We did a kind of similar thread not so long ago. I tried searching for it, but it was probably before the "facelift" of this page, so I think it's gone.
Anyway, then a guy asked for depressing songs and I posted some I usually call beautiful and sad songs. All non-metal songs. Since then a similar subject was brought up at Roadrunner's "In the pit" and I went through my entire record collection, found all the songs that categorized and put them in order. The higher the position the song have, the better I think it is. I saved my post on my computer, so I can give it to you here:
The stuff I will post is something that affects me as it "touches my feelings" if I can sound that corny and wuzzy. It's hard to explain this feeling, but it's something that's very sad, but at the same time extremely beautiful. Energy and agression and all that shit can be good, superb and shit, but for me it can never really reach the same heights as sad and beautiful music.
For me, music is kind of the same as films. An action movie can be compared to metal or funk, which I also listen to, as it also has energy and all that stuff, but for me it can never reach the heights movies like Breaking the Waves, Schindler's List, The Green mile and Awakenings does! It's hard to explain as a picture says more than 1000 words as you say, but it's like it sends chills down your spine. Metal doesn't do this to me. The closest I have come to this in metal is probably
Opeth "Dirge for Novembre" (the lead guitar riff when the distorted guitar comes in and the ending of the song!)
Opeth Demon of the fall (the riff where he sings Runaway, runaway)
The 3rd and the Mortal's "Why so lonely"
Theatre of Tragedy's "...a distance there is..." (Which only consists of piano, vocals, timpanies & cello) & "On whom the moon doth shine",
The Gathering "Leaves"
Type O Negative "World coming down" (the quiet part where he sings "How quickly pass the days..." and it just gets better when those gregorian chants comes on top.)
Type O Negative "Bloody kisses (a death in the family)" (in the end where he sings "Don't die...on me")
Dark Tranquility Lethe (The acoustic intro & outro)
Metallica To live is to die (approx. in the middle of the song, where theres a riff that sounds like its being played through a telefone.)
Living Colour This is the life
Living Colour Nothingness"
Danzig "Let it be captured"
Soundgarden 4th of July
Iron Maiden "Rime of the ancient mariner" (after the narration and that "The curse it lives on in their eyes
" part)
Joe Satriani "The forgotten part II"
Joe Satriani "War"
Joe Satriani "Down, down, down"
And a song by The Abyss which I don't know the name of.
Type O Negative is my favourite band, but they dont give me this feeling except very faint in the two songs mentioned. They give me this sombre mood, which I havent really heard in any other music, except Mozarts Requiem and John Barrys soundtracks to The lion in winter and The last valley.
As I said I also have loads of funk records from the 70s. Its kind of the same with that as with metal. I listen to funk for the energy and the groove, but it cant really be more than that. The only songs in funk(related) things Ive found that comes close to give me this feeling are:
Minnie Riperton: Reasons (partly because of her amazing voice)
Graham Central Station: Forever (more of a soul track from a funk band)
Graham Central Station: People (more of a soul track from a funk band)
Graham Central Station: Have faith in me (more of a soul track from a funk band)
And I dont really think theres more of that.
Okay, I'll start on the list and see if I can find all the stuff I find emotional in my record collection. I went through my entire record collection (1122 records!), so it took me a while to write all this shit. They are ordered, so that the best are listed first and the "least good" are listed last. The last songs I wouldn't categorize as superb and they only give me a little of this feeling.
Ray Connif & his Orchestra and chorus: Summertime
Bill Withers: Aint no sunshine
Teddy Wilson: Round Midnight
Virgil Warner & Suzi Jane Hokom: Lady Bird (written by Lee Hazlewood)
Virgil Warner & Suzi Jane Hokom: Summer wine (written by Lee Hazlewood)
Marvin Gaye: Mercy mercy me (the Ecology)
Geoff Love: Theme from the Persuaders
Ernest Gold Theme of Exodus
Marvin Gaye: Whats going on
Procul Harum: A Whiter Shade of Pale
Oscar Peterson: Wheatland
Dusty Springfield: Summer is over
Stevie Wonder: Golden Lady
The Animals: House of the rising sun
Marvin Gaye: Life is for learning
Bob Tracy und seine grosses orchester: Summertime
Stevie Wonder: They wont go when I go
Jimi Hendrix: Little Wing
Dusty Springfield: You dont own me
Sam Wyatt 1000 Strings Symphony: Summertime
Oscar Peterson: Hymn to Freedom
Lee Hazlewood: Wait and see
Lee Hazlewood: Forget Marie
The Moody Blues: When youre a free man
John Barry: Midnight Cowboy
John Barry: He catches her (from "Until September)
Lee Hazlewood: The night before
Lee Hazlewood: Whats more I dont need her
John Barry: Have you got a story for me? (from "Out of Africa")
Sam Cooke: "A change is gonna come"
Gabor Szabo: Sealed with a kiss
Dick van Dyke & Julie Andrews: Chim chim cheree
John Barry: End title Petulia (from "Petulia)
Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann: Dansevise (a Danish song - winner of the eurovision song contest in 1963)
Procul Harum: A salty dog
Ray Conniff & Billy Butterfield: A love is born
Sissel Kyrkjebø: Summertime
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: "Paris Summer"
Beatles: "While my guitar gently weeps"
The Strings of the Philidelphia Orchestra Fantasia on Greensleeves
Shocking Blue: California here I come
Procul Harum: In held twas in I: a) Glimpses of Nirvana
Randy Edelmann: Promentory (from "The last of the mohicans")
Sam Clayton & His Orchestra: "Yesterdays" (not the Beatles song)
Love: "Everybody wants to live"
Grethe Ingmann: "Sagt med et kys" (Danish version of Sealed with a kiss)
Lee Hazlewood: "Bye Babe"
Rassan Roland Kirk: "Ain't no sunshine"
Lee Hazlewood: "My autumn's done come"
Lee Hazlewood: "I am, you are"
Lee Hazlewood: "For one moment"
Pee Wee Russell: "Angel eyes"
Lee Hazlewood: "Your sweet love"
Stevie Wonder: "Sixteen tons"
Toni Harper: "'Round midnight"
Maurice Jarre: "Main title" (from "Doctor Schiwago")
Paul Mauriat: "Over the rainbow"
Lee Hazlewood: "Come on home to me"
Judy Garland: "Over the rainbow" (she played Dorothy in "The wizard of Oz" and sang this song)
Alzo: "Some people"
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: "Summer wine"
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: "Lady bird"
Gene & Debbe: Anyway you want me
Lee Hazlewood & Suzi Jane Hokom: Summer wine
James Brown: Its a mans mans mans world
Crowded House: "Don't dream it's over"
Chambers Brothers: "Blues get off my shoulder"
Cris Williamson: "Last sweet hour"
Henry Mancini: "A day in the life of a fool"
Tom Jones: "Ain't no sunshine"
Nelson Riddle: "Daisy (What'll I do)"
Nelson Riddle: "What'll I do/Ain't we got fun (medley)" (only the "What'll I do" part)
Lee Hazlewood: "Paris Bells"
Michael Jackson: "Ain't no sunshine"
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: "Some velvet morning" (although Nancy sings terribly out of tune!)
Billy Vaughn and his orchestra: "Summertime"
Lee Hazlewood: "Friday's Child"
Erroll Garner: "My funny valentine"
Frank Valdor: "Summertime"
Frank Valdor: "Chim-chim-cherie"
Robert Mandell and his orchestra: "Chim-chim-cherie"
Marty Robbins: "Summertime"
Sidney Bechet: Summertime
Robbie Robertson & The Red Road Ensemble: Mahk Jchi
John Barry: "Candlelight" (from "Until September")
John Barry: "The real thing" (from "Until September" sounds pretty similar to "Candlelight")
John Barry: "Foreplay" (from "Until September" - sounds pretty similar to "Candlelight")
Shirley Bassey: "What are you doing the rest of your life?"
Mozart: Requiem (from Requiem)
Horst Jankowski: "Clair de lune"
Louis Armstrong & Ella Fitzgerald: Summertime
Donovan: "Donna Donna"
Sissel Kyrkjebø: "Vårvise"
John Barry: Follow follow (fra Follow me)
New Symphony Ochestra of London: "Summertime"
John Barry: "The girl with the sun in her hair"
Thelonious Monk: "'Round midnight"
Miles Davis: "Summertime"
Jackie Gleason: My funny valentine
Nick De Caro: "Caroline, No"
Cream: World of Pain
The Moody Blues: Candle of life
Lee Hazlewood & Suzi Jane Hokom: "Sand"
Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra: "Sand"
Lionel Hampton: "Summertime"
The Moody Blues: "The land of make-believe"
Natalie Cole: "Nothing stronger than love"
The Moody Blues: Nights in white satin
Birgitte Grimstad: "Noget om helte" (a danish song)
New Symphony Orchestra of London: "Greensleeves"
Nancy Sinatra: "Long time woman"
Peter Cofield: "People everywhere"
Bent Fabricius-Bjerre: "Når skyggerne bliver lange" (a danish song)
Sam Cooke: "Summertime"
Lee Hazlewood: The old man and his guitar
Henry Mancini: "Love theme from Romeo and Juliet" (the 60's film)
Detroit Emeralds: Love has come to me
Johnny Mathis: "No love (but your love)"
Richard Clayderman: "Summertime"
Johnny Mathis: "Come to me"
Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra: "Sundown, sundown"
Beatles: "Girl"
Maffitt/Davies: "Forest lawn"
Billy Vaughn: "It's a lonesome old town"
Tim Buckley: Pleasant street
John Barry: The Dove (Main title)
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: "Arkansas Coal (Suite)"
Billie Holiday: "Summertime"
Beatles: "And I love her"
Billy Vaughn: "Moon over Miami"
The Four Tops: "Simple game"
Julian Lennon: Saltwater
Pop-Tops: Mamy blue
Patrice Rushen: "(She will) Take you down to love"
Patrice Rushen: "Where there is love"
U2: One
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds + Kylie Minogue: Where the wild roses grow
Benny Andersen & Povl Dissing: "Svantes Svanesang" (a danish song)
John Barry: A Christmas song (from The last valley soundtrack)
Gene & Debbe: Let it be me
Dusty Springfield: The corrupt ones
Gasolin: Masser af success (A Danish song)
Dusty Springfield: "Anyone who ever had a heart"
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood: "Congratulations
John Barry: How beautiful you make me (fra The lion in winter)
Yes: Mood for a day
Nancy Sinatra (John Barry): You only live twice
Nelson Riddle: Time and space
Isley Brothers: "Lover's eve"
Chris Isaak: Wicked game
Nelson Riddle: Rachel
The Corrs: Radio (mostly the verse+bridge)
The Corrs: Closer (mostly the piano riff)
The John Barry Seven: The human Jungle (horn)
Benny Andersen & Povl Dissing: "Svantes Forårssang" (a danish song)
Lee Hazlewood: "Rosacoke street"
Elton John: Goodbye yellow brick road
(Elton John: Sorry seems to be the hardest word)
If someone comes up to me and asks me to recommend some good music, I'd recommend these songs over metal at ANY time (maybe except for the last 5-10 songs)!!! I think there's so much more in this sort of stuff than in metal. It's like Elton John said "Sad songs say so much" (althought that's a crappy song!).
It's maybe a little stupid that "Summertime" is mentioned that many times, as it's my favorite track of all time! It's not especially Ray Conniff's version so much that I adore, although its the absolute best track Ive ever heard, but more George Gershwin's composition as such that I find divine!
We also discussed this on
www.ultimatemetal.com not so long ago. Here's a link to that discussion:
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35030