LISTS: 10 Songs that Have the Power to Make Me Cry

DISCLAIMER: Some of the songs featured on this list are about topics which can be considered extremely difficult to read about. Despite the fact that I tried to make this post everything but too depressing to read, I understand how it could profoundly affect certain people.

LISTS: Every entry consists of a list of ten songs with a common theme. The order in which the songs are presented is completely unplanned. In other words, this is not any sort of countdown. In this first entry, I share with you songs that have and still have a significant emotional impact on me to the point where I shed actual tears. Components such as the lyrics, the instrumental, and the music videos will be taken into consideration. Thank you for taking the time!

One More Light by Linkin Park (from One More Light, 2019)

I did not start investing my time, energy, passion for music, little bit of writing talent I possess with the idea of bullshitting people when sharing my thoughts on this blog. Thus, I am going to be completely honest by shamefully admitting that I did not care about this song nor the rest of the record (apart from singles like "Heavy "and "Battle Symphony" which I did love) a spin when it first came out. In other words, I only paid attention to this collection of tracks and this particular track after Chester passed away. I literally acted like a child; I lost interest in the album simply due to the fact that I wanted to see Linkin Park in concert again but deemed the tickets were too expensive. Consequently, I had the following mindset: what is the point of checking these songs out if I am not going to experience them live anyway. Pretty foolish, childish mindset if you ask me. I have been a Linkin Park fan since 2007 and I consider them to be part of my top 10 favourite bands of all time. So yes, I did feel sort of guilty for not giving the record proper attention earlier. Anyways, this is not what this blog post is about as you can tell by the title.  I am here to explain why and how the song "One More Light" has the power to make me shed tears.  This song makes me cry when thinking about Chester but also thinking about my grandfather whom I miss dearly. Certain lines definitely stick out to me; for instance: "In the kitchen, one more chair than you need". (Bennington, 2017) This line is extremely relatable to me; it instantly makes me think of my grandmother who sits by herself despite the fact that there are two chairs in her dining room. “Can I help you, not to hurt, anymore?” (Bennington, 2017), another line that I hold close to my heart as it reminds of my own (past) pain and the sad reality that nobody managed to help Chester.  “If a moment is all we are” (Bennington, 2017) is an important reminder that we, (as cliché as it sounds) have to make the most of our time on this planet. I cannot write about this song without mentioning the video that accompanies it; a compilation of old clips featuring some of Chester’s most joyful and spectacular moments with (in my opinion) one of the most hard working, consistent, influential, and innovative bands of our time; Linkin Park. What can I say? "One More Light" is an absolutely heartbreaking song.   

Holding on to You by Twenty One Pilots (from Vessel, 2012)

Once again, let me be completely transparent with you here; I am not aware of what this song is actually about and yes, I could possibly find the true meaning of it but I will not. Lazy? Maybe. The truth is that the lyrics are not the reason behind my tears. I have listened to the studio version of the song countless times; however, every time I experience this song live (which I have done three times now) I feel my eyes wanting to transform into Niagara Falls. Do not get me wrong; this song is fucking amazing and in my opinion a stand out track from their excellent album "Vessel" but I still do not understand why this tune in particular is the one that makes me the most emotional over any other Twenty One Pilots song. Moreover, my eyes always get watery at the exact same moment; the very first few notes of the song. I do not comprehend why but this track gets to me every single time I hear it live. I guess it’s a question of vibe or something. I think it’s pretty cool that the reason that explains why this song is so powerful to me remains a mystery. 

Army by Ellie Goulding (from Delirirum, 2015)

I vividly remember tears rolling down my face when I got the chance to see Ellie Goulding perform that song at the Bell Center in 2016. Goulding specifically wrote that track for her best friend; thus, it is inevitable for me not to think about all of the times my best friend was there for me (or any of closest friends for that matter, you all know who you are). I feel unbelievably blessed to have such good people in my life. I am not entirely sure what I would do or be without any of them. Goulding sings: “when I'm with you, I'm standing with an army” (2015) and it reminds me how my friends can make me feel safe and strong. Here is the (for a lack of a better word) adorable music video featuring Goulding's real-life best friend:

I Lived by OneRepublic (from Natives, 2013)

This song makes me sing, dance, smile, and cry all at once. Whenever that anthemic chorus hits, I am reminded of blissful memories from my 25 years of existence; from seeing the Eiffel Tower in person to laughing uncontrollably with some of my best friends. In other words, this track makes me realize how lucky I truly am. I am obviously still significantly young and I would want to die tomorrow; however, I can honestly affirm I did in fact live. As Ryan Tedder sings: “I swear I lived.” (2013)  

Last Hope by Paramore (from Self-Titled, 2013)

If you take the time to listen/read the lyrics, you can immediately realize that Paramore's lead singer Hayley Williams was going through remarkably difficult times when writing the words for this poignant song. “I thought I would be happy by now.” (Williams, 2013) This line reminds how incredibly unpredictable life is. Williams’ words also make me aware of how happiness often requires patience; it can take quite some time for our minds to get to a at least somewhat joyful place. Whenever I feel sad and/or angry and I hear that specific line, I think to myself; why am I unhappy again and yes, sometimes, it makes me shed a tear or two. What can I say? Growing up is everything but pain free. However, this track doesn’t only make me cry sad tears; the chorus makes me shed tears while feeling hopeful for the future. When Hayley Williams sings: “It’s just a spark but it’s enough to keep me going.” (2013), I am reminded of the fact that the smallest, perhaps basic thing can show me that life remains worth living. I could write so much about this particular song but hey, I have other amazing tracks to write about.

I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes) by The 1975 (from A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, 2018)

That title says it all. Whenever I listen to this song my mind is brought to a specific time in my life during which I had completely stopped believing in myself. A certain situation caused so much anxiety and fear in me that disappearing seemed like the only solution. Over the course of the last 3 years, I have wanted to leave this world behind more than once; thus, that song definitely spoke to me right from the very first time I had heard it. This track makes me realize that despite having dark thoughts, I truly want to stay alive. Also, there is something about that instrumental that makes my heart feel heavy. This track reminds me that I have people who care about me and I would never ever want to hurt them. The words “But your death, it won't happen to you It happens to your family and your friends” (Healy, 2018) is a compelling reminder that I would not want to cause any emotional harm to my loved ones. Enjoy that stunning video of the band performing the song at Lollapalooza Brazil 2019 ! Try not get emotional at the sight of that fan crying in the first row.

Missing You by All Time Low (Future Hearts, 2015)

The lyrics to this song represent a crucial self-reminder that no matter how lost or desperate I can get; I do need to make sure to stick around for a truly long time. This song enables me to remember people actually care about me. The words to this fantastic track also remind me that it would be an absolute shame for me to leave now as I still have countless things to experience in my life. The line “you’ll be missing out and we’ll be missing you” (Gaskarth, 2015) constantly hits home. Just like One More Light by Linkin Park, this song accompanied by its music video creates a new level of emotion. The music video shows the band surprising fans by video calling them. The fans’ delightful but certainly genuine reactions make it hard for me not to cry a little. Here is the heartwarming music video: 

Wish you Were Here by Neck Deep (The Peace and The Panic, 2017)

A song about losing a loved one; relatable and inevitably emotional. It is remotely impossible for me to listen to this track without thinking about my grandfather who passed away almost four years ago. I was very close to my grandfather; I would call him nearly every day to talk about all kinds of subjects. He was the most patient, loving, caring, and open-minded grandfather I could have asked for. Neck Deep’s lead singer Ben Barlow specifically wrote this tune for his father who lost his life in 2016. I had the opportunity to hear that song live; a very touching moment as Barlow allowed himself to cry in front of fans. Yes, my friend and I cried as well. Here is a fan-filmed video of Ben Barlow and Fil Thorpe-Evans performing the song in Cardiff, UK in 2017. 

21 Days by Scott Helman (Hôtel de Ville, 2017)

When paying a minimum of attention to the lyrics of this song it is not difficult to notice that they are quite sad. However, the words are not the reason why I did tear up more than once while listening to one of my favourite Scott Helman tracks. This particular song is the one that made me fall in love with Helman’s music. Therefore, I always get this warm feeling whenever I hear Scott play the very first notes of this tune. Moreover, I had the chance to experience the song live on two separate occasions and both times were definitely special. It is always breathtaking to see a whole room full of fellow music fans coming together to create an instant worth remembering. Whether it is at the tiniest dive bar or at the biggest arena in town, the feeling remains the same. Funny how a certain song and cell phone flashlights can make me feel...things. 

Scars to your Beautiful by Alessia Cara (Know-It-All, 2015)

Self-Love. Who has never looked at themselves and thought: "I wish I could change the way I look"? I know I have and still do. Thankfully, I am constantly getting better at appreciating myself for who I exactly am. Alessia Cara delivers genuine lyrics that make it seriously hard for my eyes not to get watery. Lines such as “you should know you’re beautiful just the way you are” and “beauty goes deeper than the surface” (Cara, 2015) are simple yet so important to me. Now imagine experiencing this song in concert in a room full of people who are dealing with the same kind of problems you are dealing with. I know this post is specifically about songs and not music videos but certain music videos simply cannot be ignored. The music video for this tune has to be one of my favourite music videos of all-time. The video shows true diversity as it features all kinds of people who possess a physical trait that makes them beautifully unique. Here is this considerably pertinent music video: 

If you have made it this far, thank you so much. I am aware this post was a lengthy one to read. I sincerely hope reading this entry has made you feel something, anything or at least made you discover new songs/artists to listen to. Remember if you ever feel down, you can always reach out to me, other people you trust or organizations that exist to help people dealing with mental heath issues. Finally, keep in mind that music will forever be there for you. 

         Ariane