This is a Troika I’ve been planning for a while now, and it all started with listening to Spiritualized’s "Broken Heart" from Ladies and Gentlemen We’re Floating in Space. I’ve always thought it was the most heart-wrenching thing I’d ever heard and it was the catalyst to thinking about a Troika of sad songs. I had my own list of candidates, but on a whim I tweeted for suggestions:
Researching a future episode of Troika: what is the saddest song you've ever heard? I've got a list but keen to hear suggestions!
— Jon Hicks (@Hicksdesign) September 14, 2017
I was amazed by the response, it seems like the idea of sad songs struck a chord with people. I’ve assembled all the suggestions into a large Spotify Playlist and then attempted to whittle it down.
In the end it felt like three just wouldn’t do it justice, so I’ve cheated and made this a double Troika of sad songs. The choice is of course very subjective, and you probably have your own list of what qualifies as sad to you. Anyway, here’s my final choice…
- "Shepherd" by Anais Mitchell
- "Tearjerker" by Jarvis Cocker & Chilly Gonzales
- "Broken Heart" by Spiritualized
- "This Womans’ Work" by Kate Bush
- "Distant Sky" by Nick Cave (featuring Else Torp)
- "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)" by Radiohead
I hope this episode hasn’t depressed you too much - I will try and make the next one more light relief!