David Byrne's new playlist will make you cry — or it should, according to him.
Byrne has been sharing his monthly themed playlists for a while — "Under the Covers" and "I Am My Own Algorithm" are a couple of gems — and today he's dropped "Songs That Make Me Cry," a playlist chock full of tear-jerkers to ring in our collective Sad Girl Autumn.
About the playlist, Byrne writes:
No surprise, a fair number of country and alt country songs here. But there are also some heartbreaking soul songs, some contemporary RnB, dance pop and some contemporary singer songwriters. Obviously, to have this effect on us, the song and delivery have to connect to us in ways we can relate to — a tragic accident is not affecting, but a tragic accident that happens as a vet is driving to a reunion with his wife and child, now THAT'S heartbreaking. Dreams within reach, visible, graspable, but then dashed to a thousand pieces. A small business goes bankrupt, not so moving, but the owner being a refugee who overcame impossible odds to achieve this dream -- only to have it snatched away by a rapacious landlord... Now, we're more engaged. Maybe it's the specifics that pull us in?
Why do we like this? Why do we luxuriate in sadness and heartbreak? I'll bet there are way more tragic and melancholy songs than happy ones. Does it somehow paradoxically make us feel better to connect and feel the ache?
The playlist includes songs by Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Arcade Fire, Lorde, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Hot Chip, Patsy Cline, Robyn, Lou Reed, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Beyonce, Neko Case, Willie Nelson, John Lennon, Billie Eilish, Sharon Van Etten, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Gillian Welch and more.
Listen below or over at davidbyrne.com.
David Byrne's "Songs That Make Me Cry" Playlist:
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Emmylou Harris - Boulder to Birmingham
Lucinda Williams - Am I Too Blue
Emmylou Harris— Red Dirt Girl
Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Heart Like a Wheel
Teddy Thompson Down Low
Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Go Leave
Lucinda Williams - Sweet Old World
James Carr - The Dark End of the Street
Gillian Welch - Orphan Girl
Ry Cooder - Across the Borderline
Mary Margaret O'Hara - To Cry About
Jane Siberry - Calling All Angels (Remix Version)
Solomon Burke - That's How I Got To Memphis
Lou Reed - Caroline Says II
John Cale - I Keep a Close Watch
Joan As Police Woman - To Be Lonely
Chocolate Genius - My Mom
Doveman - The Best Thing
Camille - Home is Where It Hurts
Arcade Fire - My Body Is a Cage
Lorde - Tennis Court
Neko Case - Nearly Midnight, Honolulu
Stina Nordenstam - Else in the World
Michael Kiwanuka - I'm Getting Ready
Sinkane - Ya Sudan
Joni Mitchell - River
Jane Siberry - Love Is Everything
Lorde - Green Light
Sam Dew - Desperately
Taylor Swift - exile (feat. Bon Iver)
Joni Mitchell - The Last Time I Saw Richard
Willie Nelson - You Don't Know Me
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today
The Little Willies - Permanently Lonely
Teddy Thompson - Don't Ask Me to Be Friends
Willie Nelson - Just Walkin' Out the Door
Dolly Parton - I Will Always Love You
Merle Haggard & The Strangers - I Threw Away the Rose
Patsy Cline - Why Can't He Be You
Beyonce - Pray You Catch Me
John Lennon - Mother (Ultimate Mix)
Billie Eilish - everything i wanted
Sharon Van Etten - Some Things Last a Long Time
Lou Reed - Sad Song
Sasha Sloan - Older
Gillian Welch - Paper Wings
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - La Vita
Robyn - Dancing on My Own
James Blake - A Case of You
Byrne has been sharing his monthly themed playlists for a while — "Under the Covers" and "I Am My Own Algorithm" are a couple of gems — and today he's dropped "Songs That Make Me Cry," a playlist chock full of tear-jerkers to ring in our collective Sad Girl Autumn.
About the playlist, Byrne writes:
No surprise, a fair number of country and alt country songs here. But there are also some heartbreaking soul songs, some contemporary RnB, dance pop and some contemporary singer songwriters. Obviously, to have this effect on us, the song and delivery have to connect to us in ways we can relate to — a tragic accident is not affecting, but a tragic accident that happens as a vet is driving to a reunion with his wife and child, now THAT'S heartbreaking. Dreams within reach, visible, graspable, but then dashed to a thousand pieces. A small business goes bankrupt, not so moving, but the owner being a refugee who overcame impossible odds to achieve this dream -- only to have it snatched away by a rapacious landlord... Now, we're more engaged. Maybe it's the specifics that pull us in?
Why do we like this? Why do we luxuriate in sadness and heartbreak? I'll bet there are way more tragic and melancholy songs than happy ones. Does it somehow paradoxically make us feel better to connect and feel the ache?
The playlist includes songs by Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Arcade Fire, Lorde, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton, Joni Mitchell, Hot Chip, Patsy Cline, Robyn, Lou Reed, Mary Margaret O'Hara, Beyonce, Neko Case, Willie Nelson, John Lennon, Billie Eilish, Sharon Van Etten, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Gillian Welch and more.
Listen below or over at davidbyrne.com.
David Byrne's "Songs That Make Me Cry" Playlist:
Hot Chip - Made in the Dark
Emmylou Harris - Boulder to Birmingham
Lucinda Williams - Am I Too Blue
Emmylou Harris— Red Dirt Girl
Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Heart Like a Wheel
Teddy Thompson Down Low
Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Go Leave
Lucinda Williams - Sweet Old World
James Carr - The Dark End of the Street
Gillian Welch - Orphan Girl
Ry Cooder - Across the Borderline
Mary Margaret O'Hara - To Cry About
Jane Siberry - Calling All Angels (Remix Version)
Solomon Burke - That's How I Got To Memphis
Lou Reed - Caroline Says II
John Cale - I Keep a Close Watch
Joan As Police Woman - To Be Lonely
Chocolate Genius - My Mom
Doveman - The Best Thing
Camille - Home is Where It Hurts
Arcade Fire - My Body Is a Cage
Lorde - Tennis Court
Neko Case - Nearly Midnight, Honolulu
Stina Nordenstam - Else in the World
Michael Kiwanuka - I'm Getting Ready
Sinkane - Ya Sudan
Joni Mitchell - River
Jane Siberry - Love Is Everything
Lorde - Green Light
Sam Dew - Desperately
Taylor Swift - exile (feat. Bon Iver)
Joni Mitchell - The Last Time I Saw Richard
Willie Nelson - You Don't Know Me
George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today
The Little Willies - Permanently Lonely
Teddy Thompson - Don't Ask Me to Be Friends
Willie Nelson - Just Walkin' Out the Door
Dolly Parton - I Will Always Love You
Merle Haggard & The Strangers - I Threw Away the Rose
Patsy Cline - Why Can't He Be You
Beyonce - Pray You Catch Me
John Lennon - Mother (Ultimate Mix)
Billie Eilish - everything i wanted
Sharon Van Etten - Some Things Last a Long Time
Lou Reed - Sad Song
Sasha Sloan - Older
Gillian Welch - Paper Wings
Beverly Glenn-Copeland - La Vita
Robyn - Dancing on My Own
James Blake - A Case of You
