Songs About Loss

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 3:21am

Sorry if it seems like a downer idea for a thread, but I recently lost a loved one and was thinking about musical songs about loss, but none came to mind for some reason.

[Nerwen]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 3:52am

Sorry for you loss, to my mind comes "dyin´ ain´t so bad" Bonny and Clyde and "With you" from Ghost.

Updated On: 4/17/14 at 03:52 AM

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 5:23am

So sorry about your loss.

My best friend passed away almost two years ago and here are some songs that usually remind me of him (I'm very emotional and when things happen, I like to cry it out, so I'm sorry if these seem to sad/sensitive):

Always Better - The Bridges of Madison County
How It Ends - Big Fish
All of "The Letter"'s that appear in Billy Elliot
Finale- Les Mis
I'll Cover You (reprise)- RENT
Children and Art -Sunday In the Park With George (this is a weird one to chose, but it reminds me that people DO leave legacies and people will remember you, no matter if it's in the shape of art or a letter or spoken words)

I will try and come up with some more when I get home from work today. I know how healing music can be.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 5:30am

"Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again" - Phantom of the Opera

"How It Ends" - Big Fish

"You'll Never Walk Alone " - Carousel

[After Eight]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 6:43am

Very sorry for your loss.

A song about loss and remembrance: "My Little Lost Girl" from Christine.

[NeverSoShy]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 7:27am

Sorry about your loss.
The cast recording isn't out yet, but Learn to Live Without and Always Starting Over from If/Then definitely struck a chord in the show.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 8:32am

But You Go On - Annie Warbucks

[LYLS3637]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 9:03am

So sorry

The last two songs from SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD ("Flying Home" and "Hear My Song") really pack a punch.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 9:34am

Parade has some of the most exquisitely sad songs ever written for the theatre, specifically It Don't Make Sense and My Child Will Forgive Me.

[ethan231h]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 9:39am

Alabanza- In the heights

Morning Glow- Pippin

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 9:40am

So sorry for your loss.

"What Would I Do?" from FALSETTOS

"50%" and "Before the Parade Passes By" are about coming out of mourning.

Updated On: 4/17/14 at 09:40 AM

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 9:43am

"Those You've Known" and "Left Behind" came to mind.

Sorry for your loss.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 10:34am

Very sorry for your loss. I know how it feels, I lost my uncle about 2 months ago.

"No One Is Alone" from INTO THE WOODS

[Queen of the Night]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 10:38am

"For Good" from Wicked always seemed like a good song about saying goodbye and cherishing the memories of someone you love who has gone.

[Brave Sir Robin2]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 11:28am

My personal favorite is When The Earth Stopped Turning by William Finn. Sending you lots of love and light in this time.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 12:35pm

"Yard Sale" - Sammy Kershaw

[dreamz]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 2:46pm

Sorry for you loss "Fallen Angel" - Jersey Boys

[Steve721]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 3:51pm

There is a vid on youtube of Steven Pasquale singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" at Miscast 2014. It's quite amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVQLZQpQN0w

[Queen of the Night]

Posted: 4/17/14 at 10:55pm

Here's another really beautiful one: "How could I ever know?" from The Secret Garden. Hopefully these songs and our thoughts of sympathy help comfort you in your time of sorrow.



Updated On: 4/17/14 at 10:55 PM

[GlitterandBeGay2]

Posted: 4/18/14 at 10:08am

Thank you for starting this thread, Mr. Nowack. I recently lost my mother to cancer and wanted to ask the members here for help in compiling a grief playlist (because funny/happy songs are the last thing to offer one comfort at this time) but never got to it. Many of the songs I did eventually think of were based off memories of cast recordings and shows I've seen that dealt with some form of loss. The good people here have already mentioned "You'll Never Walk Alone" from Carousel, "No One Is Alone" from Into the Woods, and "How Could I Ever Know?" from The Secret Garden. "No One Is Alone" is the one that gets to me most because the lyrics are no longer just about the baker's wife but about my own parent who can no longer guide me. Another beautiful song is "Some Things Are Meant to Be" from Little Women (the Sutton Foster version). A local theater did a revue recently that included the song performed out of context. I think I only listened to the cast recording once about a decade ago and only remembered "Astonishing" from the score because of Sutton's TV performances. Anyhow, stripped to just its lyrics, "Some Things" in the theater became a dialogue about accepting the eventual death of a loved one and permission to let her/him go. It is a conversation I wish I could have had with my mom. There are some really gorgeously sung versions on YouTube that I prefer to listen to over the Broadway cast recording. All the best with your healing!



Updated On: 4/18/14 at 10:08 AM

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 4/18/14 at 4:18pm

Another beautiful song from Little Women dealing with loss is "Days of Plenty."

My condolences for your loss. Find strength in joyous memories. Xo.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 8/3/20 at 1:59pm

Sorry to revive a 6 year-old thread, but I've been thinking about this a lot with COVID and the upcoming Jewish High Holidays, where we remember those we have lost. I'd love to hear more of your ideas for songs about loss - of life, of jobs, of normalcy, of health. Thanks in advance.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 8/3/20 at 2:32pm

Three of my favorites are always "All The Wasted Time" from Parade, "I Am The One" from Next To Normal, and "The Music Still Plays On" from A New Brain.

And for something with a completely different tone (comedic) but still about lamenting their losses (the girl, the money, etc.), while I wasn't the hugest fan of the show overall, I love the final number in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels".

[Alex Kulak2]

Posted: 8/3/20 at 2:51pm

"It's Quiet Uptown" and "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" from Hamilton.

"Left Behind" from Spring Awakening.

William Finn is the king of songs about loss. "When the Earth Stopped Turning", "What Would I Do", his entire Elegies song cycle.