Classic Western songs with tear-jerking lyrics. Heartfelt message songs from around the world.
With Western music, we often imagine the meaning of the lyrics just from the melody, but when you look up the words, you’ll often find a world far deeper than you expected.
This time, I’ve gathered songs with lyrics that are especially moving—real tearjerkers—among such Western tracks.
Looking up translated versions is great, but I also recommend deciphering them yourself with a dictionary in hand—it deepens your understanding.
Masterpieces of Western music with tear-jerking lyrics: Heartfelt global message songs (1–10)
Thinking Out LoudEd Sheeran
This song, which sings about the wish to be taken to the one you love, naturally draws a lot of attention for its moving lyrics.
It’s also famous as a classic love song and is well known for being used in wedding productions.
Many people have surely been moved by its message.
Just The Way You AreBruno Mars
A song by Bruno Mars, a petite, playful romantic from Hawaii.
The lyrics themselves are classic to the point of being cheesy, but when carried by Bruno Mars’s voice, they overflow with a different kind of charm.
His husky, clear, soaring vocals make it sound like a straightforward, sincere love for his partner.
See You Again ft. Charlie PuthWiz Khalifa
This is a gem of a ballad infused with feelings of friendship that pierce the heart.
The moving collaboration by American rapper Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth beautifully sings of the sorrow of losing someone close and the hope of reunion.
Created in March 2015 as the theme song for the film Furious 7, it also serves as a tribute to the late Paul Walker.
The song set an astonishing record by topping the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks, bringing tears to people around the world.
It’s especially recommended for those who have experienced parting from someone dear, or who wish to reaffirm the bonds with family and friends.
I Want It That WayBackstreet Boys
It was released as the lead single from the 2001 album Millennium.
The song is by the five-member American pop idol group Backstreet Boys.
While they had been popular in Europe, this track became the catalyst that ignited their popularity in their home country.
It’s a quintessential pop song of the ’90s that wistfully portrays the misunderstandings caused by differences in how men and women think.
All of MeJohn Legend
The ultimate love ballad that sings of unconditional love for a cherished partner continues to move the hearts of many.
This song, dedicated by American artist John Legend to his now wife Chrissy Teigen, portrays a deep affection that cherishes even a partner’s perfect imperfections.
Set to a simple piano melody, the lyrics express an ideal form of love in which two people fully accept each other, stirring listeners’ emotions.
Released as a single in August 2013, it became a massive hit, reaching No.
1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following year.
Beloved by couples around the world, it remains a go-to song to enrich special moments with loved ones, such as weddings and anniversaries.
Don’t Look Back In AngerOasis
Oasis, the Manchester-born band that made their name resound across the globe as a standard-bearer of Britpop, released a classic song in February 1996 that delivers an uplifting message of hope and resonates deeply with the heart.
This track, the first to feature Noel Gallagher as lead vocalist, sings about letting go of past anger and hate and moving forward toward a brighter future.
Beginning with a beautiful piano intro heavily influenced by the Beatles and building into a majestic chorus, the song’s structure is breathtaking.
It debuted at number one in the UK and later became a symbol of solidarity and hope in the midst of sorrow when it was sung at a memorial gathering after the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack.
I Don’t Want to Miss a ThingAerosmith
This ballad, which sings of boundless feelings for a loved one, is a moving piece that expresses deep affection for moments you never want to let slip by—not even for an instant.
The pure desire to keep gazing at someone, even at the expense of sleep, resonates through the powerful vocals of the American rock band Aerosmith.
Released in 1998 as the theme song for the film Armageddon, it became the band’s first U.
S.
No.
1 hit, holding the top spot for four consecutive weeks.
Its emotional connection with the film’s portrayal of a father–daughter bond gives it a universality that can be felt not only as romantic love but also as love for family.
It’s a song I highly recommend to anyone who wants to savor time with someone precious or who is approaching a milestone in life.