Tear-jerking Western songs: recommended classics and popular tracks

WonderwallOasis

Oasis – Wonderwall (Official Video)

It’s a song by the British rock band Oasis that captures a faint hope and a sense of loneliness—the feeling that someone might come to save you.

Sung over an acoustic backdrop, it conveys a heartfelt plea for a “wonder wall” of sorts, a presence that could rescue the singer.

The protagonist’s yearning for help from someone dear, even while burdened by anxiety and solitude, is something many can relate to.

Featured on the classic 1995 album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? and released as a single the same year, the song’s music video won a BRIT Award in 1996.

When you’re a bit worn out by life or facing a vague unease at night, listening to this track might let its warmth seep into your heart and give you the courage to lean on someone.

Bridge over Troubled WaterSimon&Garfunkel

Simon and Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water

This is a classic song that became extremely famous in Japan under the title “Bridge Over Tomorrow.” Although it was released more than 40 years ago, it remains beloved by many people across generations.

Art Garfunkel’s gently conversational singing voice always encourages listeners and seems to invite them to set out into the wider world.

Comfortably NumbPink Floyd

Comfortably Numb

Among progressive rock giants, many fans would choose Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” as the song that moves them to tears.

The undeniable highlight is David Gilmour’s guitar solo, which reaches its climax toward the end.

It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to YesterdayBoyz II Men

Boyz II Men – It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday

After parting with someone dear, have you ever felt your chest tighten with the thought that you can never return to the joyful “yesterday”? The song “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” by the American R&B group Boyz II Men is a classic that sings of longing for the past and the pain of farewell.

Precisely because it’s performed a cappella, without any instruments, the warmth and poignancy of their voices seep directly into the heart.

It’s as if the beautiful harmonies gently embrace the sorrow that overflows no matter how hard you try to hold it back.

This song feels like a warm presence that quietly stays close to a heart that has experienced a painful parting, allowing the tears to flow.

Summertime SadnessLana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey – Summertime Sadness (Official Music Video)

“Summertime Sadness,” a signature song by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey.

It’s an achingly beautiful track that sings of the radiant days of summer and the sense of loss brought on by a friend’s tragic end.

Lana Del Rey’s languid, dreamlike vocals match the song’s melancholic atmosphere perfectly.

The chorus, pleading “Kiss me hard before you go,” feels like the climax of a tragic film.

As you listen, happy memories resurface even as you’re confronted with the reality that there’s no going back—you may find yourself unable to hold back tears.

Tears In HeavenEric Clapton

Eric Clapton – Tears In Heaven (Official Video)

It’s a classic number that naturally brings tears to your eyes.

It’s known as a song Eric Clapton himself sang about his son who died in an accident.

The sight of him singing earnestly about his son while playing acoustic guitar moved many people.

It’s said that by channeling his grief into music, Eric Clapton was able to overcome the tragic accident.

LukaSuzanne Vega

Suzanne Vega – Luka

When this song was released in the late 1980s, I remember it being something of a hit in Japan as well.

It’s a neatly crafted, understated song, but it’s known to deal with the theme of child abuse.

Only now do I realize that Suzanne Vega, a native New Yorker, was an artist with a real gift for capturing everyday scenes unfolding in the city and turning them into works of art.