Share Your Simply Beautiful Songs

[Betweenyouandme]

What are some beautiful and touching songs you love?

I just watched The Upside of Anger and was introduced to Marc Cohn's One Safe Place. It is very sweet and almost like a lullaby.

[Rick Kitchen]

Bring Him Home from Les Mis:

 

[spaceytraci1208]

"If Only For One Night" by Luther Vandross; especially the opening line of the song where it's just Luther and a light piano...just gorgeous.

[PrincessLuceval]

When Elvis Costello sang it, it was an angry anthem; when Nick Lowe (who wrote it) sings it like this, it's gorgeous and sad: 

Edited January 26, 2015 by PrincessLuceval

[AntiBeeSpray]

Imagine -- John Lennon. That song is really beautiful. And so is Beautiful Boy by him.

[Babalu]

Bring Him Home from Les Mis

Rick Kitchen - your post alone gave me chills. I saw Colm Wilkinson in Les Mis in NY in 1987 or '88. I wasn't familiar with any of the music and am also not much of a crier, but by about the third line of that song I was ugly crying - gulping and face contortions and all. Which is to say that I couldn't agree more.

[PrincessLuceval]

[SosaLola]

Madeleine by the Backstreet Boys is what I've been listening to for the past two weeks. Been feeling bullied in my filed of work and it was simply what I need right now. 

 

[Beezel]

Lost in this song. 

 

[cpcathy]

I'm a fan, but this song is gorgeous.

 

[Love]

"Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls gives me the chills everytime I hear it.  Johnny Rzeznik's vocals are amazing. 

[DkNNy79]

Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler

The Rose - Bette Midler

My Heart Will Go On  - Celine Dion

I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

Full of Grace - Sarah McLaughlin

The Promise - Tracy Chapman

For You - Kenny Lattimore (I want this to be my wedding song)

 

I love ballads in general (the more touching/depressing the better).

[Rick Kitchen]

Yes, The Rose, most def.

 

I actually like Dolly Parton's version of I Will Always Love You better.

[magicdog]

I fell in love with David Berkley's "Fire Sign" after first hearing it in an episode of "Without A Trace".

 

I also love "Bell Book & Candle" by Eddi Reader.  Again I thank TV, as it was the song used on Charmed for Prue's funeral.

 

 

 

And a few more from the past:

 

 

"Mr. Dieingly Sad" by The Critters.

 

"Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" by Frankie Valli.

 

"There's A Reason" by The Cascades.

 

"Let It Be Me" by The Everly Brothers

 

"Darling Be Home Soon" by The Lovin' Spoonful

 

"I Want To Be Free" by The Monkees

Edited February 20, 2015 by magicdog

[Rick Kitchen]

Oh, God, I LOVE Darlin' Be Home Soon.  Good choice.

[WendyCR72]

Staind may not be everyone's taste (alternative rock), but I love their ballad, "Tangled Up In You". Aaron Lewis re-recorded this for his country album, but I prefer the original. Here it is:

 

[magicdog]

Have a few more:

 

Anita Bryant's "The Wedding" really digs deep into the soul for me.

 

I also love her on, "My Little Corner Of The World".

 

Finally, there's "Hawaiian Wedding Song".  It's been sung by various artists over the years (Elvis' version is probably the best known) but Andy Williams and Jim Reeves did plenty of justice to it too.

[Whimsy]

I know my idea of "beautiful" may be different than others.  I tend to think “beautiful” songs have either a tone or emotion in the voice or a lick of music (I’m not a musician, so I don’t know if that’s the right terminology) that makes my heart soar or skip a beat.  Here are some that make me just sit and listen and marvel at the beauty when I hear them (in no particular order):

The Longer I Run by Peter Bradley Adams
Talking Bird by Death Cab for Cutie
The Girl by City and Colour
Love You ‘Till the End by the Pogues
Be Here Now by Ray LaMontagne
All the Wild Horses by Ray LaMontagne
Bookends by Simon and Garfunkel
Your Guardian Angel by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Fix You by Coldplay
This Year’s Love by David Gray
Seven Bridges Road by The Eagles
Your Ex-Lover is Dead by Stars
Turn to Stone by Ingrid Michaelson
Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg
Silent All These Years by Tori Amos
Sinking Man by Of Monsters and Men
Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Tearing me Apart by Vega4
Life is Beautiful by Vega4
A Billion Tons of Light by Vega4
Yesterday by The Beatles
Paper Aeroplane by Angus & Julia Stone
Wake Up by Arcade Fire
Brighter than Sunshine by Aqualung
Strange and Beautiful by Aqualung
So Cold by Ben Cocks
Worlds Apart by The Mostar Diving Club

 

Now I'm going to go make a playlist with all these songs!

[PrincessLuceval]

[loriro]

I'm obsessing just a little bit over Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud"...

[UYI]

I'm not going to lie, Taylor Swift's "Clean", from her new album 1989, is gorgeous, and I'll admit it has gotten me through some personal stuff recently. It's made even better by the haunting background vocals of Imogen Heap. I really hope she releases this as single, although she doesn't release ballads as singles very often. 

 

Here's Ingrid Michaelson covering it last December:

 

[Wiendish Fitch]

"As" by Stevie Wonder is one of the most breathtaking and incredibly arranged love songs I've ever heard. Stevie sings it with such passion and charisma, I have no choice but to be moved by it. Whenever I play it in my car, I honestly have to roll the windows down because I feel owe it to everyone to hear it.

 

"The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel is another song I have to share with the world when I drive.

 

"Stardust" by Nat King Cole. I love the tender, understated (no dramatic swells) orchestration, and the fact that the lyrics are a bit verbose, but still scan and work beautifully. Plus, Cole owns this song. Owns it. A lot of artists I like, such as Willie Nelson and Katie Melua have covered it, but, sorry, no version of "Stardust" can match Cole's rendition.

 

Deanna Durbin is one of my favorite singers ever, and picking a beautiful song from this charming, accomplished musical star is a bit of an undertaking because there were so many. But one that comes to mind is "One Fine Day", the English language version of "Un Bel Di" from Puccini's Madame Butterfly. She was 17 years old when she recored this. 17. Years. Old. 

Edited April 13, 2015 by Wiendish Fitch

[spaceytraci1208]

"Turn, Turn, Turn" by The Byrds. Was listening to it at work today and it just stirred my spirit. And the harmony is gorgeous

[Rick Kitchen]

Sam Smith's new release of "Lay Me Down" (it's a previous release, but he's re-recorded it).  OMG.

 

[Archery]

Wiendish Fitch, that Stevie Wonder song just blew my mind. Awesome.

[spaceytraci1208]

I had So You Think You Can Dance on in the background, and one of the last dancers auditioned to the song "Sleepwalk"; it was a version with lyrics that I wasn't familiar with, but that melody is so haunting and beautiful.

On the flip-side, that song will always be tied in my memory to the incredibly sad ending of the movie La Bamba, which I haven't watched in full since I was a kid. When the song gets to those final chords at the end, I hear Esai Morales screaming "RITCHIEEEEEEE" in my head

[Wiendish Fitch]

Ronan Tynan's rendition of No One is Alone from Into the Woods is absolutely, heartbreakingly lovely. I've loved this man since I first discovered the Irish Tenors.

Speaking of which, I love Voyage. Wonderful love song.

[stonehaven]

Some of my choices are a bit out there but they move me....

1. Jasmine-The Kingston Trio...the vocals..the guitar..and the lyrics are all filled with longing..written by singer-songwriter John Stewart...and done recently for The Kingston Trio's latest album..

 

Clouds-Zach Sobiech....written by a Minnesota teenager who found out he has terminal cancer...It's beautiful because he takes this moment as a chance to say goodbye but with a sense of joy...

 

Whispering Jesse ...John Denver....a great artist not truly appreciated in his lifetime...This is a beautful song about an old cowboy reflecting on the love he once had...a later tune for him..and one I wish someone would cover and have it be a smash..

[SunnyBeBe]

There are many songs that I love, but, when I think of beautiful songs, these always come to my mind first off: Annie's Song by John Denver and

 

All I Know by Art Garfunkel

Edited December 9, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[magicdog]

Have some more to offer:

"Time" by The Pozo-Seco Singers.

"Me & Magdalena" The Monkees (from their last album, "Good Times")  

"It's Not Easy" by The Will-O-Bees

[Wiendish Fitch]

In the spirit of the holidays, Josh Groban's rendition of "O Holy Night" is my all-time favorite. No self-indulgent riffs, just straightforward and hauntingly beautiful.

[WendyCR72]

This version of Still Nacht (Silent Night) by Mannheim Steamroller never fails to make me cry. It reminds me of loved ones no longer around for the holidays. While sort of melancholy, I do think it is gorgeous.

[Neko]

George Michael's live version of I Believe (When I Fall In Love).

The Beautiful Ones  and When We're Dancing Close and Slow, by Prince.

And, this one might seem trite, but Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You.  Girl could sell it.

[navelgazer]

"Lay Down" by Melanie.

 

Bruce Springsteen, "Last to Die."

They both never fail to make me cry. 

Edited December 25, 2017 by navelgazer

[SunnyBeBe]

These two beautiful songs always put me in a very pensive mood.  Something about them. 

 

And Superstar by The Carpenters. (What a combo, right?)

Karen's voice is just haunting. 

Edited December 28, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[WendyCR72]

I think this old U2 song is beautiful:

[Bastet]

On 12/28/2017 at 3:33 PM, SunnyBeBe said:

Karen [Carpenter]'s voice is just haunting. 

I've been in a serious Rainy Days and Mondays mood lately, and the lyrics may be 10 percent of that, and the rest is all her voice. 

[SunnyBeBe]

10 hours ago, Bastet said:

I've been in a serious Rainy Days and Mondays mood lately, and the lyrics may be 10 percent of that, and the rest is all her voice. 

Me too.  I just heard Karen's song Solitaire the other day.  Oh my..... and also For All We Know....it's like musical therapy, imo. Her voice is so rich.  I shall never forget it.  This Christmas song by them is perhaps my favorite, other than Superstar.  

Edited January 1, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[Wiendish Fitch]

Karen Carpenter's version of "The Rainbow Connection" is simply lovely.

[ketchuplover]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70y9i5i-LtU

[Annber03]

"Blackout"-Muse. Favorite song by these guys. It's just so hauntingly gorgeous:

 

"Into My Arms"-Nick Cave. One of the most beautiful love songs ever:

 

And a classic from another band I love-"Fall at Your Feet" by Crowded House:

Edited June 11, 2018 by Annber03

[SunnyBeBe]

I'm not sure how I ran across this, but, I find it quite lovely.

[Annber03]

I like that song, too, @SunnyBeBe. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I like the original of this song, but, I also find this cover really lovely. Simple piano, vocals, harmony.  Just nice.  I am surprised too, because, I'm not a big fan of this artist, but, I really liked her here.   It's Heart of The Matter (Hendley) performed by Chenoweth. The lyrics of this song are just so powerful...it's difficult to explain, but, it really speaks to me. 

https://www.today.com/video/today/56482802

Edited August 15, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[Vixenstud]

Call me cheesy, but Sailing by Christopher Cross is so beautiful to me.

I also love Al Green's Simply Beautiful and You Are So Beautiful by Joe Cocker.

[rmcrae]

Sade - Kiss of Life  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4XODS21Shc

Grace Jones - I've Done It Again https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnE2uq4vq3Y

Edited August 18, 2018 by rmcrae

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Help,lol, how are ya'll able to post the videos here?

[catlover79]

Here are a couple...

[SunnyBeBe]

19 hours ago, One4Sorrow2TooBad said:

Help,lol, how are ya'll able to post the videos here?

If you find the video on line, like on you tube, you can copy the link and paste it on your post. It'll open it up with photo of the song. At least, that's how I have done it before. 

[outofbounds]