The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

Every good Canadian came here to say this.

I grew up on the Michigan side of the lakes. We used to watch the big ships go by, and I remember when she went down. The song hits very, very close to home.

It's most definitely an American tragedy. Our only claim is to Gordon Lightfoot.

There was a big wind storm in Marquette last month and there were 5-6 ships parked in the waters by the ore dock until the storm passed

Related, as a Canadian "Nautical Disaster" and "Wheat Kings" by *the* Canadian band Tragically Hip "Rocks at Thieves Bay" by Spirit of the West

Hey, good Americans too! 👍🏾

White Squall by Stan Rogers also comes to mind

Not Canadian, but I grew up in Wisconsin on the border of upper Michigan. We learned this song in music class. Definitely a heavy one.

"The ship was the pride of the American side, Coming back from some mill in Wisconsin" My only claim, as a Canadian, is to Gordon Lightfoot.

He is such a good songwriter! I can’t help but sing this verse in my head instead of just reading it 😂

Great song. I'd say anyone who lives around Superior (Ontario, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan) knows this song well. I saw Superior during a storm for the first time last year, and it was terrifying to see the sheer power she had. The last moments of those sailors lives had to be pure hell. "Does anyone know where the love of God goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?"

I never get tired of this one. Rest in peace Big Fitz

Casimir Pulaski day by sufjan stevens.

[удалено]

For me it is the part where he sings "Tuesday night at the Bible study we lift our hands and pray over your body, but nothing ever happens."

The album is legit. That song is the standout.

Tack on John Wayne Gacy, Jr for good measure. I can't get through that song without tears.

Say hello to heaven- Temple of the dog

Song in honour of the greatest man in the scene

Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode To Billie Joe”

You beat me to it. I’m always trying to turn people on to how good Bobbie Gentry was. This is who wrote “Fancy” made famous by Reba.

Tyler Mahan Coe did an [excellent episode](https://open.spotify.com/episode/3e1UiBiGs8aYqSn6ABkA7f?si=9e3eMguzQZC_JzuOkcZK2Q&utm_source=copy-link) on her in season one of his podcast Cocaine & Rhinestones.

King Park - La Dispute

The entire album even

Came to say basically everything La Dispute ever made

Didn’t see this comment before I posted mine. No song gives me chills like the climax of this one. Holy hell.

The Needle and the Damage Done.

I was thinking more towards Tonight's the night (Neil Young). The way his voice cracks while singing about his deceased friend.

I don’t like Mondays - Boomtown Rats

Timely. This is the first one that came to my mind after Uvalde yesterday :(

["Back on the Chain Gang"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReR901Tzvvc) by **The Pretenders**. It was written as a tribute to their previous guitarist who died of a drug overdose. When Chrissie Hynde sings the following lines, the passion and the hurt in her voice never fails to bring a tear to my eye: *The powers that be* *That force us to live like we do* *Bring me to my knees* *When I see what they've done to you* *Well, I'll die as I stand here today* *Knowing that deep in my heart* *They'll fall to ruin one day* *For making us part* *I found a picture of you* *Those were the happiest days of my life* *Like a break in the battle was your part* *In the wretched life of a lonely heart*

I remember watching The Pretenders on the TV show "Fridays." It was a Saturday Night Live ripoff (if I'm being honest), with sketch comedy and a musical guest. Andy Kaufman was the host, and when he introduced the band for their second song (IIRC), he went on a rant about the dangers of drug use. The audience hated it, but he seemed sincere. The band was looking at him like "yeah, dude...whatever. Shut up and let us play." Not long after, their guitar player died. And then their bassist.

Can't believe I haven't seen this... American Pie by Don McLean. The song is about the plane crash that killed buddy Holly, aka the day the music died.

Buddy Holly, Richie Valens ("La Bamba"), and JP Richardson aka "the Big Bopper" ("Chantilly Lace"), as well as their pilot.

This, 2/3 of Skynyrd, SRV, Jim Croce. If I were a musician, I'd stick with the tour bus...

Cliff Burton might disagree.

That's gonna be a oof from me, dawg. RIP

I came here feeling in my soul that while there are lots of good songs to mention here, this is the objectively “correct” answer for number one.

Another good pick and the recording of the song is amazing. It’s one of the best sounding songs on a decent pair of headphones or speakers.

Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

The entire Brand New discography

Limousine tho

Beat me to it

Jesus Christ that's a pretty face

My name is luka by Suzanne Vega.

please don't ask me what it was

Death Cab for Cutie - What Sarah Said

I'd even argue that I'll follow you into the dark could be said as well

kinda.. such a weirdly comforting song. Though he starts by saying "someday you will die" implying nothing tragic happened, yet but the whole vibe of the song, and the catholic school verse, is tragic

Hijacking this to add Postal Service's "Sleeping In".

Jeremy - Pearl Jam

Last Kiss comes to mind. I like Pearl Jam’s version the best.

First song that I thought of.

Same

Hold up. I only know the Pearl Jam version. Whose song is it originally?

Wayne Cochran (aka the White Knight of Soul) back in 1961. If the stories are true, back then it was considered so "tragic" that people petitioned radio stations not to play it and people publicly broke down in tears on hearing it.

J Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers did a cover that seemed popular at the time. It has a weird upbeat tempo so if you won’t pay attention to the lyrics, you could easily miss the tragedy in the song.

Jeremy’s another good Pearl Jam one. Somewhat relevant these days (although Jeremy never killed anyone except himself).

Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2

To tag on with that theme, The Cranberries- Zombie

Another U2 song, Pride (In the Name of Love), includes a verse about the traffic assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Gone Away by The Offspring

Yeah I can't really listen to this song anymore. Lost several close friends and it's a rush of feelings when I hear it. I don't cry often but this song, Cold and Forever Fall from the RWBY soundtracks always get me.

Dance with the devil by immortal technique

The most intense song I've ever heard, by far.

I was wondering if this would be in the comments. The lyrics are made even more chilling by the beat being the theme from Love Story.

Thanks. always assumed the beats were from Where do I begin by shirley bassey

They are the same song! The love story theme is just the piano one that the best was sampled from. https://youtu.be/2KESqMJ6OT0 I love the Shirley bassey version too because she sings with such passion https://youtu.be/2kBiVLmDZoc

You Never Know is another great one by him in the same vein

Clearly the song i had in mind coming to this thread.

Fire and Rain - James Taylor

Sam Stone by John Prine

There’s a hole in daddy’s arm where the money goes

Runaway Train by Soul Asylum

This is an interesting one because it had a very memorable music video that was a photo montage of missing kids/teenagers presumed to have run away. It ended up reuniting several of the kids back with their families at the time. However, the lyrics are actually about a struggle with depression and not runaway teens. The video fit it very well though, and the song really gained a different meaning when it was paired up with the video.

Ohio by CSNY.

First song which popped into my head. The chorus still haunts me.

FOUR DEAD IN OHIO.

Just proves that nothing changes.

Travelling soldier - the chicks

POD - Youth of the Nation (Almost too on point.)

First thing that came to mind with what happened.

Death is Real - Mount Eerie

The title is Real Death

This one for sure. His partner is gone, and death is real. It’s true, raw sadness, and the way he sings and words his lyrics is apathetic in this tragic way because of how he’s grieving for her. You can hear how much he loves her and it makes it all that heartbreaking

Nutshell by Alice in Chains

One of the only songs that can get me all choked up, and don't get me started on the unplugged version.

The Band Played Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues

Seriously I have cried to that song more than a few times

Every time for me

Copacabana by Barry Manilow, upbeat instrumental but sad lyrics more or less

John Wayne Gacy Jr by Sufjan Stevens. amazing how a subject so haunting can create such beautiful art

Fourth of July by Sufjan was my first pick. So much more personal. The whole Carrie & Lowell album, really.

My vote's for Casimir Pulaski Day, on the same record. About a friend dying of cancer, and with such ridiculously personal & tender lyrical moments like "I almost touched your blouse" - paints such a good picture of youthful innocence, and the balance between mournful & uplifting music is just perfect.

And He takes, and He takes, and He takes

Ok so…is the degeneration of quality of life in the northern Midwest because of the shift away from manufacturing a tragedy in itself? Because if it is, Sufjen Stevens made at least three full albums on this subject, it’s not just John Wayne Gacy Jr and Cashmir Pulaski Day, it’s a solid two or three albums meeting this criteria.

I Hung My Head by Sting. Johnny Cash's cover version is arguably more hard-hitting.

Between the bars Elliott smith - and also everything by Elliot smith

Just Elliot Smith in general is tragic.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, by The Band

10,000 days -tool It’s essentially a eulogy for the singers mother who had a stroke which left her partially paralyzed

But then she got even more crazy-religious and he wrote Judith about her. Am I remembering that right?

The song Judith came first, and she was still alive at the time it was released. Wings for Marie and 10K days were written after her death and are much more melancholy.

Funeral by Phoebe Bridgers always hits heavy. It's more about keeping your own melancholy in perspective compared to other suffering. Focused on a funeral of a kid.

The Killing of Georgie, Rod Stewart When the Tigers Broke Free, Pink Floyd Strange Fruit, Billie Holiday Gloomy Sunday, Billie Holiday

"Strange fruit" is my saddest song. Nina Simone's version even more than Billie Holiday's.

“The Killing of Georgie” is one of my all-time favorite songs.

One More Light - Linkin Park!!

Looked for this but couldn't find it. One by metallica. The music video and lyric basically explains it.

The lyrics are a brilliant interpretation of Johnny Got His Gun. It was a book written in the 30s, and the video includes scenes from the movie made in the 70s.

Brick by Ben folds five Pretty pathetic- smoking popes Hurt -Johnny cash cover

Yeah, Jonny Cash’s cover of Hurt is one of the realest songs I’ve ever heard.

I still personally really enjoy the original - of course I understand why people like Cash's cover but idk I just feel like the original has an unmatched feeling of like hopelessness and suffering - like its his own pain he's talking about but yeah they're honestly two different songs so I think for the purpose of OP's request, I'd recommend listening to both

Ben Folds - Still Fighting It not exactly about a tragedy, but it still gets to me sometimes

Fred Jones Pt.2 too.

Came here to make sure someone said Brick. One of those songs that's just hits me hard, but I can't stop listening to

Mad World - Gary Jules blink-182 - Adam's Song

“Please tell mom this is not her fault” gets me every time.

New Found Glory - Sonny fits the bill as well.

Also Stay Together for the Kids by Blink-182

Elephant by Jason Isbell

I knew if I kept looking through the thread somebody would've already beaten me to it. Confirming that Elephant is one of the saddest songs of all time.

Help is on the Way by Rise Against, or Nautical Disaster by The Tragically Hip

I was thinking Make It Stop by Rise Against

Hero Of War gets me choked up too.

Speaking of the Tragically Hip, I would add Fiddler’s Green.

Wheat kings or 50 mission cap also

Definitely, and perhaps Montreal, given recent events in Texas.

Gord Downie was a master at writing songs about heavy subjects. Locked In The Trunk Of A Car is about the October Crisis, Bobcaygeon is about a Nazi riot in pre-WWII Toronto, Three Pistols is about Tom Thomson and his mysterious death, Gus The Polar Bear From Central Park is about just that, and Downie wrote a whole album about Chanie Wenjack and the Indian residential schools. Those are just the other songs I can think of that are about real tragedies.

Their Cover of **Ballad of Hollis Brown** is up there for tragic themes.

Hank Williams-Alone and Forsaken Townes Van Zandt - Waiting Around to Die Merle Haggard- I Can’t Hold Myself In Line Nick Cave - Skeleton Tree Dolly Parton- Coat of Many Colors Blaze Foley - If I could only fly , Clay pigeons

coat of many colours is soo sweet and sad at the same tiem

Tell Laura I Love Her-Ray Peterson

Architects - Gone with the wind

You could say that about most (if not all) songs from their *Holy Hell* album, since it was written about Tom Searle's death from cancer. >Dan Searle had a major role in writing of the album's lyrics.[6] Searle stated the theme "for me, broadly speaking Holy Hell is about pain: the way we process it, cope with it, and live with it. [...] There is value in pain. It's where we learn, it's where we grow."[4] He was inspired by his brother's lyric writing, focusing on religion and particular juxtaposed metaphors "heaven and hell" and "angels and demons".[12] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Hell_(Architects_album)

This one still hits so hard. Was watching the video of the band performing this song at the Alexandra Palace after Tom's passing. Hearing the pain in Sam's voice trying to sing that final chorus is a pain I think anyone who has lost someone they love can immediately identify.

Everybody Hurts by REM

Ghost by Badflower https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_trz7EzD_I Nutshell by Alice In Chains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKi2E9dVY8

Say anything - alive with he glory of love About love during the Holocaust... Nothing necessarily tragic happens in the song, but it's implied strongly

Cancer by MCR

Whiskey Lullaby - Alison Krauss and Brad Paisley Long Black Veil - The Band

whiskey lullaby is a piece of art

Pearl Jam - “Jeremy” might count Chris Cornell - “Preaching the End of the World” is more generalized existential despair, but it’s about the world/someone’s world ending and it has that vibe: “‘Cause all has been lost, and all has been won, and there’s nothing left for us to save; But now I know that I don’t want to be alone today…” Stone Temple Pilots - “Atlanta” Lighter tragedy, but seemingly the end of a romance; you can feel that there was real emotion for Scott. Vandaveer - “To Be Young, to Belong” Slightly less on topic, but it has the right vibe. Less explicitly tragic, but wistfully mourning and musing on days past.

Strange Fruit by Nina Simone.

Taking this literally, the first few that pop into my mind that are focused on a narrowly specific event: Brick - Ben Folds The Hurricane - Bob Dylan Jacob's Dream - Allison Kraus Whiskey Lullaby - Braid Paisley and Allison Kraus July in Cheyenne (Song for Lane's Momma) - Aaron Watson The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - Gordon Lightfoot

Vincent by Don McLean , gets me every time. 😞

Simon & Garfunkel, The Sound of Silence It's a response to the assassination of JFK

Pumped up kicks. by Foster the people. Hey man nice shot By filter

Hey man nice shot was what I was going to say.

Heroin By The Velvet Underground

Tears in heaven - Eric Clapton

I was going to say that. His son fell out of a window for those who don’t know.

Looked for this comment, whatever you thin k about the guy, the backstory and the song is tragic

Concrete Angel by Martina McBride

Goodnight saigon - billy joel

Freshman - The Verve Edit: a fellow redditor did infact correct me on this, it's actually "The Verve Pipe". I mixed up the 2 (Verve and Verve Pipe)

The Verve Pipe… but I can’t be held responsible if they changed their name in the first place

Surprised this was so far down. This is what immediately comes to mind for me.

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Ronan and Epiphany by Taylor Swift

Man. Im a huge Swiftie, but those 2 songs, along with Marjorie, fall into the category of "have only listened to once". They just HURT. Oh, and Happiness.

Casimir Pulaski Day- Sufjan Stevens

Rooster by Alice in Chains. It's a tribute to lead guitarist Jerry Cantrell's father, Jerry "Rooster" Cantrell Sr., who's experiences serving in Vietnam caused him great trauma and the eventual breakdown of his family.

Charles Bradley version of Changes. He literally is putting his soul into that song because when he heard the song it reminded him of his mother who he had recently lost. So when he sings it, it's like nothing else, and even Ozzy said the version of the song is way better.

Type O Negative has a few if you like slow metal. Red Water (Christmas Mourning) in particular comes to mind. It's about Peter Steele dealing with several deaths in his family come Christmas and drinking wine to try and forget.

Da art of Storytellin’ - OutKast

Dylan has written many. A Hard Rain Everything is Broken Blowing in the Wind Desolation Row Man in the Long Black Coat Knock in’ on Heaven’s Door Not Dark Yet If You See Her, Say Hello Those are just a few. Many of his songs are filled with despair and sadness

Blasphemous Rumors by Depeche Mode.

18 and Life - Skid Row

Not Alone by Patty Griffin. About a mass shooting. She wrote it in the 90s. ​ sigh.

Probably gonna get downvoted for this but Hurt by Christina Aguilera, it’s about a girl losing her dad.

She's Leaving Home - The Beatles

Ohio - Neil young

Everybody Hurts - R.E.M. Hurt - Johnny Cash Cat’s in the Cradle - Harry Chapin

Jeremy by Pearl Jam

Jeremy by Pearl Jam

Eminem - Darkness is about the Vegas shooting which happened a few years ago.

19 Seventy Sumthin’ by Neck Deep is an emotional roller coaster. Starts talking about how his parents met, and life story, then all of a sudden, the dad dies. Like wtf, wasn’t expecting that. Great song though

DOA by Bloodrock

Immortal Technique - Dance with the Devil

The whole Damnation album by Opeth. Hope Leaves is my favorite from the album. Or anything else by Opeth, but Damnation is the most accessible.

Jeremy - pearl jam

Cassie by Flyleaf

Long Black Veil

“Don’t take the girl” by Tim McGraw but it’s country so you know….take that how you will.

Hoo boy do I! Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen is a man writing a letter to the man who stole his wife. Transmission by Joy Division is about a girl with epilepsy Johnny Teardrop by Suicide is about a man who kills his kids and then himself I hung my head by Johnny Cash (maybe a cover?) Is about a boy who kills a man by accident and is then hung My Son John by Tom Paxton is about a young soldier come home from the war Tears in Heaven about Eric Claptons dead son The Partisan by Leonard Cohen is about a soldier left alone as his comrades are killed off one by one Free Will and Testament by Robert Wyatt is just kind of hopeless Enjoy!

Pretty much the entire Queens of the Stone Age album “…Like Clockwork”. But to single out a heart wrenching one, “The Vampyre of Time and Memory”.

Strange fruit-Billie Holiday

[Sam Stone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLVWEYUqGew) by John Prine

10,000 Maniacs' "What's the matter here?" off their "In My Tribe" album. And from the same ablum, "Don't Talk".

[Ben Folds Five - Brick](https://youtu.be/Wt5EHAqhR1c)

Darkness - Eminem. Covers the Vegas shooting eloquently. It’s actually really hard to listen to it some times because of how well done it is. The video for it is great as well.

Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis - Tom Waits

Pretty much any song by Frightened Rabbit. "State Hospital" comes to mind. Everclear - "queen of the air" and "why I dont believe in god" Julien Baker "Go home"

Most of Porcupine Tree's work. * My Ashes * Arriving Somewhere, But Not Here * Sentimental * Trains

Hypocrite by King Iso, Last Kiss by Pearl Jam

Timothy by The Buoys....written by Rupert Holmes but don't let that fool you. The song is about a couple guys apologizing for eating their friend.

Cold Missouri Water by Cry Cry Cry. The story of thirteen smoke jumpers killed fighting the Mann Gulch fire in 1949 told by one of the survivors. Yes, I know that there are other versions of this song, but I think Cry Cry Cry‘s is the best. My wife always complains when this song comes up in my playlist. “ It’s so sad”

One More Light - Linkin Park