This is a weird topic, but…
There are songs that make me ‘misty’, and sometimes even shed a tear or two. Why? I’ve been trying to analyze this but, I’ve come to the conclusion that songs with lyrics that describe deep emotional feelings – especially when the singer recounts getting unexpectedly emotional – make me (an empathetic person) emotional. Also, for some songs, the whole song story is moving/emotional. Below are five examples:
Walking in Memphis | Marc Cohn (1990) – This is a very good song musically, which describes a memorable (almost spiritual) trip by the singer to Memphis. The part that ‘gets me’ is when he talks about being encouraged to perform at a local Memphis venue (called The Hollywood, where Muriel plays on Fridays):
And I sang with all my might
She said “Tell me are you a Christian child?”
And I said “Ma’am, I am tonight”
That part about him being so moved emotionally by his performance (and Muriel’s reaction) that he’s OK with being labeled religious (when he may not be) gets me emotional.
City Hall | Vienna Teng (2006) – This is also an amazing song musically. Vienna Teng has a phenomenal voice, and makes great songs (if you haven’t listened to her, you should). This entire song makes me emotional/misty. The concept of people being deprived of everyday rights (getting married) because of something they can’t control (sexual orientation) makes me so sympathetic and sad for them. It’s like real-life stories of black people in the US being harassed (and sometimes killed) just because they’re black.
Many of the City Hall lyrics are emotional (I’m getting misty just reading them):
Made our mamas cry.
Seen a lot of friends, after giving it all they had
Lay down and die.
My baby’s looking so damn pretty with those anxious eyes
Rain-speckled hair
And my ring to wear.
(This part she slows down – which increases the impact)
If they take it away again someday
This beautiful thing won’t change.
All these lovely lyrics combined with her amazing voice just get me.
Beyond | Leon Bridges (2018) – This is also a pretty song. (I’m realizing that there is an overlay that all these songs are slow, pretty, and emotional. If these same lyrics were performed by a heavy metal, head-banger group with the singer growling out the words – it wouldn’t have the same impact.) The part that gets me in Beyond is his fear of deep emotion and commitment:
I’m scared to death that she might be it
That the love is real, that the shoe might fit
She might just be my everything and beyond
Again, as I mentioned in the intro – what’s emotionally moving to me is often the singer getting unexpectedly emotional.
Vincent | Don McLean (1971) – I like Don McLean a lot. He’s best known for the song American Pie, but this song about Van Gogh has arguably more emotional impact. Similar to City Hall above, Vincent is moving because of the whole underlying concept, and not just a few emotional words. The tragedy of someone so talented and impactful as Vincent Van Gogh being so internally troubled that he committed suicide – is truly moving and sad:
How you suffered for your sanity
How you tried to set them free
(McLean slows down the lyrics here, which increases the impact)
And when no hope was left inside
On that starry, starry night
You took your life as lovers often do
But I could have told you, Vincent
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you
The above lyrics capture the internal struggle of Van Gogh, and a sort of farewell message that his choice to end his life was understood and OK.
Morningside | Neil Diamond (1972) – Here is another ‘whole concept’ sad song. The story is: an old man built an amazing wooden table, carved the words ‘For my children’ into it, but none of his children wanted the table after he died – which likely indicates how insignificant he was to them:
The old man died
And no one cried
They simply turned away
And truth is sad
For not a child would claim the gift he had
The words he carved became his epitaph
“For my children”
The sadness is: despite the old man’s substantial, targeted effort – his kids didn’t care.
So in summary – songs hit me emotionally: either when the overall story behind the song is sad, or there are lyrics where the singer tells of unexpected and deep emotion.