What is it with us and trains+tragedy?! How funny that was the first lyric in the post... I love this post because I reckon I listen to sad songs about 95% of the time, even when I'm not sad. But definitely they have a cathartic effect too. Especially when belted out at the top of your lungs, as you say. Plus for all the other reasons you list.
The other day I was singing to myself, without realising, a bit of Billy Bragg (obvs): 'Like a pale moon in a sunny sky, death gazes down as I walk by', and R looked at me like 'can you just stop', but, as well as sad, it's also beautiful...
I'm sorry I don't have any film suggestions, but I am sending you the hugest hug and all of my love ❤️
I hadn’t even noticed the train-tragedy link! I think I prefer a sad song, they can be really moving at all times and definitely cathartic as you say! Loving how R just gives you a knowing look! Maeve ignores me. K too. 😂
Song lyrics stab me in the heart and release all the pent up shit, especially when accompanied by just the right melody - lots of minor keys will get me bawling like a baby.
The melody changes from a major key to a minor key as she’s describing it.
Your skin might go goosey when that happens too (mine really does!). So many love songs and lost love songs use this feature - it makes it sound mournful.
Which is why I love the Jascha Heifetz classical music I referred to. Full of minor key moments.
For songs I would say Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen and Black - Pearl Jam. Songs don’t usually make me cry though. Movies - wow - Green Mile slayed me, both the book and the movie! Dead Poets Society is a must. Pan’s Labyrinth (although I could never re-watch it), Moulin Rouge, Stand By Me, Steel Magnolias. I prefer laughter through tears (quote from the last movie) and also feel-good crying. Tell me what you end up watching!! I’ve seen all the movies in your list but Marley & Me. Hard pass on animal grief. Enjoy - in a weird kinda way! 💕
Isn’t it interesting how songs don’t do it for you? My go to is jump in the car, skip the playlist and cry-scream-sing through the ones that I bawl to. Green Mile — ughhhhh that needs a rewatch!!! I haven’t watched Dead Poets’ Society (I don’t think) so I’m adding that to my must try list. The others didn’t do it for me. I also only very rarely watch comedy. Last night I watched the start of a CIA documentary about Bin Laden (no tears, as I forgot I had a zoom!). I will let you know my next find. Thank you for sharing yours!!
Unnnffff... "You Got the Love" is such is tuuuuuune! It comes in all bassliney then that voice! That bloody voice! Even thinking about it makes the hairs stand up on my arms. I mean... Bloody hell.... *That. Voice!*
I love a big walloper of a ballad. Gene Pitney duetting with Marc Almond on "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heatt" - jeepers! Absolutely loads of Dusty Springfield (her cover of "Ne Me Quitte Pas"...) and Shirley Bassey (strangely, a more recent track - "The Girl From Tiger Bay", which she recorded with the Manics). Frank Sinatra singing "It Was a Very Good Year" (used to fantastic effect in The Sopranos).
Hymns as well.... "How Great Thou Art", "In Heavenly Love Abiding", "Guide Me, Oh, Thou Great Redeemer"... They send shivers through me. There's something sad about them but uplifting, too, somehow. And bearing in mind how many powerful soul voices started off in gospel choirs... Well... Sing out your soul.
It’s interesting you mention hymns as You Got The Love is obvs Godly and Sounds of Blackness are a gospel choir too. I’m not religious, but the power in that faith is quite powerful and very moving.
I think it speaks to something inside all of us, it just depends if we attribute it to faith or not. I have an atheist friend who likes visiting churches. We talked about the way those buildings make us feel, and it's pretty much the same feeling, but I see it through *my* spectacles and she sees it through*hers!*
It’s so true. I wrote about the God word almost stopping me sticking with AA. Then I began to think about my ‘higher power’ as my grandad. Another dead bloke in the clouds. I needed a workaround but something that would offer me comfort. I did envy those with religious faith how they could really dive in and do that ‘handing over’ business while I resisted.
What is it with us and trains+tragedy?! How funny that was the first lyric in the post... I love this post because I reckon I listen to sad songs about 95% of the time, even when I'm not sad. But definitely they have a cathartic effect too. Especially when belted out at the top of your lungs, as you say. Plus for all the other reasons you list.
The other day I was singing to myself, without realising, a bit of Billy Bragg (obvs): 'Like a pale moon in a sunny sky, death gazes down as I walk by', and R looked at me like 'can you just stop', but, as well as sad, it's also beautiful...
I'm sorry I don't have any film suggestions, but I am sending you the hugest hug and all of my love ❤️
I hadn’t even noticed the train-tragedy link! I think I prefer a sad song, they can be really moving at all times and definitely cathartic as you say! Loving how R just gives you a knowing look! Maeve ignores me. K too. 😂
Menos mal that we have each other then! 🥰
Zackly. Bloody ingrates. I’ll leave you a song note later 🥴
An actual singing song note?!
Yes. Didn’t I sing one before?
Maybe I blocked it? 😝
Song lyrics stab me in the heart and release all the pent up shit, especially when accompanied by just the right melody - lots of minor keys will get me bawling like a baby.
No idea what a minor key is, but enthusiastic nodding from me!! 🙂↕️😂
Listen to this classic, focus on the lyrics where she sings ‘there’s no love song finer, but how strange the change, from major to minor’
https://youtu.be/RrzjkaNZOPQ?si=Pno6LdyN_njpQxug
The melody changes from a major key to a minor key as she’s describing it.
Your skin might go goosey when that happens too (mine really does!). So many love songs and lost love songs use this feature - it makes it sound mournful.
Which is why I love the Jascha Heifetz classical music I referred to. Full of minor key moments.
For songs I would say Hallelujah- Leonard Cohen and Black - Pearl Jam. Songs don’t usually make me cry though. Movies - wow - Green Mile slayed me, both the book and the movie! Dead Poets Society is a must. Pan’s Labyrinth (although I could never re-watch it), Moulin Rouge, Stand By Me, Steel Magnolias. I prefer laughter through tears (quote from the last movie) and also feel-good crying. Tell me what you end up watching!! I’ve seen all the movies in your list but Marley & Me. Hard pass on animal grief. Enjoy - in a weird kinda way! 💕
Isn’t it interesting how songs don’t do it for you? My go to is jump in the car, skip the playlist and cry-scream-sing through the ones that I bawl to. Green Mile — ughhhhh that needs a rewatch!!! I haven’t watched Dead Poets’ Society (I don’t think) so I’m adding that to my must try list. The others didn’t do it for me. I also only very rarely watch comedy. Last night I watched the start of a CIA documentary about Bin Laden (no tears, as I forgot I had a zoom!). I will let you know my next find. Thank you for sharing yours!!
Unnnffff... "You Got the Love" is such is tuuuuuune! It comes in all bassliney then that voice! That bloody voice! Even thinking about it makes the hairs stand up on my arms. I mean... Bloody hell.... *That. Voice!*
I love a big walloper of a ballad. Gene Pitney duetting with Marc Almond on "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heatt" - jeepers! Absolutely loads of Dusty Springfield (her cover of "Ne Me Quitte Pas"...) and Shirley Bassey (strangely, a more recent track - "The Girl From Tiger Bay", which she recorded with the Manics). Frank Sinatra singing "It Was a Very Good Year" (used to fantastic effect in The Sopranos).
Hymns as well.... "How Great Thou Art", "In Heavenly Love Abiding", "Guide Me, Oh, Thou Great Redeemer"... They send shivers through me. There's something sad about them but uplifting, too, somehow. And bearing in mind how many powerful soul voices started off in gospel choirs... Well... Sing out your soul.
It’s interesting you mention hymns as You Got The Love is obvs Godly and Sounds of Blackness are a gospel choir too. I’m not religious, but the power in that faith is quite powerful and very moving.
I think it speaks to something inside all of us, it just depends if we attribute it to faith or not. I have an atheist friend who likes visiting churches. We talked about the way those buildings make us feel, and it's pretty much the same feeling, but I see it through *my* spectacles and she sees it through*hers!*
It’s so true. I wrote about the God word almost stopping me sticking with AA. Then I began to think about my ‘higher power’ as my grandad. Another dead bloke in the clouds. I needed a workaround but something that would offer me comfort. I did envy those with religious faith how they could really dive in and do that ‘handing over’ business while I resisted.