Top 10 Saddest Classic Rock Songs

When You Need A Good Cry
More than drugs and sex, heartbreak and pain are common themes in rock ‘n roll too. Some of them will stop you cold and hit you right in the feels, others will just make you cry without warning. Unrequited love, breakup, death – it’s not uncommon for musicians to write about their struggles, relations or inner turmoil. And sadness is universal so pretty much everyone can relate.
It’s not always about the lyrics – sometimes it’s how it’s sung or played. So we recommend taking out your tub of ice cream, maybe a box of tissues to go with it, and just cry your heart out.
10. Simon & Garfunkel – “Bookends”
From the duo that gave us classic hits like โBridge over Troubled Waterโ and โThe Sound of Silence,โ here comes another heart-wrenching song which is short but straight to the point.
Perhaps itโs the simplicity of the track that never fails to pull our heartstrings โ whether itโs the melody, two-part harmony or short lyrics, itโs just poignant especially with the lines: โLong ago it must be / I have a photograph / Preserve your memories / They’re all that’s left you.โ
โThe text refers to the passage of time, and to memories of a loved one, and thus fittingly concludes the series of intervening songs, which address interpersonal relationships at times of life that progress from song to song.โ โ James Bennighof on using โBookendsโ as the first and last song on side one
It doesnโt have to be elaborate to get the point across. And anyone who listens to this is about to be subjected to something so sad, youโll end up reminiscing all those heartbreaking moments in your life.
9. Nine Inch Nails – “Hurt”
You can be an emotionally stable grown man who hasnโt experienced heartbreak even once in his life and still end up crying like a baby while listening to this. We love Johnny Cashโs version too especially because he made whatโs probably the saddest music video ever (tears welled up in our eyes just a few seconds into it) but nothing just beats the original.
โThe best anti-drug song I ever heard.โ โ Johnny Cash
Whether you prefer Nine Inch Nails or Johnny Cash, the sadness it gives you is the same โ itโs raw and undiluted. The song opens with one of the most depressing lines ever: โI hurt myself today / To see if I still feel / I focus on the pain / The only thing that’s real.โ
And the way it is sung โ itโs as if the singer is just weary and drained. Well weโve all been there, thatโs for sure.
8. Alice in Chains – “Nutshell”
https://youtu.be/lBdXLRl2g2E
The lyrics are dark, ominous and haunting. But it also speaks about despair and even death. We can all feel singer-songwriter Layne Staleyโs pain when he sings, โAnd yet I fight / This battle all alone / No one to cry to / No place to call home.โ
For most of his life, he struggled not just with drug addiction but also with depression. And after his death a few years later, the line โI’d feel better deadโ becomes even more chilling.
โSince our music is so depressing, everybody expects us to run around in black and whine about shit. But that’s such a misconception. We just get together and fuck around. We’re like the Monkees or something.โ โ Drummer Sean Kinney
IT IS depressing especially for those currently struggling with something whether itโs with substance abuse or other problems. And we canโt help but think of Staley whenever this comes on.
7. Nazareth – “Love Hurts”
If you say this track didnโt cross your mind when you saw what this list is about, weโd most likely think youโre lying. Itโs the sad song EVERYONE knows about and everybody sings โ whether itโs during karaoke nights or random jamming sessions.
The opening verse is enough to send you into extreme sadness โ โLove hurts, love scars, love wounds / And marks, any heart / Not tough or strong enough.โ
Fun Fact: Itโs originally recorded by The Everly Brothers but the most successful and popular version is that of Nazareth.
Nazarethโs power ballad just stops you in your track. Even in 2017, it still remains as the universal break up song โ nothing just comes close to how painful and emotionally scarring this hit is.
We wonโt be surprised if we suddenly start crying because thatโs what it does. Itโs as if every single sad moment in your life just comes back to you.
6. Tom Waits – “Martha”
Tom Waitsโ 1973 classic โMarthaโ experienced a resurgence after some fans pointed out similarities with Adeleโs hit โHelloโ and there were those who even accused her of ripping him off. But putting all that aside, โMarthaโ is proof that the man was clearly a musical genius.
Thereโs so much sadness from beginning to end that it will basically destroy you whether you can relate to it or not. And these verses just stand out, โOperator, number, please: it’s been so many years / Will she remember my old voice while I fight the tears?โ
Fun Fact: Tom Waits was only 24 when this was written.
He sings about an old flame but itโs not so much about the theme that makes you instantly weep, itโs the words and the longing in his voice. For him, thereโs nothing sadder than love lost. We may or not have been in his shoes but itโs the whole package โ depressing right from the very start.
5. The Doors – “The End”
Thereโs something beautifully haunting and primordial about this song. It gets creepy and disturbing towards the end but thereโs sorrow all over it. Itโs a musical masterpiece and one of the saddest parts is when Jim Morrisonโs scarred voice sings, โDesperately in need / Of some stranger’s hand / In a desperate land.โ
The actual meaning of โThe Endโ is pretty vague. Some say itโs about death while others believe itโs a breakup song.
โEvery time I hear that song, it means something else to me. It started out as a simple good-bye song… Probably just to a girl, but I see how it could be a goodbye to a kind of childhood. I really don’t know. I think it’s sufficiently complex and universal in its imagery that it could be almost anything you want it to be.โ โ Jim Morrison
No matter what it actually means, the fact remains that itโs both depressing and chilling especially when you consider Morrisonโs death which took everyone by surprise.
4. Harry Chapin – “Cat’s in the Cradle”
Even if youโre single without any kids, it seriously hurts to listen to this song. Every single word is like a knife that just cuts you. Harry Chapinโs wife Sandy did a brilliant job with this storytelling. The tune may be catchy but looking closely at the lyrics, youโll understand why this is easily one of the saddest classic rock songs ever written.
Itโs basically about a father whoโs too busy to make time for his son. It comes full circle when as a grown-up, he becomes too busy for his aging dad.
โ”Cat’s In The Cradle” was a combination of a couple of things. Whenever I was on a long drive I would listen to country music, because words would keep me awake more than just music.โ โ Sandy Chapin
Itโs a harsh reality especially for those who grew up with parents who are always working. And thatโs perhaps what makes it more sad โ almost everyone can relate to how painful it is when a loved one canโt spare a few minutes for you.
3. Pearl Jam – “Black”
https://youtu.be/5ChbxMVgGV4
Itโs Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder at their absolute best. โBlackโ is poetic and dark but adding in Vedderโs incredibly sexy voice and it just all comes together. The line โwe belong togetherโ just breaks you down.
Thereโs something exquisite yet sad about Vedderโs vocal performance and we just love how he pours so much emotion into every single verse.
โThe song is about letting go. It’s very rare for a relationship to withstand the Earth’s gravitational pull and where it’s going to take people and how they’re going to grow. I’ve heard it said that you can’t really have a true love unless it was a love unrequited. It’s a harsh one, because then your truest one is the one you can’t have forever.โ โ Eddie Vedder
Ah yes, thereโs nothing quite like unrequited love or the loss of a loved one to inspire musicians to create a masterpiece such as this.
Also, can we just take time to appreciate how Vedderโs voice sounds as good as the record?
2. Pink Floyd – “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”
The saddest part of this song is the back story โ it was written for former Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett who is responsible for giving the band their name.
He walked in during one of the recording sessions and he looked very different โ heavyset and with shaved head and eyebrows. They didnโt even recognize him at first and when they did, Roger Waters was so heartbroken he was moved to tears.
โHe came in as we were doing the vocals for “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, which was basically about Syd. He just, for some incredible reason picked the very day that we were doing a song which was about him.โ โ Richard Wright
Syd Barrett suffered mental illness due in part to his drug addiction. He was eventually kicked out because he became more unpredictable and would even refuse to play while on stage.
Still, itโs hard to listen to this chilling track without thinking about Barrett and how distressed the rest of the group was after seeing him look strange and miserable.
1. Eric Clapton – “Tears in Heaven”
If this doesnโt make you sad, depressed or cause you to sit in a corner and cry, then you must be made of stone. The moment Eric Clapton sings โWould you know my name if I saw you in heaven?,โ we almost always lose it. Whether you know the songโs back story or not, thereโs something inexplicably melancholic about it.
But itโs also safe to assume everyone knows who this track is for โ Claptonโs 4-year old son Conor who fell from the window of a New York apartment.
โI almost subconsciously used music for myself as a healing agent, and lo and behold, it worked… I have got a great deal of happiness and a great deal of healing from music.โ โ Eric Clapton
โTears in Heavenโ received multiple nominations and awards but what it will always be known for is the saddest song ever written. More than 25 years after its release, it still tugs on our heartstrings.