Strange Fruit' by Billie Holliday.
What albums or single tracks do others enjoy a bit of a weep along to?
Mark
Posted on: 27 December 2007 by rgame666
Dunno if this counts....
Angelo Badelemeti's Twin Peaks Theme sung by Julee Cruz
Posted on: 30 December 2007 by Lightkeeper
Posted on: 08 January 2008 by John M
Is melancholy alot different than nostalgia? I guess it depends on how screwed up you are. Well I am plenty scarred, mostly self inflicted, so for me they are about the same. Some of these suggestions are based on the overall mood of the music, but some are based on personal history, but may still resonate for others!
Neil Young - On the Beach (See the Sky about to Rain, For the Turnstiles) and pretty much the entire album. Also Tonight's The Night. And what about Only Love Can Break Your Heart off After the Gold Rush....
Iron and Wine, The Shepherds Dog, and just about any other album
Fairport Convention, Who Knows Where the Time Goes - I hear this and look at the little bastards eating up all my food and twiddling my stereo knobs with greasy fingers, and I go all squishy inside.
Dan Fogelberg - Souvenirs, Song from Half Mountain - Cheesy, Cliche, I know but I fell love in high school (1977) to this one, and then she broke my heart.
Jackson Browne - MY Opening Farewell
Weather Report - A Remark You Made - Can Wayne Shorter get any more emotive?
Eliott Smith - again, just about anything
Chet Baker - My Funny Valentine
Tom Waits - Ol '55, Grapefruit Moon
Posted on: 08 January 2008 by lutyens
Bailero by Canteloube....It was sung at the funeral of a dear friend which doesn't help but I have always found it heavy with melancholy.
james
Posted on: 09 January 2008 by andrew sutton
At opposite ends of the musical spectrum - Purcell's "When I am laid in earth" and Taupin's "Tonight" (on Blue Moves) spring to mind. American V has to be on the list. There must be more. Cheers Andy.
Posted on: 09 January 2008 by JohanR
Many songs by Randy Newman. 'Texas Girl At The Funeral Of Her Father' is one example.
JohanR
Posted on: 09 January 2008 by Major-Tom
Try Dead Can Dance....'Into the Labyrinth' CD.
Posted on: 09 January 2008 by scottyhammer
melancholy and the infinate sadness - the pumpkins ! what else ?
Posted on: 09 January 2008 by Pete
Time to get some Palestrina and Taverner into your collection. You don't get much more hauntingly beautiful than that.
Pete.
Posted on: 09 January 2008 by trane
Bach's Sonatas and Partitas for unaccompanied violin.
Posted on: 10 January 2008 by Pete
And if it's rock/pop you're after, Over the Rhine and Cowboy Junkies are worth an ear. OTR's "Good Dog Bad Dog" is a particularly fine entry in the sad but great oeuvre, hugely recommended.
Pete.
Posted on: 10 January 2008 by Jono 13
All 4 CD's from Joy Division's "Heart and Soul" back to back always sets the scene for me.
Jono
Posted on: 10 January 2008 by TomK
Harvest by Neil Young always reminds me of the very painful split I had with my first love in early 1972. It was the first album I bought after it happened and it sometimes still hurts when I listen to it.
Posted on: 10 January 2008 by Michael Dale
"The White Birch" album by Codeine is one of the most stark but beautiful, melancholy records in my collection.
"A Man Needs A Maid" from Harvest gets me every time too.
Mickey
Posted on: 10 January 2008 by rupert bear
Borodin's Polovstian Dances and Debussy's Prelude de l'Apres-midi d'un faune usually hit the spot. Depends how melancholy you want to be I suppose.
Thought of a good track to be played at my funeral - Tom Waits' 'What's he building in there?'
