Friday, January 10, 2014

The Saddest Songs I Know

There are obviously many sad songs that really grip your heat and make you want to wail out, sometimes it’s because you share the emotions of the singer, and every line paints a vivid picture in your head and other time just because you've gone through the same situation and you connect with the song at a different level like going back in time to that tragic moment.

This is one of the reasons I can’t live without my music and I know most readers will agree. Music has a way of calming us down, taking us to places we’ve never been, make us fall in love with strangers, resurrecting dead memories and sometimes even make us cry. To be honest when I’m in love or have a crush my playlist changes to that of mushy love song, when I’m just genuinely feeling good or angry it’s the good old heavy metal and rock (Add a little bit of Rap every now and then).

Every mood has its genre of music. When I’m really mad at someone and feel like eradicating them from the face of the earth but can’t do that anymore coz I’m a grown ass man and can’t be gangster like I was in college but really feel like going Hiroshima on their faces, I listen to Rap. Especially to 2Pac and his angry songs, I imagine I’m him and letting my automatic rain on them, just the imagination makes me feel good and after a few songs I’m back to normal. “Hit’em Up” usually does the trick, imaging you are Pac and the guy you wanna destroy is Biggie and sing along if you know the lyrics, and see if you’re not smiling by the end of the song. Joygasm!

Any the point of my blog today is sad songs. What are the top saddest songs I know? Well after a few days of digging deep and going back in time here’s my list:

1.       Hate Me – Blue October
If a girl you really love has broken up with you because of your drinking habits or maybe drugs etc. or whatever, then this song will open the floodgates of tears in your eyes. The eerie mixing of the vocals and the much too honest lyrics about a man broken down to his knees is enough to silence even the hardest of hearts. This is just the saddest song I know. How can you not feel bad for a guy that's breaking down saying "Hate me today, Hate me tomorrow, Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you. Hate me in ways, Yeah ways hard to swallow, Hate me so you can finally see what’s good for you"


2.       I Saw Red – Warrant
Rumor has it that Jani Lane went insane after witnessing the scene mentioned in the chorus and was institutionalized “I saw red, when I opened up the door…and I didn’t need to see his face, I saw yours, I saw red and then I closed the door, I don’t think I’m gonna love you anymore” need I say more?

3.       I Told You So – Randy Travis
Kids today would appreciate the Carrie Underwood version more but for men, the sadness and sense of hopelessness and helplessness in his voice is just so real. It’s no doubt we hate to be told I told you so by women, but this takes the line to a whole new level. I’ve experienced this myself so maybe this is why this song is always so emotional for me.


4.       Anthem of the Angels – Breaking Benjamin
If you’ve lost a friend, a family member or anyone close to you and watched life slip away from them, then this song will definitely settle home in you. I’ve lost my father, 3 of my uncles and 2 of my closest friends Salim and Johntea and this song always reminds me of them. Reminds me of how much I loved them and how much they meant to me. My favorite lines from the song “Hope fills the heart and fades away” this line takes me back to the time the Doctors would tell us ‘He’s getting better or responding to treatment’ then sometime later the tragic news of death.


Well that’s all I can think of now, maybe in a few days I’ll come up with more and add to the list.
An honorable mention:
1. One – Metallica
2. Lucille – Kenny Rogers
3. Walk – Gary Barlow and almost all of Korn’s songs.