Friday, April 18, 2008

Saddest Songs Ever

For this week's Galesburg Register Mail "Rating Game" feature, we were asked to list our three "saddest songs ever." Here are my picks, which include one awesome blues tune from B.B. King and a true "blue" song from John Prine:

"There Must Be A Better World Somewhere", B.B. King
This song blends heat-wrenching sadness with just a hint of tragic optimism. While the lyrics are sad in and of themselves, the gut punch of this song comes from the interplay of the wailing saxophones and B.B. King's crying guitar.

"Hallelujah", Jeff Buckley
Buckley's cover of this Leonard Cohen song weaves an emotional tapestry of inner sorrow and confusion, at once both tragic and beautiful. The enigmatic lyrics blend flawlessly with his ethereal singing voice to create an unforgettable emotion experience for the listener.

"Angel From Montgomery", John Prine
The emotional power of these lyrics almost commands you to toss back a shot of hard liquor and to cry quietly in your beer. This masterpiece of lonely sorrow, also covered by Bonnie Raitt, paints a picture of a desperately broken life in sparse, powerful prose.

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