"Zombie" makes me realise how much Dolores O'Riordan is missed. Her raw, powerful vocals really sell the song, and harkens back to the turbulent times of the Troubles in Ireland.
She was suppose to re-release that song with the band Bad Wolves and took her life the first day of recording. Bad wolves made it a tribute to her in the video. It's really good
On the subject of this song, randomly last night, I had the strangest desire to jam along to this song, because it’s a great song. So imagine my actual surprise when this video dropped, and the song “Zombie” by the Cranberries is in the title card! 😳 WHAT?!
My aunt took her own life in January 2018 and I had an extremely difficult time with it. I listened to Dreams by the Cranberries constantly for at least 3 months
Me too, a quick listen to the lyrics would show that the song has NOTHING to do with Halloween, and everything to do with the Troubles in Ireland, and the IRA.
I actually am one of those people who has done that but I’ve done it ironically because how people have suffered through the revolutions and going through all this turns them into zombies or at least want them to
They have that entry on another past video but I can't remember the title since I've watched so many of their Top 10 featuring other songs in the same categories
Jeremy deserves to be on here, but I will tell you although we know, a lot of people have no idea what that song is about. "bit the recess teacher's breast" was the strongest indication he was talking about a form of school incident of some sort. The video would shed more light if seen.
@@vinniemascaro6649 Part of the reason Pearl Jam pulled the video and don't make videos anymore is because MTV censoring the video led to misinterpretation of the song. They cut out the part where he puts the gun in his mouth, so people thought he was shooting other kids.
I'm surprised about that as well Though, after that song amongst the songs played at the memorial service for my eldest brother whom we'd lost to covid19 shortly after his 62nd birthday last month, I'll never be able to hear that song the same way ever again
I'm a little sad that they didn't include the fact that on January 15, 2018, Dolores O'Riordan was in a hotel, traveling on her way to reprise her vocals for the Zombie cover by Bad Wolves, but died due to accidental drowning in her hotel room bath, so Bad Wolves released the cover with their own vocals and donated the proceeds to her family. Truly, this song has so much tragedy surrounding it.
Completely agree. I assumed they would have said that too. I was heartbroken when I heard of her passing, but after hearing what Bad Wolves did with all the money they made just made my heart melt! I wish we could have been able to hear Dolores and bad wolves collaborate on zombie!!
My grandfather fought in the 1916 Black Sunday Easter uprising in Ireland and had to flee to America with a price on his head and unfortunately never got to go home. He lived long enough to hear Zombie and had to excuse himself before he broke down, he later said it reminded him of too many friends who were waiting for him.
Your grandfather fought in the 1916 rising. I've never heard it called Black Sunday... It would be odd if it was because it happened over the space of a week starting on a Monday and ending on a Saturday. You might be thinking of Bloody Sunday, there were 4 of those but none in 1916. Zombie as a song was actually about an IRA terrorist attack in Warrington in the mid 90s.
@@amandadublin3129 In any case the whole thing is a bloody mess. I understand what the IRA was trying to do but I can't agree with how they did it. I guess I mostly just feel uncomfortable about calling the terrorists because of how comparatively longer it took for the UDA to be officially declared terrorists - I know their death toll was only half of the IRA's death toll but like the IRA the majority of their casualties were civilians. Also possibly because of this story my parents told me of an English friend of theirs who'd only ever heard "the f****** IRA are responsible for everything" until he went to America and only then heard the other side of the story, ie why they were angry with the English. Like I said though, even if I understand the aim of the IRA (at least from when it started) I can't and don't ever want to be able to justify what they did, even though I'm also never going to deny that what the English did to the Irish and many other countries for centuries was just as monstrous.
Nothing will ever beat 'Tears in Heaven' for me. "Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven?" Means Eric wanted to kill himself asking if he'll be recognized by his son. And continues "I must be strong". "Cause I know I dont belong here in heaven" he says that cause he knows he wasnt a good father. In fact the only day he spent with his son was also the last.
I would add “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday, “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor, “For Martha” by The Smashing Pumpkins, and “In The Land” by Nicole Dollanganger
Yes, "Strange Fruit" was about blacks being hang from trees during the lynching periods in our American history that some people (with fragile egos) want it erased from our history books because they hate CRT. smh
"Supermarket Flowers" really helped my this past year, I call it my crying exercise song. At the end on Jan 2021 I lost both my Parents to Covid-19 and didn't feel good after that and one day I found this song on Spotify and ever since then when I listen to the song I have a good cry 😢 and then I feel better. As the saying goes "crying is the best medicine 💊". I just wish I could thank ed for sharing the song.
My son passed away shortly after birth. For years every time I heard “Tears In Heaven” I would excuse myself to go outside. Everyone knew why and would just come out to tell me when it was over.
I can't listen to chely wright's The River. My senior year in high school one of my friends died in a car wreck and they buried her in her softball uniform. It still makes me cry after 20 years. If I die young gets me too!
Elizabeth on the bathroom floor is truly heartbreaking, shattering to the core. This poor woman’s life was filled with pain and torment, death may not be gentle but at least it gave her solace and she is no longer suffering ❤️ rip you beautiful soul
"Tears in Heaven" makes me cry every time that I hear it. It's heartbreaking that it's based on the death of Eric Clapton's son, and the grief that he was working through. 😭💔
Tears in Heaven was not based on his sons death. In a 1992 interview with Sue Lawley Clapton stated that Tears in Heaven was written for a movie and could be taken as being about his son.
That was one of the most powerful loss songs I ever heard. More so due to HOW he died. He fell out a window when a nanny wasn't paying attention. The thoughts he must have had of regretting having someone else watch your son.. he thinks what if I was there... etc. Very rough time for him.
Supermarket flowers came out just after my own mum passed, hearing that daily on the work playlist hurt hard for a long time, but it was a beautiful song
I also cry.When that song was released,one of my employees had to bury their toddler and that song was played in the church. I think of the sweet little boy with the biggest blue eyes and the contagious laugh laying in the smallest coffin I have ever seen. It is a hard thing to see . Yes, Eric Clapton did write that for his deceased son.
Family Portrait is one of those songs, while I like it as a song, I just can't listen to it, because I just lose it. (It hits too close.) There's a number of songs like that - prolly the worst (not in the sense of quality but in the sense that I just can't keep my composure when it comes on) is "Concrete Angel" by Martina McBride.
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"The Way" by Fastball is a very upbeat song about a very sad occurence. Is inspired by a real life story about an old-age couple, with deteriorating mental conditions, that went on to drive to a festival they used to go every year. They've disappeared and were found dead, having driven off a cliff.
I think that story is what makes me like that song even more. Plus the chorus shifts to a major key which makes it sound happier than the mysterious verses in a minor key. You can picture the couple as being young and driving on the highway with the top down and the sun shining.
"Ronan" by Taylor Swift is about a 4 year old boy who died of cancer. "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day is about the death of lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong's father. 40+ years after the death and 15+ years after the release of the song, he still tears up while singing it. "Soon You'll Get Better" by Taylor Swift is about her mother's battle with cancer. "Inside the Fire" by Disturbed is about the lead singer, after he saw his girlfriend had committed suicide, he felt like the devil was tempting him telling him that he'll see her again if he kills himself too
"Help Me Through the Night" by Joe Walsh featuring the Eagles. Is it from his 1974 solo album "So What," and features Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner of the Eagles on harmony vocals. The song is about coping with the death of his 3-year-old daughter, Emma, one week before her fourth birthday, when a drunk driver hit the car she and her mother were in. Though the album has a song specifically about Emma's death (Song for Emma), I think "Help Me Through the Night" is probably the hardest to listen to, without getting emotional. Joe and the Eagles also performed the song on the "Hell Freezes Over" televised concert, though that version wasn't released on the subsequent album. Emma's death also inspired Stevie Nicks to write "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" after visiting Emma's grave with Walsh.
Completely agree! I don’t think Joe Walsh gets the credit he deserves for his lyrics. Sure he has a lot of goofy songs but when he goes deep, you feel it like nothing else.
"Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday. The song has haunted me ever since I heard it. Another is "He's My Son" by Mark Schulz, told from the point of view of a father in Mark's church whose young son had cancer.
I discovered Zombie’s true meaning while listening to PMJ’s version of it, which is sung with pain, sadness, and emotion, and I was able to really hear the lyrics. I then looked up the story of the song and was brought to tears
I can remember me crying like a baby while watching 'The fault in our stars🌟' when Supermarket flowers was played in the background. I still get really emotional. It's good to know the back story of the song. I love Ed Sheeran, such an amazing human being.❤️🌟💯
Oh God. I pushed this song out of my mind. Then I read your comment. Gotta go listen to it again. And of course regret it immediately. But thank you for reminding me of it. RIP to those girls.
I’m surprised not even an honorable mention list was created. A that would have been perfect for this list is, “Before You Go”, by Lewis Capaldi. The song is about his aunt committing suicide when he was 5 or 6yr old. The lyrics are from his mom’s perspective such a beautifully heartbreaking song.
When I heard supermarket flowers for the first time, I had just lost someone to suicide. And let me tell you, nothing hit harder than “when god takes you back he’ll say hallelujah, your home”.
I don't know why but Supermarket Flowers always seems to make me cry whenever I listen to this song. This is no doubt the most emotional song Ed Sheeran has ever made. 🥺💔
Agreed. To me it ties with Tears in Heaven with one of the saddest songs ever made. Although Fee Fi Fo (Also from the Cranberries) and the Wreck of the Edmund FItzgerald are also strong contenders.
ZOMBIE! We will always remember you Dolores. Although I wasn't born when The Troubles happened it always it's me deep. I love history and love 50's through 90's music.
@@l.salisbury1253it’s based on a horrific case of a 14 year old girl who was kidnapped rapped and tortured thankfully she escaped the man who kidnapped her and he was arrested
All My Love by Led Zeppelin from In Through The Out Door is pretty sad. The lyrics were inspired by the death of Robert Plant’s son Karac when he was just five while the band was on tour in 1977.
Most surprised by the backstory of "Save the Last Dance for Me.' Always though of that song as a happy song. Did not know it had a bittersweet meaning.
For Volume 2 include: GORDON LIGHTFOOT -"wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976) LED ZEPPELIN -"all of my love" (79) KISS - "Detroit Rock City" (76) AC/DC- "have a drink on me" (80) PATTI SMITH -the full "Gone Again" album (96) TYPE O NEGATIVE- "everyone I love is dead" & "everything dies" (99) JOY DIVISION- "love will tear us apart" (80) KINGSTON TRIO - "Tom Dooley" (58) traditional - "Omie Wise" BILLIE HOLIDAY- "gloomy Sunday" (aka Hungarian Death Song)
The song Tears in heaven is so difficult to listen to. I heard it once. That's enough for me. I cried so much. It makes me so sad. It's so painful. This and Daddy by Korn, are songs I can't listen to anymore. Once is enough.
Any of them that has to do with the Death of a family member is automatically going to top the list, but Zombie, and the Troubles in Ireland 🇮🇪 will always be the top one, and ESPECIALLY because of the Extremely surprising death of Delores just really hits me in the Feels! Also the way that Dolores O'Riordan lament’s for the dead with the traditional Irish Keening that really makes the song what it is
The tragic thing about Zombie is the lead singer was supposed to help the group “Bad Wolves” but she died LITERALLY THE DAY WERE SUPPOSED TO RECORD HER VOCALS!💔😭 Also that cover is AMAZING!
@@cassandraspoelhof3752 so good! I'm a huge fan of great covers.... Seasons After "Cry little sister" Disturbed "Sounds of Silence" are 2 of my other favorites
I would add "Wherever you will go" by The Calling it was based on a real life story where an older man before he passed away he sent a love letter to his wife saying wherever she will go he'll always be there for her. This haunting letter is what inspired the hit song.
Some extremely very tragic life experiences...from these very loved singers, may God Bless them.. These songs usually come from the deepest part of your soul, or a loved friend.... and songs like these were so famous....some of the tragic I had heard about, others I didn't. Ty for this information...brings these songs to a whole new meaning for me.
Hold on by Chord Overstreet - totally heartbreaking if you knew the backstory of that tune. Written By Chord after the tragic death of Cory Monteith and it was also about a former girlfriend.
How about "Hello" by Evanescence? It was written from the perspective of a child (Amy Lee age 6) who lost their younger sibling. The song is beautiful and heartbreaking.
I’ve had been listening to the band called the Bad Wolves’ cover of Zombie. Originally they had planned to have the lead singer of The Cranberries join them. It’s so sad that she has passed away before being able to do this collaboration. I honestly do believe that the Bad Wolves’ cover did justice to the original version. Dolores O’Riordan would have been so pleased with the cover of that this band created. Also I would really like to see a part 2 to this list because there’s so many songs that aren’t even mentioned on here that have sad backstories. Take note MsMojo.
As spaniard i say as an example of song with tragic backstory, Jueves of La Oreja de Van Gogh, it is about the diary of a girl who died in 11m terrorist attack in Atocha, it talks about her love with a boy who was going also on the train.
Who’s to say which song is number 1… number one is the song that speaks to you on a personal level, and that isn’t the same for everybody. It seems there are so many other songs with sad backgrounds (many, like Zombie, very much misunderstood and/or misinterpreted), that are worthy of mention. So perhaps make a part 2? You already have many great suggestions, here are a few more: Deadman’s Curve, Jan & Dean. Last kiss, Wayne Cochran. Paint it black, The Rolling Stones. American Pie, Don McLean. Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot.
‘Two of us’ by Louis Tomlinson should have an honorable mention. It’s about his mom who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 42. Two weeks after the song was released, Louis’ 18 year old sister suffered a cardiac arrest and past away as well.
Prior- I'll be shocked if Tears in Heaven isn't on this list. After- Okay I can see why that song got picked, but I still think Tears in Heaven was the better song, personally. Other songs I'd pick- Concrete Angels by Martina McBride and Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning by Alan Jackson. OH! Also Runaway Train and The Dance. And I just remembered another one- This is Your Time by Michael W. Smith which is about the Columbine School Shooting when one of the victims was asked by a shooter if she believed in God and she said, "Yes" right before getting shot.
Psst, the whole thing about the girl saying she was asked if she believed in Jesus and was shot for saying yes? Was a lie. The whole story was made up for Christian grifters to profit off of.
@@Caterfree10 It pisses me off that the families of Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall have sold the life stories of their daughters to movie producers and publishing agencies to make a quick buck.
I’m surprised “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men isn’t on this list. Mariah wrote the song after her friend and past collaborator David Cole passed away. It was also inspired by people in her life who suffered from the very prevalent AIDS epidemic through the mid 90’s. It’s an incredibly beautiful and precious song🤍🤍
The guys from Boyz II Men also were grieving a loss (I can't remember the details), and the two songs wound up merging together into the song we know now. David Cole was one half of the production duo Cole+Clivillés, as in C+C Music Factory.
They didn't include the backstory of FM Static's song : Tonight. The original composer dedicated the song to his fiance who died during the terrorist bombing of paris between 1985-86.
‘Disarm’ by Smashing Pumpkins always makes me very sad. I’ll never understand child abuse, neglect or how parents can mistrust their children. Also, ‘Sometimes it Snows in April’ by Prince is so heartbreaking to me. Just thinking of the young dying, the weight of grief, and battling depression. Thank God we have wonderful artists who speak about the reality of live, loss and grief in their songs!
Fiddler's Green by the Tragically Hip - Written about the death of Gord Downies nephew from a congenital heart defect, they refused to play it live for several years because it was too emotional.
R.I.P. Dolores O'Riordan by the time I heard Zombies I only had few years to enjoy the Cranberries before she'd leave us & I wish she had gotten to record the collab with Bad Wolves on what ended up bein the day she died.
I was on the verge of tears since the first song. Then the last one came on. I thought “Tears in Heaven” was sad, but “Circus”? Imagine losing a child the way Eric Clapton did and then writing TWO songs about it. So tragic.
A great song that could of been on this list; Art of Life by X Japan. It’s a beautiful, dramatic song about the bands leader, drummer and composer Yoshiki, talking about his struggles with his health both physically and emotionally, his thoughts of his fathers suicide. It’s tragic and gorgeous
On a personal note, my mom died while i had lou reed's _goodnight ladies_ playing. But, then, she always did have pretty damn good taste and timing... so i can't complain.
There's much better than Ed Sheeran and others here. Pearl Jam- Alive. Green Day- wake me up when September ends. Since your including songs written about others, you can always include White Lion- When the children cry. Elton John- Candle in the Wind
Stevie Nicks wrote Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You after Eric Clapton took her to visit his son's grave. It was featured in American Horror Story Coven. You should check it out.
Sorry it was for Joe Walsh after he took her to a drinking fountain in a park in Colorado dedicated to his daughter who was killed by a car when she was 4
"Supermarket Flowers," has to be one song that chokes me up everytime. I heard it the 1st time after my MIL died. This lady was such an amazing, kind, beautiful woman and ot was like he wrote the song for her. We played it at her memorial service and everyone agreed this song was the epitome of mom.
OMG I always thought of Save the last dance for me as one of the happiest, most light-spirited love songs ever, and this sad back story makes me love it even more! Another story is behind a song from Tiziano Ferro, an italian singer and songwriter who is famous, I think, in USA as well. He wrote his song "Per dirti ciao" (To tell you goodbye) based on a letter he got from a fan who had lost her husband/partner to an illness, and had begged him to turn her pain and mourning process into a song for everyone to relate to, which he did in a splendid way.
I always cry my eyes out whenever I hear Zombie. Tears in Heaven as well as Circus are two more songs that jerk that tear muscle. BTW I hate when cover bands think that Zombie is not what it is and think its a Halloween song.
Tori Amos has at least a couple of songs with heartbreaking backstories. "Me and a Gun" about being sexually assaulted while threatened with a gun early on in her career. And two songs about her miscarriage (years later), "Playboy Mommy" and "Spark".
Good Die Young by D12. While it primarily focuses on the loss of one of their members before they were about to see their first big break, it also details the loss of other friends at such early ages.
to those who say Zombie brings up the thought of losing Delores.... I am just curious why ZOMBIE would do this and not LINGER, which is more suited as a powerful song to remember her by. Zombie was great, but Linger had its own identity.
For me its also " sometimes you cant make it on your on" by u2. The lead singer wrote it for his dad after he passed away i believe they hadnt spoken in years.
"Zombie" makes me realise how much Dolores O'Riordan is missed. Her raw, powerful vocals really sell the song, and harkens back to the turbulent times of the Troubles in Ireland.
She was suppose to re-release that song with the band Bad Wolves and took her life the first day of recording. Bad wolves made it a tribute to her in the video. It's really good
On the subject of this song, randomly last night, I had the strangest desire to jam along to this song, because it’s a great song. So imagine my actual surprise when this video dropped, and the song “Zombie” by the Cranberries is in the title card! 😳 WHAT?!
@@leighmartin1486 I work at a Dog Daycare and play the Bad Wolves cover to the Dogs I work with all the time. Such a great song
My aunt took her own life in January 2018 and I had an extremely difficult time with it. I listened to Dreams by the Cranberries constantly for at least 3 months
RIP Delores O Riodan.
People putting "Zombie" on Halloween playlists just because of its title has bothered me for years. Does no one listen to the lyrics?!
Me too, a quick listen to the lyrics would show that the song has NOTHING to do with Halloween, and everything to do with the Troubles in Ireland, and the IRA.
Same here as an Irish person
I actually am one of those people who has done that but I’ve done it ironically because how people have suffered through the revolutions and going through all this turns them into zombies or at least want them to
I put the original on my February playlist and the Bad Wolves cover on my October one.
Yup when it appears on film soundtracks it drives me nuts they never use it right in my opinion
I would give "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam which is about a teen who killed himself in front of his classmates an honorable mention at least.
They have that entry on another past video but I can't remember the title since I've watched so many of their Top 10 featuring other songs in the same categories
Jeremy deserves to be on here, but I will tell you although we know, a lot of people have no idea what that song is about. "bit the recess teacher's breast" was the strongest indication he was talking about a form of school incident of some sort. The video would shed more light if seen.
@@vinniemascaro6649 The mom sued Eddie Veder
@@vinniemascaro6649 Part of the reason Pearl Jam pulled the video and don't make videos anymore is because MTV censoring the video led to misinterpretation of the song. They cut out the part where he puts the gun in his mouth, so people thought he was shooting other kids.
Or Polly by Nirvana. It's actually about a child who was kidnapped, rapped, and tortured after leaving a concert.
I’m honestly surprised “Wake Me Up When September Ends” isn’t on this list. It’s such a heartbreaking song.
I'm surprised about that as well
Though, after that song amongst the songs played at the memorial service for my eldest brother whom we'd lost to covid19 shortly after his 62nd birthday last month, I'll never be able to hear that song the same way ever again
@@karlsmith2570 I thought the same thing.
I thought the same thing.
They have done a similar list to this before and it was on that one i believe.
Right? We gotta remind dumbshits on social media not to bother Green Day on every October 1 bc people never remember the song’s history.
I'm a little sad that they didn't include the fact that on January 15, 2018, Dolores O'Riordan was in a hotel, traveling on her way to reprise her vocals for the Zombie cover by Bad Wolves, but died due to accidental drowning in her hotel room bath, so Bad Wolves released the cover with their own vocals and donated the proceeds to her family. Truly, this song has so much tragedy surrounding it.
Bad Wolves did it GREAT justice.... brings tears to my eyes from not only the song, but how well they did it.... in her memory and honor. So good.
Completely agree. I assumed they would have said that too. I was heartbroken when I heard of her passing, but after hearing what Bad Wolves did with all the money they made just made my heart melt! I wish we could have been able to hear Dolores and bad wolves collaborate on zombie!!
Did not know that... interesting.
That's so sad.
Oh wow I thought she committed suïcide,didn’t know it was an accident. Whatever the cause,what a great loss.
My grandfather fought in the 1916 Black Sunday Easter uprising in Ireland and had to flee to America with a price on his head and unfortunately never got to go home. He lived long enough to hear Zombie and had to excuse himself before he broke down, he later said it reminded him of too many friends who were waiting for him.
Your grandfather fought in the 1916 rising.
I've never heard it called Black Sunday... It would be odd if it was because it happened over the space of a week starting on a Monday and ending on a Saturday.
You might be thinking of Bloody Sunday, there were 4 of those but none in 1916.
Zombie as a song was actually about an IRA terrorist attack in Warrington in the mid 90s.
Your story is heart wrenching.
@@amandadublin3129 In any case the whole thing is a bloody mess. I understand what the IRA was trying to do but I can't agree with how they did it. I guess I mostly just feel uncomfortable about calling the terrorists because of how comparatively longer it took for the UDA to be officially declared terrorists - I know their death toll was only half of the IRA's death toll but like the IRA the majority of their casualties were civilians. Also possibly because of this story my parents told me of an English friend of theirs who'd only ever heard "the f****** IRA are responsible for everything" until he went to America and only then heard the other side of the story, ie why they were angry with the English. Like I said though, even if I understand the aim of the IRA (at least from when it started) I can't and don't ever want to be able to justify what they did, even though I'm also never going to deny that what the English did to the Irish and many other countries for centuries was just as monstrous.
Nothing will ever beat 'Tears in Heaven' for me. "Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven?" Means Eric wanted to kill himself asking if he'll be recognized by his son. And continues "I must be strong". "Cause I know I dont belong here in heaven" he says that cause he knows he wasnt a good father. In fact the only day he spent with his son was also the last.
It's so heartbreaking, and every parent's worst nightmare: Something horrible happening to their child.
@@trinaq agreed, no parent should outlive their children
No this song was written for a movie and could be taken to be about his son.
@@chillipop1113 I really hope your just making a bad joke
And how tragic his son death was!!! Falling to his death!!!
I would add “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday, “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor, “For Martha” by The Smashing Pumpkins, and “In The Land” by Nicole Dollanganger
Fire and Rain definitely for the back story- Taylor’s former girlfriend took
Her own life 😢
Seconded for "Strange Fruit," given both the lyrics and the tragedy of Billie Holiday's life.
Yes, "Strange Fruit" was about blacks being hang from trees during the lynching periods in our American history that some people (with fragile egos) want it erased from our history books because they hate CRT. smh
@@TheTedterrific I actúally stayed at the place he wrote it
"Supermarket Flowers" really helped my this past year, I call it my crying exercise song. At the end on Jan 2021 I lost both my Parents to Covid-19 and didn't feel good after that and one day I found this song on Spotify and ever since then when I listen to the song I have a good cry 😢 and then I feel better. As the saying goes "crying is the best medicine 💊".
I just wish I could thank ed for sharing the song.
💔❤
I am so sorry for your losses.
💔💔
❤️
My condolences, I'm so sorry for both of your losses! 💔😭
My son passed away shortly after birth. For years every time I heard “Tears In Heaven” I would excuse myself to go outside. Everyone knew why and would just come out to tell me when it was over.
You r my sunshine does it to me. Can’t listen to it
I can't listen to chely wright's The River. My senior year in high school one of my friends died in a car wreck and they buried her in her softball uniform. It still makes me cry after 20 years. If I die young gets me too!
Elizabeth on the bathroom floor is truly heartbreaking, shattering to the core. This poor woman’s life was filled with pain and torment, death may not be gentle but at least it gave her solace and she is no longer suffering ❤️ rip you beautiful soul
"Tears in Heaven" makes me cry every time that I hear it. It's heartbreaking that it's based on the death of Eric Clapton's son, and the grief that he was working through. 😭💔
Tears in Heaven was not based on his sons death. In a 1992 interview with Sue Lawley Clapton stated that Tears in Heaven was written for a movie and could be taken as being about his son.
That was one of the most powerful loss songs I ever heard. More so due to HOW he died. He fell out a window when a nanny wasn't paying attention. The thoughts he must have had of regretting having someone else watch your son.. he thinks what if I was there... etc. Very rough time for him.
Supermarket flowers came out just after my own mum passed, hearing that daily on the work playlist hurt hard for a long time, but it was a beautiful song
I also cry.When that song was released,one of my employees had to bury their toddler and that song was played in the church. I think of the sweet little boy with the biggest blue eyes and the contagious laugh laying in the smallest coffin I have ever seen. It is a hard thing to see . Yes, Eric Clapton did write that for his deceased son.
Honorable mentions:
- Hurt by Christina Aguilera
- Cleaning out my Closet by Eminem
- Family Portrait by P!nk
Cleaning out my closet made me want to hug little boy Eminem.
Family Portrait is one of those songs, while I like it as a song, I just can't listen to it, because I just lose it. (It hits too close.) There's a number of songs like that - prolly the worst (not in the sense of quality but in the sense that I just can't keep my composure when it comes on) is "Concrete Angel" by Martina McBride.
"The Way" by Fastball is a very upbeat song about a very sad occurence. Is inspired by a real life story about an old-age couple, with deteriorating mental conditions, that went on to drive to a festival they used to go every year. They've disappeared and were found dead, having driven off a cliff.
Omg, I love that song and had no idea... 🥺
Really! I haven't listened to it in a long time, I'll need to listen to it again
I think that story is what makes me like that song even more. Plus the chorus shifts to a major key which makes it sound happier than the mysterious verses in a minor key. You can picture the couple as being young and driving on the highway with the top down and the sun shining.
Ughh ❤❤
Drops of Jupiter by Train is about what Pat imagined his mom was doing after she passed
Awww I didn't know that!
"Ronan" by Taylor Swift is about a 4 year old boy who died of cancer.
"Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day is about the death of lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong's father. 40+ years after the death and 15+ years after the release of the song, he still tears up while singing it.
"Soon You'll Get Better" by Taylor Swift is about her mother's battle with cancer.
"Inside the Fire" by Disturbed is about the lead singer, after he saw his girlfriend had committed suicide, he felt like the devil was tempting him telling him that he'll see her again if he kills himself too
I love the song Zombie, its such a good haunting song and Dolores' voice was soo good and powerful
"Help Me Through the Night" by Joe Walsh featuring the Eagles. Is it from his 1974 solo album "So What," and features Don Henley, Glenn Frey and Randy Meisner of the Eagles on harmony vocals. The song is about coping with the death of his 3-year-old daughter, Emma, one week before her fourth birthday, when a drunk driver hit the car she and her mother were in. Though the album has a song specifically about Emma's death (Song for Emma), I think "Help Me Through the Night" is probably the hardest to listen to, without getting emotional. Joe and the Eagles also performed the song on the "Hell Freezes Over" televised concert, though that version wasn't released on the subsequent album. Emma's death also inspired Stevie Nicks to write "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You" after visiting Emma's grave with Walsh.
Completely agree! I don’t think Joe Walsh gets the credit he deserves for his lyrics. Sure he has a lot of goofy songs but when he goes deep, you feel it like nothing else.
"Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday. The song has haunted me ever since I heard it. Another is "He's My Son" by Mark Schulz, told from the point of view of a father in Mark's church whose young son had cancer.
"Sad Songs say so much"
Elton John 🎹🎼
They really do, so many of Elton's songs make me weep uncontrollably, especially "Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word."
I discovered Zombie’s true meaning while listening to PMJ’s version of it, which is sung with pain, sadness, and emotion, and I was able to really hear the lyrics. I then looked up the story of the song and was brought to tears
That's awesome to hear..... im happy that you get it. RIP Dolores.....
I can remember me crying like a baby while watching 'The fault in our stars🌟' when Supermarket flowers was played in the background. I still get really emotional. It's good to know the back story of the song. I love Ed Sheeran, such an amazing human being.❤️🌟💯
Fault in..... such a great movie, hard to watch but I love it.
"hear you me " by jimmy eats world still makes me emotional to this day. RIP to those concert going girls 🥺
Oh God. I pushed this song out of my mind. Then I read your comment. Gotta go listen to it again. And of course regret it immediately. But thank you for reminding me of it. RIP to those girls.
Mind cluing me in on what yall talking about
Yeah, I haven't heard about this either, and I never listened that closely to the lyrics.
I’m surprised not even an honorable mention list was created. A that would have been perfect for this list is, “Before You Go”, by Lewis Capaldi. The song is about his aunt committing suicide when he was 5 or 6yr old. The lyrics are from his mom’s perspective such a beautifully heartbreaking song.
"Rise Above This" by Seether. Shaun Morgan wrote it to encourage his depressed brother, but the brother committed suicide before hearing it.
Thank you for sharing that
Thats so sad
Yes yes yes
When I heard supermarket flowers for the first time, I had just lost someone to suicide. And let me tell you, nothing hit harder than “when god takes you back he’ll say hallelujah, your home”.
I don't know why but Supermarket Flowers always seems to make me cry whenever I listen to this song. This is no doubt the most emotional song Ed Sheeran has ever made. 🥺💔
I was expecting billie holiday's version of strange fruit on the list too
Same
Omgawd, yes.
Same it should be number 1
That one is bone chilling. So sad!
Agreed. To me it ties with Tears in Heaven with one of the saddest songs ever made. Although Fee Fi Fo (Also from the Cranberries) and the Wreck of the Edmund FItzgerald are also strong contenders.
Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day
ZOMBIE! We will always remember you Dolores. Although I wasn't born when The Troubles happened it always it's me deep. I love history and love 50's through 90's music.
"Polly" by Nirvana's backstory breaks my heart every time.
Haven't heard this story. What is it?
@@l.salisbury1253 it's believed to be about Polly Klaas a young girl that was abducted and murdered by a monster.
@@l.salisbury1253it’s based on a horrific case of a 14 year old girl who was kidnapped rapped and tortured thankfully she escaped the man who kidnapped her and he was arrested
All My Love by Led Zeppelin from In Through The Out Door is pretty sad. The lyrics were inspired by the death of Robert Plant’s son Karac when he was just five while the band was on tour in 1977.
Candle in the wind by Elton John should be here, who agrees !?
"I Don't like Mondays" by the Boomtown Rats was based on a teenager's response when asked why she shot up a kindergarten class.
Most surprised by the backstory of "Save the Last Dance for Me.' Always though of that song as a happy song. Did not know it had a bittersweet meaning.
For Volume 2 include:
GORDON LIGHTFOOT -"wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976)
LED ZEPPELIN -"all of my love" (79)
KISS - "Detroit Rock City" (76)
AC/DC- "have a drink on me" (80)
PATTI SMITH -the full "Gone Again" album (96)
TYPE O NEGATIVE- "everyone I love is dead" & "everything dies" (99)
JOY DIVISION- "love will tear us apart" (80)
KINGSTON TRIO - "Tom Dooley" (58)
traditional - "Omie Wise"
BILLIE HOLIDAY- "gloomy Sunday" (aka Hungarian Death Song)
wait what is have a drink on me about
@@clubmunro9214 "Have a drink on me" is a tribute to Bon Scott... who drank himself to death!
The song Tears in heaven is so difficult to listen to. I heard it once. That's enough for me. I cried so much. It makes me so sad. It's so painful.
This and Daddy by Korn, are songs I can't listen to anymore. Once is enough.
Any of them that has to do with the Death of a family member is automatically going to top the list, but Zombie, and the Troubles in Ireland 🇮🇪 will always be the top one, and ESPECIALLY because of the Extremely surprising death of Delores just really hits me in the Feels! Also the way that Dolores O'Riordan lament’s for the dead with the traditional Irish Keening that really makes the song what it is
Runaway train is another really sad song it always breaks my heart when I hear it 💔
when I was a teenage runaway in 1993 I heard this on the radio dedicated to me by my mother. oof.
Indeed a great song..... I remember when it first premiered.
The music video makes me cry every time.
I think Luther Vandross’ “Dance With my Father” should be included in this list.
The tragic thing about Zombie is the lead singer was supposed to help the group “Bad Wolves” but she died LITERALLY THE DAY WERE SUPPOSED TO RECORD HER VOCALS!💔😭 Also that cover is AMAZING!
Indeed.... I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR BAD WOLVES FOR CARRYING ON AND LITERALLY PAYING TRIBUTE, so awesome
@@marshmangunnar9150 Also that cover is A BANGER! Can’t believe it’s from 5 or 6 years ago already.
@@cassandraspoelhof3752 so good! I'm a huge fan of great covers....
Seasons After "Cry little sister"
Disturbed "Sounds of Silence"
are 2 of my other favorites
@@marshmangunnar9150 Totally agree with Sound of Silence.
I'm very shocking after hearing the backstories from "3 Am" and "You learn"
"Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday. It is absolutely shocking when you realize what she is singing about.
Zombie is one of the greatest anti war songs of all time
I would add "Wherever you will go" by The Calling it was based on a real life story where an older man before he passed away he sent a love letter to his wife saying wherever she will go he'll always be there for her. This haunting letter is what inspired the hit song.
Listen To Your Heart
Bring Me To Life
What Hurts The Most
Black Black Heart
Going Under
Some extremely very tragic life experiences...from these very loved singers, may God Bless them..
These songs usually come from the deepest part of your soul, or a loved friend.... and songs like these were so famous....some of the tragic I had heard about, others I didn't. Ty for this information...brings these songs to a whole new meaning for me.
Hold on by Chord Overstreet - totally heartbreaking if you knew the backstory of that tune. Written By Chord after the tragic death of Cory Monteith and it was also about a former girlfriend.
How about "Hello" by Evanescence? It was written from the perspective of a child (Amy Lee age 6) who lost their younger sibling. The song is beautiful and heartbreaking.
I’ve had been listening to the band called the Bad Wolves’ cover of Zombie. Originally they had planned to have the lead singer of The Cranberries join them. It’s so sad that she has passed away before being able to do this collaboration. I honestly do believe that the Bad Wolves’ cover did justice to the original version. Dolores O’Riordan would have been so pleased with the cover of that this band created.
Also I would really like to see a part 2 to this list because there’s so many songs that aren’t even mentioned on here that have sad backstories. Take note MsMojo.
As spaniard i say as an example of song with tragic backstory, Jueves of La Oreja de Van Gogh, it is about the diary of a girl who died in 11m terrorist attack in Atocha, it talks about her love with a boy who was going also on the train.
I am from Belfast, Northern Ireland this song is so beautiful and one of the many songs about the conflict but this has to be the most raw imo.
Kate Bush is an icon who isn’t given nearly enough credit for the influence she is/was on many iconic women entertainers of our time.
Alanis Morrisette is not a surprise, she said as she was the angst queen of the 90s! Surprised Tori Amos isn't in the lineup.
Me and a Gun is gut wrenching
I don't know why it's not included here. Have You Seen My Childhood by Michael Jackson is still is the saddest song for me.
The Cranberries are 90's iconic.
I’m surprised by “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones is not on this list. Paint It Black has a sad backstory.
Whenever I listen to "Tears in Heaven" by Clapton I'm the one crying...such a sad, tragic story
Who’s to say which song is number 1… number one is the song that speaks to you on a personal level, and that isn’t the same for everybody. It seems there are so many other songs with sad backgrounds (many, like Zombie, very much misunderstood and/or misinterpreted), that are worthy of mention. So perhaps make a part 2? You already have many great suggestions, here are a few more: Deadman’s Curve, Jan & Dean. Last kiss, Wayne Cochran. Paint it black, The Rolling Stones. American Pie, Don McLean. Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot.
This just makes me love these songs more
‘Two of us’ by Louis Tomlinson should have an honorable mention. It’s about his mom who lost her battle with cancer at the age of 42. Two weeks after the song was released, Louis’ 18 year old sister suffered a cardiac arrest and past away as well.
they played supermarket flowers at my cousin funeral...she was 56 died of pancriate cancer...such a beautiful song, still cry when i hear it x
Two songs that hammers me in the feels every dang time are "Red Army Blues" by The Waterboys, and "The Ghosts of Highway 20" by Lucinda Williams.
Prior- I'll be shocked if Tears in Heaven isn't on this list.
After- Okay I can see why that song got picked, but I still think Tears in Heaven was the better song, personally.
Other songs I'd pick- Concrete Angels by Martina McBride and Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning by Alan Jackson. OH! Also Runaway Train and The Dance. And I just remembered another one- This is Your Time by Michael W. Smith which is about the Columbine School Shooting when one of the victims was asked by a shooter if she believed in God and she said, "Yes" right before getting shot.
Psst, the whole thing about the girl saying she was asked if she believed in Jesus and was shot for saying yes? Was a lie. The whole story was made up for Christian grifters to profit off of.
@@Caterfree10 It pisses me off that the families of Rachel Scott and Cassie Bernall have sold the life stories of their daughters to movie producers and publishing agencies to make a quick buck.
Tori Amos wrote "Spark" about her miscarriage
A part 2 must be made with Strange Fruit and Wake Me Up When September Ends and others!
I’m surprised “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men isn’t on this list. Mariah wrote the song after her friend and past collaborator David Cole passed away. It was also inspired by people in her life who suffered from the very prevalent AIDS epidemic through the mid 90’s. It’s an incredibly beautiful and precious song🤍🤍
The guys from Boyz II Men also were grieving a loss (I can't remember the details), and the two songs wound up merging together into the song we know now.
David Cole was one half of the production duo Cole+Clivillés, as in C+C Music Factory.
They didn't include the backstory of FM Static's song : Tonight. The original composer dedicated the song to his fiance who died during the terrorist bombing of paris between 1985-86.
"hello" , "like you" by evanescence , breathe me by sia ,dark paradise by lana del rey , hurt by christina aguilera and so many others
The live version of Outside by Staind always moves me
‘Disarm’ by Smashing Pumpkins always makes me very sad. I’ll never understand child abuse, neglect or how parents can mistrust their children. Also, ‘Sometimes it Snows in April’ by Prince is so heartbreaking to me. Just thinking of the young dying, the weight of grief, and battling depression. Thank God we have wonderful artists who speak about the reality of live, loss and grief in their songs!
I know these songs are so sad, but I love them. The lyrics are beautiful but haunting.
Heard "Super Market Flowers" the first time a few days after the death of my 30 yoa cousin (cervical cancer). Still makes my heart ache.
Love love love Rob Thomas his voice is so awesome and unique 💜💜
adam's song - blink-182
nightmare - avenged sevenfold
Fiddler's Green by the Tragically Hip - Written about the death of Gord Downies nephew from a congenital heart defect, they refused to play it live for several years because it was too emotional.
R.I.P. Dolores O'Riordan by the time I heard Zombies I only had few years to enjoy the Cranberries before she'd leave us & I wish she had gotten to record the collab with Bad Wolves on what ended up bein the day she died.
Same here
Because of You by Kelly Clarkson is also a heart-wrenching song! Makes me cry all the time!
Have you heard "piece by piece"?
Alannis Morisette wrote this song
I was on the verge of tears since the first song. Then the last one came on. I thought “Tears in Heaven” was sad, but “Circus”? Imagine losing a child the way Eric Clapton did and then writing TWO songs about it. So tragic.
A great song that could of been on this list; Art of Life by X Japan. It’s a beautiful, dramatic song about the bands leader, drummer and composer Yoshiki, talking about his struggles with his health both physically and emotionally, his thoughts of his fathers suicide. It’s tragic and gorgeous
On a personal note, my mom died while i had lou reed's _goodnight ladies_ playing. But, then, she always did have pretty damn good taste and timing... so i can't complain.
Simply red holding back the years 😢
There's much better than Ed Sheeran and others here. Pearl Jam- Alive. Green Day- wake me up when September ends. Since your including songs written about others, you can always include White Lion- When the children cry. Elton John- Candle in the Wind
How about Evanescence MY IMMORTAL written when Amy Lee's sister or grandfather died. Not sure of the specifics. Beautiful song. You can feel her pain.
"Hello" is about her sister and heartbreaking.
@@netza6705 Thank you for setting me straight on that. And yes it is heartbreaking
@@netza6705 Hello always brought me to tears every time I heard it, so hauntingly beautiful, but still so sad.
Youth by Glass Animals, Dave got inspiration after listening the story of a mother who lost her child under terrible circumstances 💔
Stevie Nicks wrote Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You after Eric Clapton took her to visit his son's grave. It was featured in American Horror Story Coven. You should check it out.
Sorry it was for Joe Walsh after he took her to a drinking fountain in a park in Colorado dedicated to his daughter who was killed by a car when she was 4
"Supermarket Flowers," has to be one song that chokes me up everytime. I heard it the 1st time after my MIL died. This lady was such an amazing, kind, beautiful woman and ot was like he wrote the song for her. We played it at her memorial service and everyone agreed this song was the epitome of mom.
What eric Clapton went through it is heartbreaking 💔 I feel for him no parent should ever through that I Hurd about his son conner
How could "Supermarket Flowers" be #10? Seriously saddest song I've ever heard. It makes me cry every time it starts and I bawl all the way through
OMG I always thought of Save the last dance for me as one of the happiest, most light-spirited love songs ever, and this sad back story makes me love it even more!
Another story is behind a song from Tiziano Ferro, an italian singer and songwriter who is famous, I think, in USA as well. He wrote his song "Per dirti ciao" (To tell you goodbye) based on a letter he got from a fan who had lost her husband/partner to an illness, and had begged him to turn her pain and mourning process into a song for everyone to relate to, which he did in a splendid way.
Matchbox 20 3am I have loved the song for years and never knew it had a sad meaning
First one is the most saddest one for sure
I always cry my eyes out whenever I hear Zombie. Tears in Heaven as well as Circus are two more songs that jerk that tear muscle. BTW I hate when cover bands think that Zombie is not what it is and think its a Halloween song.
Tori Amos has at least a couple of songs with heartbreaking backstories. "Me and a Gun" about being sexually assaulted while threatened with a gun early on in her career. And two songs about her miscarriage (years later), "Playboy Mommy" and "Spark".
Adam's song by Blink-182, it's very sad
small bump by ed sheeran (about his friend's late miscarriage) and soon you'll get better by taylor swift (about her mom's battle with breast cancer)
Good Die Young by D12. While it primarily focuses on the loss of one of their members before they were about to see their first big break, it also details the loss of other friends at such early ages.
Zombie unfortunately is relevant not just to the Irish conflict. Dolores raw and powerful vocals stop you in your place.
to those who say Zombie brings up the thought of losing Delores.... I am just curious why ZOMBIE would do this and not LINGER, which is more suited as a powerful song to remember her by. Zombie was great, but Linger had its own identity.
Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2 should be on this list. And Beam me up by P!nk
For me its also " sometimes you cant make it on your on" by u2. The lead singer wrote it for his dad after he passed away i believe they hadnt spoken in years.