Nokia UK commissioned music and physiology “expert” Dr. Harry Witchel to scientifically determine the world’s saddest, happiest, and most exhilarating songs. (This shouldn’t piss people off.) So, Dr. Smarty Pants, how did you “scientifically” measure sadness? Witchel determined listeners’ “‘tune trigger quotient,’ measuring heart rate, respiratory response and skin temperature to find the saddest, happiest and most exhilarating tracks” (via). To measure “happy,” Witchel wanted a high number of sighs and a low level of boredom. “Sad” tunes were identified by decreased heart rate, and “exhilarating” by a spike in breaths per minute. And the good doctor let us in on the recipe for an emotional tune:
Music is undeniably powerful at triggering different emotional states. Changes in tempo and frequencies induce profoundly different emotional states.
Here are his laboratory results:
Happy
1. “LDN” – Lily Allen
2. “Dancing Queen” – ABBA
3. “Shiny Happy People” – R.E.M.Exhilarating
1. “Song 2″ – Blur
2. “Love Machine” – Girls Aloud
3. “Somebody Told Me” – The Killers
The findings on the sad songs were more thoroughly reported. Said Witchel:
A slow tempo song like the Verve’s The Drugs Don’t Work slows down the heart compared to most of the other songs and compared to white noise – in other words, it works like the emotional state of sadness.
Here’s the Top 10 (via RS):
Sad
1. The Verve – “The Drugs Don?t Work”
2. Robbie Williams – “Angels”
3. Elton John – “Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word”
4. Whitney Houston – “I Will Always Love You”
5. Sinead O?Connor – “Nothing Compares 2 U”
6. Will Young – “Leave Right Now”
7. Elvis Presley – “Are You Lonesome Tonight”
8. Christina Aguilera – “Beautiful”
9. James Blunt – “Goodbye My Lover”
10. Radiohead – “Fake Plastic Trees”
We vote James Blunt for the top of that list, but our criteria for “sad” — and it’s resultant effects on our physiological state — are entirely different. But we’ve never been good at science. All time saddest tunes? Go.
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I stand by my theory that “Song 2″ is so called because it turned out exactly 2 minutes long.
Trim the crap out of the sad category (leaving, I’d say, Radiohead, Elvis, and the Verve as the top three) and this actually seems fairly right on. Who can honestly say Dancing Queen doesn’t make them feel a little fluffier?
Enough already with these terrible song lists (or should I say the SHIT LIST folder). I’m beginning to think that people come up with these just so you can post them on Stereogum.
I can honestly say I don’t feel fluffier (?) listening to Dancing Queen. The song has always seemed bittersweet, to me.
I think dancing queen is the only abba song that doesn’t have depressing lyrics like “where are those happy days they seem so hard to find” or “no more carefree laughter science ever after” Also, fake plastic trees is sad?
wow, these people know nothing about sad songs… apparently they have never heard any elliot smith or will oldham….
Sad songs are like nature’s onions.
Damn, Wesley. Beat me to it.
Shiny happy people? I can’t think of a song that pisses me off more. Oh wait… Love Shack. That song infuriates me.
okay, so my vote for saddest song goes to “Mad World” by Tears for Fears, the lyrics are so depressing, but if you listen to the Gary Jules/Michael Andrews version, its even more depressing…
I think the exhilerating songs missed out big time. Popozao by KFed duh…
…
ahem ahem…
anyways, sad song MOST definetly is Hyper Chondriac Music by Muse. 9 crimes by Damien Rice makes me… hollow ahah
holy crap i forgot all about Mad World. Whitney’s right. she gets my vote.
yo, son. i can’t even read!
song 2 is the most exciting cause its the soundtrack to every ‘greatest sports _____’ clip.
and man, are those awesome
sad songs: sea anemone – jets to brazil
poison oak – conor oberst and co.
the late for the sky album – jackson browne
anything by james and i
black star is the saddest song i know.
ben harper’s walk away is up there too.
Oh! I love music lists!
OK, If I had to choose 1…this is it:
Happiest song on my playlist:
Best Of My Love by the Emotions (seriously, who doesn’t feel like having a great time when this song is played?)
Most Exhilarating:
Shut Me Up by Mindless Self Indulgence (All I can picture while this song plays is donning a leather outfit and practicing roundhouse kicks on some bad villianous person)
Saddest:
Sundrenched World by Joshua Radin (I can literally feel the sadness seeping into me when I hear this song. Kinda makes me wanna gouge mye eyes out in a slow, poetic kind of way)
I don’t know about saddest of all time, but “I know it’s over” by the Smiths pretty much makes me wanna drive off a bridge.
i vote?`music when the lights go out` the libertines for saddest song.
Happy Songs: “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (Sly & The Family Stone); “Maybe I’m Amazed” (McCartney); “Hey Jude” (Beatles); “Ooh, Child” (The Spiral Staircase).
Exhilarating Songs: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana); “Mississippii Queen” (Mountain); “Black Dog” (Led Zeppelin); Agua de Marcos (Elis Regina & Tom Jobim); Army of Me (Bjork)
Sad Songs: “You Are My Window” (Todd Rundgren in his days with Nazz); “Expecting to Fly” (Neil Young w/ Buffalo Springfield); Joga (Bjork).
Happy Songs: “Hot Fun in the Summertime” (Sly & The Family Stone); “Maybe I’m Amazed” (McCartney); “Hey Jude” (Beatles); “Ooh, Child” (The Spiral Staircase).
Exhilarating Songs: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana); “Mississippii Queen” (Mountain); “Black Dog” (Led Zeppelin); Agua de Marcos (Elis Regina & Tom Jobim); Army of Me (Bjork)
Sad Songs: “You Are My Window” (Todd Rundgren in his days with Nazz); “Expecting to Fly” (Neil Young w/ Buffalo Springfield); Joga (Bjork).
Saddest song: ‘The Tigers Have Spoken’ by Neko Case.
A big cat, driven crazy from walking in circles as a result of being chained up in a field behind the cages, remembers that brown haired lady who bottle-fed him as a baby cub… then Neko repeatedly sings “They shot the tiger on his chain.”
I’ve never posted here before, but seeing the last comment about the Neko Case song reminded me of one of the saddest songs I’ve personally ever heard. “Small Black Flowers That Grow In the Sky” by the Manic Street Preachers. I hope you guys check it out.
What about this:
SAD SONGS:
Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Radiohead – Creep
Coldplay – Fix you
No Doubt – Don’t Speak
Metallica – Fade To Black
New Radicals – Someday We’ll Know
What d’you think?
Song 2 is called so because it’s the second song on the album it appears.
Fuck off, how could disappointed and I know it’s over not figure. Retards, Ugggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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h
What about this:
SAD SONGS:
Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Radiohead – Creep
Coldplay – Fix you
No Doubt – Don’t Speak
Metallica – Fade To Black
New Radicals – Someday We’ll Know
What d’you think?
i’d have to go with…
long long long (the beatles)
or
svefn-g-englar (sigur ros)
or
needle in the hay or everything means nothing to me (elliott smith)
or perhaps
daisies of the galaxy (eels)
just a few i could think of quickly.
real depressing.
What about this:
SAD SONGS:
Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Radiohead – Creep
Coldplay – Fix you
No Doubt – Don’t Speak
Metallica – Fade To Black
New Radicals – Someday We’ll Know
What d’you think?
i’d have to go with…
long long long (the beatles)
or
svefn-g-englar (sigur ros)
or
needle in the hay or everything means nothing to me (elliott smith)
or perhaps
daisies of the galaxy (eels)
just a few i could think of quickly.
real depressing.
These lists always back up in my throat like bile. Off the top of my head i can think of three songs that are more heartbreaking:
The Smiths “Please Please Please Let Me Get What i Want”
Nine Inch Nails “Dirt”
Mazzy Star “Into Dust”
Sad: Nick Drake-Things Behind The Sun
Happy: Beck-Beercan
Exhilarating: Oukast-Bombs Over Baghdad
Scientific/Biographical: Life In A Blender- Asshole From Menlo Park
Economic Theory: The Beatles-Taxman
“I know it´s over” is the saddest song, years ago I listened it 8 uninterrupted hours, I knew something bad was about to happen.. I was rejected for a most conventional choice.
“Well I wonder” is sad too, beautiful and sad.
saddest song i can think of:
the world i know by collective soul
the saddest song i can think of:
the world i know by collective soul.
The saddest song is the version of “Fields of Gold” performed by Eva Cassidy. The Sting version is just annoying. The Eva Cassidy version makes me cry every time.
One of the happy songs mentions having to ride a bike because the cops took away her license, viewing a pimp and crack whore, and seeing an old lady get mugged. . .and the worst is that I had to deal with that song every 10 minutes in Milan. . now I have to deal with it in Amsterdam. . .I want to go home now.
One of the happy songs mentions having to ride a bike because the cops took away her license, viewing a pimp and crack whore, and seeing an old lady get mugged. . .and the worst is that I had to deal with that song every 10 minutes in Milan. . now I have to deal with it in Amsterdam. . .I want to go home now.
you gotto go with the donny darko/gary jules version of ” Mad World” that song makes me want to slit my wrist , and not in that get attention from daddy sort of way. I’m talking up the road, not across the street.
I’m just glad to see “Smells Like Teen Spirit” didn’t actually make it to the lists. Although I see it made it into the comments (it’s a great song, though).
How about some Ryan Adams love?
its good that the military draft will be back in less than 2 years-some of your members need it
Nothing but nothing is sadder than “Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro. Listen to it on youtube at:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=P67A0lTj_9s&mode=related&search=
Larry you are so right! Honey by Bobby Goldsboro used to make me cry every time I heard it!! See the tree, how big it grows….OMG!
Sad song:
Tom Waits – Flower’s Grave
I know – Fiona Apple
EXHILERATING
“I Saw Her Standing There” – The Beatles
“Synchronicity II” – The Police
“American Girl” – Tom Petty
“Born to Run” – Bruce Springsteen
“Shout”
SAD
“Somewhere” – Tom Waits
“Comfortably Numb” – Pink Floyd
“Goodbye” – Elton John
“Sad Lisa” – Cat Stevens
“Blame it on the Sun” – Stevie Wonder
“Long and Winding Road” – Beatles
HAPPY
“Saturday in the Park” – Chicago
“Take it Easy” – Eagles
“Nothing Compares 2 U” definitely brings a tear to my eye but what about “If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago? So sad!
“Nothing Compares 2 U” definitely brings a tear to my eye but what about “If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago? So sad!
Sad songs
“Alone Again Naturally” – Gilbert O’Sullivan
“When the Tigers Broke Free” Pink Floyd
“Bring the boys back home” Pink Floyd
“Seasons in the sun” Terry Jacks
“The Show Must Go On” Queen
Sad Songs: “How to Disappear Completely” by Radiohead and the “Flint, Michigan” song by Sufjan Stevens
Happy Song: “Ce Matin La” by Air
You can all stop now. Addest song is “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton. If this doesn’t make you cry, you have a rock for a heart. I’m just saying.
“hope theres someone” or “you are my sister” from antony… the latter is a really positive song actually but i always feel like bawling when i listen to it
elliott smith – sweet adeline.
the smiths – asleep.
waaaay more depressing than “i will always love you.”
Saddest: “At 17″- Janis Ian
“Whiter Shade of Pale”- Procol Harum
“Raining in Baltimore”- Counting Crows
Happiest: “Center Field” -John Fogarty
“Good Morning Good Morning”
– The Beatles
“Heebie Jeebies” – Louis Armstrong
Happiest song: “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World
Exhilirating song: “Rose of Sharyn” by Killswitch Engage
Saddest song: “Hurt” by Johnny Cash (NIN version is too)
Happiest song: “Sweetness” by Jimmy Eat World
Exhilirating song: “Rose of Sharyn” by Killswitch Engage
Saddest song: “Hurt” by Johnny Cash (NIN version is too)
“Goodbye Cruel World” by Pink Floyd is the saddest. most depressing song ever written.
Why would somebody deliberately choose to listen to sad music? And what exactly is sad music, anyway? Music that makes people cry? WHY WOULD ANYBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO SUCH MISERY? Oh, I just realized, these people cannot be considered to be in their right mind, can they? Well, there’s enough misery, depression and sadness in the world – if you don’t think so, just watch the news tonight. No matter under which particular rock you live, there will be something bad going on – they’re not called News anymore, but Bad News. Come on people, does anybody have anything positive and uplifting to talk about anymore?
Exhilerating: Theme from Rocky, tell me you don’t wanna run up the steps!
Happy: Walking on Sunshine.
Sad: In Your eyes, still touches me everytime I hear it
I think the saddest song at the time that it was song live was “skyline pigeon” by elton john at ryan white’s funeral. I’m sorry, nothing can top that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned “Hallelujah.” Could be by anyone, but the most by Jeff Buckley for me.
Also, “No Distance Left to Run” by Blur.
Also, Exhilarating: “Walkin’ on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. I mean, COME ON.
How about for the saddest
When the childern cry / White Lion
House of pain/ Faster Pussycat
Adam’s song/ Blink 182
My picks for the saddest songs:
“Inmates”- The Good Life
“…Gotta Get a Message to You”- The Bee Gees
“2:45″- Elliott Smith
“I Will Come To You”- Hanson
I’m only half-kidding about that last one.
Christina Aguilera’s newest song “Hurt” beats her “Beautiful” as the saddest song – makes me cry thinking about my late brother.
I remember a song in the 40′s called “Will Santy Come to Shanty Town This Year?”. A very sad song.
Hmmm…can’t argue with “Dancing Queen” being exhilarating…also The Grateful Dead “I Will Get By.” But for real wrist-slitters, “Forever Young” by Alphaville. Speaking of which– I seem to recall that there was a song in Hungary(?) c. 1940′s(also ?) that allegedly caused a rash of suicides and was banned…
Okay People….listen up…Dont Take The Girl-Tim McGraw…yes to the above..Hurt,by Christina Aguillera…I MIss You by Avril Lavigne, Runway Love by Ludacris and Mary J Blige and The Christmas Shoes..I dont know who wrote it but thats some sad shit there…when people leave us ,its just sad…who can deny that?
Happy…Baby Baby by Amy Grant, Cool…Gwen Stefani..Dreams…the cranberries…
Saddest song: Sweet Scarlet, by Cat Stevens
Happiest: Born to Run, Springsteen
I’ve always thought the saddest song ever is “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” by Tom Petty.
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned “Hallelujah.” Could be by anyone, but the most by Jeff Buckley for me.
Also, “No Distance Left to Run” by Blur.
Also, Exhilarating: “Walkin’ on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves. I mean, COME ON.
I can’t believe no one mentioned:
SAD SONGS – “Honey” – Bobby Goldsboro – About his dead wife.
“Seasons in the Sun” – Forget Name – About death
“Seventeen” – Janis Ian – About being butt ugly teenager and suicide
“Russians” – Sting – About nuclear annihilation.
But on the flip side, who can quarrel with these exhilirating songs:
Anything by LED ZEP
“Barracuda” – Heart
Anything by JAMES BROWN
MY TWO CENTS…. I do not consider anything out of 90s as music, sorry. Hey, I just remembered, when your talking about sad songs in 90s look no further than NATALIE MERCHANT.
For exhilarating, I have to go with Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” Sad, is a really old one, from 1969, “Southbound Jericho Parkway” by Roy Orbison. And yet, it always cheers me up.
patches – clarence carter 1968
Song Song Blue, everybody knows one…..
Kris Kristofferson wrote a dozen songs sadder than all of this all by himself, my two three to listen to are:
Billy Dee
Long Way from Home
Caseey’s Last Ride (perhaps the saddest song of all time)
Not to mention Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks album is both sad and just depressing, every song.
Saddest song (ever)
Casey’s last Ride Kristofferson
I kind of stumbled on this page..but I thought I’d toss in my opinion.
As for sad music, I found it rather interesting that no one mentioned “Who Wants to Live Forever” by Queen. And for sentimental reasons, though I have never been much of a fan of the band, I find Linkin Park’s “My December” to be rather morose.
Sad songs- Time by Alen Parsons Project, Wildfire by Michael Martin, Major Tom by David Bowie
Hey Neil. You mean Song Sung Blue?
I have always found “Vincent” by Don MacLean to be very sad & touching, and there are several by Harry Chapin that easily compete with those mentioned, but my favorite would be “Mr. Tanner.”
I have always found “Vincent” by Don MacLean to be very sad & touching, and there are several by Harry Chapin that easily compete with those mentioned, but my favorite would be “Mr. Tanner.”
There’s been a LOT of good choices listed, but here’s my two cents worth:
Exhilerating: Led Zepplin published a 3-CD set called How the West was Won (a collage of two live concerts in LA in 1972). On CD#3 the 23 minute cut of “Whole Lotta Love” has Led Zep’s rendition of Ricky Nelson’s early R&R hit, “Hello Marylu (Goodbye Heart)”. WOW! Turn it UP! Also on the same CD#3, the live cut of “Rock and Roll”! WOW! AGAIN!
The saddest song for me is the Eagles’ “Best of My Love”. Sad songs are like that, though. You have to relate to them in some way for them to be profoundly sad.
Sad—Ryan Adams & Norah Jones-”Dear John”
For me, the saddest songs would either be “The Dance” or “The Change”, both by Garth Brooks..
Here’s one for happy and/or exhilarating I LIKE BIG BUTTS!! Who is that by? Sir Mix-A-Lot or something like that? Even my 4 year old knows the first verse! Who can’t tap a foot to that song? LOL that song just cracks me up!!!!
most of these are pretty good but heres what i think-
2 saddest songs:
emotion by destiny’s child (i know the beegees originally sang it but i happen to like dc’s version better)
concrete angel by martina mcbride
(also angel by sarah mclauchlan)
2 most exhilarating : TWIST AND SHOUT by the beatles. cmon how could you possibly overlook that?
and party up by dmx
both fantastically exhilarating.
happiest:
good day sunshine by the beatles
and love generation by bob sinclair
most of these are pretty good but heres what i think-
2 saddest songs:
emotion by destiny’s child (i know the beegees originally sang it but i happen to like dc’s version better)
concrete angel by martina mcbride
(also angel by sarah mclauchlan)
2 most exhilarating : TWIST AND SHOUT by the beatles. cmon how could you possibly overlook that?
and party up by dmx
both fantastically exhilarating.
happiest:
good day sunshine by the beatles
and love generation by bob sinclair
SAD SONG ” TELL LAURA I LOVE HER”
saddest: I’ll be there by Escape Club
“I may have died,
but I’ve gone nowhere.
Just think of me
And I’ll be there.”
Sad: A few of my choices, which will give away my age…uh, not young…
– “Why” by Annie Lennox? Ladies – play this over & over after a break-up. Just the right tone of self-recrimination to be highly satisfying.
– Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven”. I agree with Rhonda – this is a heart-breaker.
– Luther Vandross doing “Dance With My Father.” Corny? Just try not to cry as you’re regretting missed familial opportunities.
Sad: A few of my choices, which will give away my age…uh, not young…
– “Why” by Annie Lennox? Ladies – play this over & over after a break-up. Just the right tone of self-recrimination to be highly satisfying.
– Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven”. I agree with Rhonda – this is a heart-breaker.
– Luther Vandross doing “Dance With My Father.” Corny? Just try not to cry as you’re regretting missed familial opportunities.
I was sitting in my car one day & my friend had put on a country & western station while he ran into a store and this song came on about an abused little girl that died called “Concrete Angel” by Martina McBride…I was sobbing when my friend came back out & i told him don’t ever put that station on again. Then my 75 year old grandmother asked me to download a song for her that was sung by Harry Belafonte called…”Take My Mother Home” If you ever wanna cry…just listen to the both of those songs.
happy – you can’t listen to “walking on sunshine” and be in a bad mood
also “does you mother know?” (by ABBA)
exhilerating – “thunderstruck” by AC/DC…c’mon!
“wherever i may roam” by Metallica
sad – “Last Kiss” (by STP (and an older group)) “Tell Laura I Love Her” (by ??) “Borderline” (by Chris Deburg)
“Teddy Bear” (by ??) “The Night I Fell Asleep at the Wheel” (by Barenaked Ladies) “Dreaming While You Sleep” (by Phil Collins) “The Lighthouse Song” (by Nickel Creek) “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (by Gordon Lightfoot)
“Please Come to Boston” (by ??) “Seasons in the Sun” (by Terry Jack)
What about REM’s “Everybody Hurts?” What is sadder than THAT song?!?
Sad: “Pictures of You” by The Cure
There are alot of really great sad songs but no one mentioned,
“Sometimes It Snows in April” by Prince
“The Baby” (country song dont remember the guys name who sings it)
Anything by Portishead will make you wanna slit your wrists …
ALSO I think that the song that someone mentioned that made people commit suicide is called Gloomy Sunday … it has been covered a million times by all kinds of artists. It was banned in the US for a while because alot of people committed suicide after listening to it. Spooky!
Try the original its by Nina Simone .. (I think)
Seems to be subjective, really.
Happy: Can’t Get Next to You – The Temptations
(The beat and the silliness always make me smile)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder
Exhilirating: What I Got – Sublime
Sad: Thank You – Led Zep, Send in the Clowns – Sinatra, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters – Elton John, Tangled Up In Blue – Bob Dylan, Tell Me What It Takes – Aerosmith.
Seems to be subjective, really.
Happy: Can’t Get Next to You – The Temptations
(The beat and the silliness always make me smile)
Signed, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie Wonder
Exhilirating: What I Got – Sublime
Sad: That’s The Way – Led Zep, Send in the Clowns – Sinatra, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters – Elton John, Tangled Up In Blue – Bob Dylan, Tell Me What It Takes – Aerosmith.
Allison Krausse ” stone angles” it’s about child abuse.The video is very poweful.
Celine ” good bye is the hardest word” about a daughter saying good bye to her mom.
I’m a huge Led Zeppelin fan, so after the 3:45 mark of “In My Time of Dying” strikes me as the most exhilirating 7 minutes caught on record. But the song that makes me happiest is “Cherry, Cherry” by Neil Diamond….or pretty much any of his Monkee hits.