This one I think, is the saddest I know of:

Emiliana Torrini - If You Go Away

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH4iIP6XK-8


If you go away on this summer's day,
Then you might as well take the sun away
All the birds that flew in the summer sky
When our love was new and our hearts were high
And the day was young and the nights were long
And the moon stood still for the night bird's song
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

But if you stay, I'll make you a day
Like no day has been, or will be again
We'll sail on the sun, we'll ride on the rain
And talk to the trees and worship the wind
But if you go, I'll understand
Leave me just enough love to fill up my hand
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

If you go away, as I know you will
You must tell the world to stop turning
Till you return again, if you ever do,
For what good is love without loving you?
Can I tell you now, as you turn to go
I'll be dying slowly till the next hello
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

But if you stay, I'll make you a night
Like no night has been, or will be again
I'll sail on your smile, I'll ride on your touch
I'll talk to your eyes that I love so much
But if you go, I won't cry
Though the good is gone from the word goodbye
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

If you go away, as I know you must
There is nothing left in this world to trust
Just an empty room, full of empty space
Like the empty look I see on your face
I'd have been the shadow of your shadow
If you might have kept me by your side
If you go away, if you go away, if you go away.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl5McGN2L-E

Lux Aeterna, the theme song from the movie requiem for a dream.

I'm not sure if I've been conditioned by watching the movie, but I can literally feel the despair in the music. The frantic, maniacal unending repetition of the violins, the violent clash of percussion in the background, the sweet sad sound of the cello...

I swear I shudder when I hear it...

If you haven't seen the movie, I totally recommend it. It's a bit rough though, so be ready for some very crude scenes.


Also... well maybe they're not as sad as other songs (although they are pretty glum):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0c7viiqYms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okxko_H3tI8

...But you did ask for the Saddest Song

The song Hallelujah is always moving to me this particular version they did on the Voice brought tears to my eyes. It was a tribute to the victims in the Sandy Hook Elementary school.

They did a similar tribute on The X Factor last night. Don't know if it is available on You Tube or not.

Olivia, I'll take your word for it. I just can't handle watching a song devoted to those little kids right now. I have a two-year old little boy who is everything to me. What those parents are going through is beyond fathomable. The thought of what transpired in that school and the horror everyone present felt is just horrific.

Wow Olivia, just Wow.

deleted (oops, wrong thread)

Anything by Celine Dion has a tinge of sadness...

It is hard to name the saddest song.... Example. Cohen's "Hallelujah" was mentioned. While it has a sad quality, there is also something uplifting about it; especially the last verse. I am no familiar with "Les Miserables" (the musical, I do know the book), so can't comment.

One I have always found sad is "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles.

I'm not sure if anybody's heard this, since this comes from an anime, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion. The title is Continued Story and it was the ending or closing song of the final episode of the anime. The music is lovely and eerie and just SO beautiful, despite being kind of sad: (This is the one with the lyrics).

And this is the one with video clips from the anime. By the way, this is a really amazing AMV:


I guess it helps that the anime also has an amazing plot. It's certainly far from ordinary and predictable.