[Bereavement Song] To you, my precious one whom I can no longer meet. Tear-jerking songs about death
I thought it was only natural for you to be by my side, but one day you suddenly disappeared…
If you’ve experienced the death of someone dear, you probably can’t help but feel, “No matter how much time passes, I can’t forget,” and “I wish I could see them once more.”
At the same time, you might be trying to move forward by putting a lid on your grief and forcing yourself to face ahead.
In this article, we introduce songs themed around “death,” told from a variety of perspectives.
Surely there will be a song that stays close to your sorrow.
When times are hard, please give them a listen.
- [Songs of Bereavement] Songs about losing a loved one. Tracks to listen to while thinking of someone dear
- [Memorial Song] A moving classic and love song dedicated to a beloved person embarking on a journey to heaven
- A song I want people who have lost a beloved partner to listen to
- [Tearjerker] Songs that make your heart tremble with tears & moving tracks with lyrics that touch the soul
- Songs to Play at My Own Funeral: Timeless Gems to Make Farewells Uniquely My Own
- A song about losing a friend: bereavement, betrayal, and separation.
- [Music Funeral] BGM to Remember the Deceased | Spotlight on Requiems and Dirges Praying for Peace
- [So touching it makes you cry] A heartbreakingly wistful and sad song that tightens your chest
- [Dark Songs] A carefully curated selection of deeply dark tracks and heartbreaking songs that accompany you in tough times
- “I Want to See You”: A love song that makes you cry when you listen to it while you can’t meet
- Love, bonds, parting, cheers… songs so moving they pierce the heart and make you cry uncontrollably
- [Thank You] A classic song expressing gratitude to one’s parents. A number loved across generations.
- Farewell Song: A goodbye song. A tearful parting song.
[Bereavement Songs] To you, my precious one I can no longer meet. Tear-jerking songs about death (71–80)
I miss youHayashibe Satoshi
Triggered by an appearance on a music program, Satoshi Hayashibe made his major-label debut.
His first single is “Aitai.” It’s a song that depicts the feeling of yearning for someone who has passed away and is also known as the theme song for “Sabu to Ichi Torimonohikae.” The quiet melody and his delicate vocals are sure to pierce your heart.
However, it doesn’t just dwell on longing; the story ultimately turns toward facing forward.
It might even give you the push you need to feel more positive.
himawariMr.Children
This is a song chosen as the theme for the film “Let Me Eat Your Pancreas.” Released in 2017 as Mr.Children’s 37th single.
While the grand scale of the arrangement, the squeezed-out vocal delivery, and the heartrending melody are all striking, what I want you to focus on are the lyrics.
Written specifically for the story of the protagonist and a girl with little time left to live, they’re tightly linked to the plot and will make you cry, without fail.
It’s a masterpiece of Japanese pop—be sure to watch the film alongside it to fully grasp its meaning.
You can cry.Kawanami Kohei
The Umoreru series delivers works themed around family, life, and bonds.
This song was created for the animated segment “Naite Ii yo” in the film Umoreru.
Accompanied by an animation depicting a scene in which a beloved child passes away before birth, it conveys a message from the perspective of the child who was meant to be born to their parents.
Even if they never came into this world, the way they express gratitude and love to those they cherish is sure to bring tears.
Carried by his gentle, almost conversational solo vocal, the song wraps sadness and loneliness in a tender embrace.
I miss youRADWIMPS
The more you think you’ll never see someone again, the more you find yourself wanting to see them—that’s just human nature, isn’t it? Aitai portrays that kind of endless loop and the inner turmoil that comes with it.
This song was written by RADWIMPS with the people affected by the earthquake in mind.
Yojiro Noda’s gentle vocals will surely bring you to tears.
Also, pay attention to the lyrics that ultimately give you a push to keep moving forward toward the future.
White lilies on my birthdayFukuyama Masaharu
Masaharu Fukuyama’s “Tanjoubi ni wa Mashiro na Yuri wo” (“White Lilies on Your Birthday”) is his 30th single, released in 2013.
It was also used as the theme song for the Sunday drama Tonbi.
The lyrics reflect episodes such as Fukuyama sending flowers to his mother every year on his own birthday as a token of gratitude, as well as feelings about his late father.
When we’re young, we sometimes stop listening to our parents or come to dislike the town we grew up in.
Even so, our parents are always on our side.
Even at the time of their passing, they’re surely still worried about you.
Listening to this song makes you want to be good to your parents.
It was a good day to die.Pikon
With its shocking, hard-hitting title, “It Was a Good Day to Die” is a mid-tempo piano-led ballad.
The dreamlike lyrics have a depth that feels as if they leapt from the pages of literature.
It’s not about expressing gratitude or offering encouragement; it’s a down-to-earth song that sings honestly about feeling low.
The airy, translucent vocals pair perfectly with the gently subdued sound.
It’s a track you’ll want to listen to when everything feels out of control.
sunflowerFukuhara Miho
Miho Fukuhara is a singer whose main genres are soul and R&B.
Her warm, profound voice captivates listeners.
“Himawari” is a moving ballad filled with the longing to meet a childhood friend who has already passed away, just one more time.
Tracing memories of playing together as children, the lyrics tighten your chest as each passing season brings those moments back.
And as time moves on and you grow through various experiences into adulthood, there’s a bittersweet ache in wondering how that childhood friend would see the person you’ve become.