Tear-jerking Western songs: recommended classics and popular tracks

The Killing MoonEcho & the Bunnymen

Echo & The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon (Official Music Video)

In the 1980s, when new wave was at its peak in the UK, Echo & the Bunnymen were a leading band in the scene known as neo-psychedelia.

They later influenced groups like Coldplay, and their legacy continues in today’s music.

“The Killing Moon” is a song that embodies the precarious, eerie worldview of neo-psyche.

It’s a classic you’ll want to listen to quietly on your own on a beautiful moonlit night.

Candle In The WindElton John

Candle In The Wind (Live At Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia / 1986)

This is a number released in 1974 as a song dedicated to Norma Jean—Marilyn Monroe.

It was also released as a single in 1997 to commemorate the late Princess Diana, who died unexpectedly, bringing the song back into the spotlight.

Elton John’s distinctive world, reminiscent of “Your Song,” resonates captivatingly.

Everybody HurtsR.E.M.

R. E. M. – Everybody Hurts (Live at Glastonbury 2003) HQ

They say that whenever overseas web media put together features on sad songs, this track—Everybody Hurts—always makes the list.

It’s included on the hit album Automatic for the People, which also won a Grammy.

While the album as a whole carries a heavy tone, this song has a gentle quality that quietly envelops the listener.

Pale Blue EyesThe Velvet Underground

Velvet Underground – Pale Blue Eyes

It’s a track from the Velvet Underground’s third album, the legendary band that was active in New York in the 1960s.

It’s a song about unrequited love, said to reflect the candid feelings of its writer, Lou Reed.

A classic that has been covered by multiple artists.