Classic sad songs

I don't connect so much with songs about unabashed sorrow (lost love, loneliness, death etc.) I am more moved by songs that capture the sentiment of life's emotional moments. Cat Steven's Said he wrote Wild World about the end af a short romance, but to me it will always be about a father coming to terms with letting his daughter grow up and make her own way in life. As a father of a grown daughter it chokes me up every time.
Here's an excerpt:

You know I've seen a lot of what the world can do
And it's breaking my heart in two
'Cause I never want to see you sad girl
Don't be a bad girl

But if you want to leave take good care
Hope you make a lot of nice friends out there
But just remember there's a lot of bad and beware
Beware

Oh baby baby it's a wild world
It's hard to get by just upon a smile
Oh baby baby it's a wild world
And I'll always remember you like a child, girl

That's interesting. I can see how it works both ways.

Back (more in my dad's era) songs would sometimes go to a spoken word part for the sentiment. Although I can't think of any off the top of my head.

But it's like I can imagine something like Johnny Cash's voice saying, "And on that windy Sunday morning, Johnny went off to war...etc.," Or something like that.

Quote: rxwine

That's interesting. I can see how it works both ways.

Back (more in my dad's era) songs would sometimes go to a spoken word part for the sentiment. Although I can't think of any off the top of my head.

But it's like I can imagine something like Johnny Cash's voice saying, "And on that windy Sunday morning, Johnny went off to war...etc.," Or something like that.

I know the type of old country songs you're talking about. They're usually those raw sentimentalist tear jerkers thst I find kind of hollow.

Janis Ian is suppose to be writing science fiction now.

Back in the day she wrote "At Seventeen'

I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired

The valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth

And those of us with ravaged faces
Lacking in the social graces
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone

Who called to say "come dance with me"
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems at seventeen
A brown eyed girl in hand me downs

Whose name I never could pronounce
Said: "pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve"
The rich relationed hometown queen

Marries into what she needs
With a guarantee of company
And haven for the elderly
So remember those who win the game

Lose the love they sought to gain
In debitures of quality and dubious integrity
Their small-town eyes will gape at you
In dull surprise when payment due

Exceeds accounts received at seventeen
To those of us who knew the pain
Of valentines that never came
And those whose names were never called

When choosing sides for basketball
It was long ago and far away
The world was younger than today
When dreams were all they gave for free

To ugly duckling girls like me...
We all play the game, and when we dare
We cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone

Repenting other lives unknown
That call and say: "come on, dance with me"
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me, at seventeen

That's a lot like the Sinatra song.

Frank Sinatra – It Was A Very Good Year Lyrics

When I was seventeen, it was a very good year
It was a very good year for small town girls
And soft summer nights
We'd hide from the lights
On the village green
When I was seventeen

When I was twenty-one, it was a very good year
It was a very good year for city girls
Who lived up the stairs
With all that perfumed hair
That came undone
When I was twenty-one

When I was thirty-five, it was a very good year
It was a very good year for blue-blooded girls
Of independent means
We'd ride in limousines
Their chauffeurs would drive
When I was thirty-five

But now the days are short, I'm in the autumn of the years
And now I think of my life as vintage wine
From fine old kegs
From the brim to the dregs
It poured sweet and clear
It was a very good year