What is the most melancholy song you've ever heard?

Honey Bobby Goldsboro

Have a Kleenex ready.

“Jesse Come Home” by Janis Ian

Melancholy Hill by Gorillaz

Mad World.

And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I’m dyin’
Are the best I’ve ever had.

I dozed off one night and woke to All By Myself, Eric Carmen. That got me pretty good.

Not sure of the name of the song, but it’s sung on the commercial about the abused animals. In the eyes of an angel…or something to that effect. The commercial and the song makes me teary eyed.

Ne me quitte pa is my go-to sad song.

The is an old song, sung in Russian I think, that caused hundreds of russians to kill themselves. I don’t remember the title.

@filmfann There was a movie about that song called “Gloomy Sunday.” I don’t remember if the song was called that too or not.

@AmWiser Cheater, using the dog and cat eyes. That video is heartbreaking.

@janbb That sounds right! I heard the song about 35 years ago, on the Dr. Demento show of all places. I might have a tape of it somewhere.
I found information on that song (Hungarian, not Russian) on Wiki

@filmfann The movie was good too. I think it was set in Hungary or somewhere.

“You cant put your arms around a memory” – Johnny Thunders

That was the first one that came to mind.

George Jones’ classic “He Stopped Loving Her Today”

@filmfann This, I believe is the song to which you refer. The last line on the page is, perhaps, significant.
I don’t have a good answer for this question, I get moved to tears easily if I’m in that kind of mood. Poetry does that to me as well. If I had to pick, I’d say Queen’s Who wants to Live Forever. I bawl like a baby.

“Poor Edward” by Tom Waits ranks pretty high up there.

I’d have to think about it, but I immediately thought of a line in From her to Eternity. Though it isn’t particularly melacholy itself. Deranged more like.

She’s wearing them blue-stockens, I bet
and standin like this with my ear to the ceiling
Listen I know it must sound absurd but
I can hear the most melancholy sound I ever heard
Walk and cry Kneel and cry

Running up that Hill by Placebo.

@AmWiser The song is “In the Arms of an Angel” by Sarah McLachlan. I’m actually not a huge fan of that song, but the album it’s from, Mirrorball, has a bunch of great songs.

Bonnie Raitt – I Can’t Make You Love Me. Not to mention my Mother once pointed out to me that the song sounds like a death march. I happen to love the song though. What does that tell you about me?

The Idiot by Stan Rogers

Another Janis Ian song; one of my friends used to sing this and it would bring tears to my eyes every time. Tea and Sympathy

Danny Boy.

Allison Mose If You Live, at a slow wailing pace:

This one’s been getting to me lately: Black Gives Way To Blue. Alice in Chains

“Paint It Black”—The Rolling Stones.

@smilingheart1 I love Danny Boy! The Muppet rendition is particularly heartfelt.

She Moved Through the Fair

Leaving Earth

Thank you all for the wonderful dose of melancholia :-)

Born to Lose