h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Music is well known for stirring emotions. This is a list from the BBC of likely pieces, featuring in the proms this year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5zcck0GfhqLKgvC5GZlzsx0/10-pieces-to-make-you-cry

Whilst all of those are great works with powerful themes, that do stir emotion, none of them bring me close to tears.
Any music that moves you to weep?

Here's "A love that will never grow old," sung by Emmylou Harris on the soundtrack of "Brokeback Mountain"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l_uDCNf0VE

In Loving Memory by Alterbridge

That's a great song .

Here's "Ramblin boy" by Tom Paxton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHXOWAsNeJU

I see your point, Teasswill. I've never cried at any of the selections in the link you gave. Probably I've heard them too many times to feel anything.

Ballads about lost loves or lost friends can make you choke up, though. "Streets of Laredo" doesn't get performed much these days, but it's a pretty good tearjerker. Even "But not for me," a show tune by Gershwin, can get to me when sung by Kyri (sp?) Te Kanawha or Carol Burnett.


I can't find you a link to the first, but here's Carol Burnett:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGfcACcDHoA

Do you think it's the song itself or an association with it?
I will cry at music eg at a funeral or thinking about an event associated to a piece of music. Otherwise I can easily get that swelling in the chest feeling with beautiful, emotive music but am not moved to tears.

Oh and music in films or even Tv drama where there's a sad moment.

"Abide with me" is a traditional hymn sung at funerals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deJDkU6qiGE

I've thought of one that does tend to make me well up, but really it's the words, a poem set to music.

Jeremy Lloyd 'My best friend' (from the Captain Beaky album). Not on YouTube alas.

I am singing Vivaldi's "Gloria" with a choir at the moment. There is one bit that always used to make me well up when I last sang it in 2004, and as I was listening to it again yesterday, I had the same feeling at the same place. I don't think it's because of the words.

Singing Bach, too, there are sometimes bits I can't get out because I am welling up.

When listening, it's more the romantic stuff that makes me go for the Kleenex, but it depends entirely on the circumstances. Strings rather than brass or woodwind.

When you say "music to make you cry" I assume that excludes pop songs and chansons because in those cases it's more likely the lyrics I am reacting to than the music.

"Everything I Own", by Bread. Written after the guy's father died. You might think it syrupy and schmaltzy beyond belief. I'm welling up even thinking about it.

I mentioned this in the Kate Bush entry, A3502568 .

"This Woman's Work" chokes me up every time.


I'll add to that now, my favorite atheist Christmas song, by Tim Minchin, "White Wine in the Sun". Here's the animated version.

http://youtu.be/vWQuDtxD2-c


It's the part where his daughter, in the future, returns home to family.

I don't think there's anyone in the Northern or the Southern hemisphere who doesn't well up at that song. I hadn't seen that animation before - what got me were the details :Morecombe and Wise on the telly and Tim in the future wearing glasses!

this one for me: Albinoni's Adagio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eLU5W1vc8Y

(for the lazy Ridley folk)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eLU5W1vc8Y

'White win in the sun" is a really beautiful song.

Remo Giazotto is thought to have composed all or part of the Albinoni adagio. We'll never know ow much of it was really by Albinoni. But it's a lovely piece of music. And, yes, debate about it will probably continue for the indefinite future.

For me it's a very specific one - I love melancholy music ( to those who think Radiohead and REM are 'depressing') - but rarely do I actually cry.

But years ago in the early 2000s, despite being a huge rock fan, I had no Thin Lizzie in my collection. My brother had fixed this by getting me their Jalibreak album.

I hadn't yet listened to it but upon getting ditched by my then girlfriend I put it on whilst in the dark place that I was in at the time and the song 'Running Back' just hit a major nerve. It's all about that sort of thing.

I still can't listen to it without it really hitting that nerve. Beautiful as it is, and being in a much better place these days. Music really is amazing for getting at the soul isn't it.

And for triggering memories.

Speaking of memories,. here's a song that doesn't actually make me cry, but I get melancholic listening to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxRpq_6kjg8

That is pretty sad but if you want a real tear jerker:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIdIqbv7SPo