Tear-jerking Western songs: recommended classics and popular tracks

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.

HoppipollaSigur Rós

Sigur Rós – Hoppípolla & Með blóðnasir (Live In Ásbyrgi) [Remastered Heima Extra]

A track from “Takk…,” an album by Sigur Rós, the Icelandic heavyweights of the post-rock scene.

Guided by the soothing piano melody of the intro, a gentle and mysterious tune unfolds, like something you might have heard in childhood.

If you simply surrender yourself to the sound, your heart will feel warm, and you may find your tears flowing naturally.

InconsolableBackstreet Boys

Backstreet Boys – Inconsolable (Official HD Video)

This is a Backstreet Boys power ballad that sings of incurable heartache with mature harmony.

It can be heard as a portrayal of the helpless loneliness after losing someone precious and the feelings that will never fade.

Set against a grand sound woven by piano and strings, the four members’ aching vocals overlap to breathtaking effect.

Released as the lead single from the October 2007 album “Unbreakable,” it was also used as an image song for a TV commercial in Japan.

When you’re carrying an unshakable sense of loneliness, the deep sorrow of this song might, paradoxically, be the very thing that stays close to your heart.

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.

Only Love Can Break Your HeartNeil Young

Only Love Can Break Your Heart

This is a classic song by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young that quietly portrays the pain of heartbreak.

It’s said to have been written with his bandmate Graham Nash’s painful breakup in mind.

The universal message in the title—“In the end, only love can break your heart”—pierces deeply into the soul.

That helpless sense of loss when you lose someone precious—many of us know it all too well.

Neil Young’s delicate, fragile voice and the gentle acoustic tones softly cradle a wounded heart.

It’s a song that carries a warm reassurance, as if to say, “You’re not alone,” offering quiet comfort.