Sad songs say so much: 20 songs that help deal with grief

Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth teamed up for the 2015 track “See You Again,” the lead single on the Furious 7 soundtrack. The song was a tribute to the late Furious star Paul Walker. Khalifa details how people build a bond into a great friendship to the point of becoming like family. When one of the friends passes away, the song tells the perspective of someone hoping to see lost souls in the afterlife. 

Just a few months after the passing of The Notorious B.I.G., his collaborator and friend Diddy released the tribute single “I’ll Be Missing You.” On the track, Diddy reminisces about moments with his friend and how it still feels like a bad dream that his friend is no longer living. As Faith Evans sings on the hook, “Thinking of the day / When you went away / What a life to take, what a bond to break / I’ll be missing you.” 

On R.E.M.’s 1993 single “Everybody Hurts,” they sing about loss on a different level. The song gives the message to people who may want to take their own life and encourages them to never give up. They reiterate that life can get hard for anybody, but the narrator simply wants people to hold on to a precious life when they feel like they can't handle it anymore. 

If one song gets played quite a bit at memorial services, it’s the Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men collaboration, “One Sweet Day.” On the track, they tell the perspective of dealing with a loss and taking for granted the time they could spend with that special person while they were alive. It’s evident from the beginning of the track when Boyz II Men sings, “Sorry I never told you all I wanted to say / And now it’s too late to hold you / ‘Cause you’ve flown away, so far away.” 

Celine Dion’s 1997 track “My Heart Will Go On” was not only the theme song to the blockbuster film Titanic, but it also became one of the best-selling records of all time. The song gives the perspective of someone who loses someone they love, but they can still feel their spirit and love guiding them. 

Eric Clapton’s 1992 single “Tears in Heaven” was written in remembrance of his son, who died at the age of four years old. Clapton sings from the perspective of a parent, questioning if his son will still remember and know him when he sees him in heaven. As he sings in the first verse, “Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven / Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven.” 

“Hurt” was the second single released from Christina Aguilera’s fifth album, Back to Basics. Written by Aguilera, Mark Ronson, and Linda Perry, the song gives the perspective of someone dealing with the loss of a loved one and feeling regretful about past moments. As Aguilera sings, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to hear your voice again / Sometimes I want to call you, but I know you won’t be there.” 

“Together Again” is the second single from Janet Jackson’s sixth album, The Velvet Rope. Jackson was inspired to write the song after losing a close friend, so she highlights feeling her friend’s spirit and hopes of seeing them again one day. As she sings on the hook, “Everywhere I go, every smile I see / I know you are there smiling back at me / Dancing in moonlight, I know you are free / ‘Cause I can see your star shining down on me.” 

Green Day’s 2005 single “Wake Me Up When September Ends” was written by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. The song comes from Armstrong’s perspective of trying to deal with the loss of his father. In the first verse, he sings, “Like my father’s come to pass / Seven years has gone so fast / Wake me up when September ends.” 

“Missing You” is a massive R&B collaboration among Brandy, Tamia, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan. The song was a hit single featured on the soundtrack of the 1996 film Set It Off. On the track, the ladies sing about dealing with the loss of a friend who was more like a sister. As they sing on the hook, “Though I’m missing you / I’ll find a way to get through / Living without you / ‘Cause you were my sister, my strength and my pride / Only God may know why / Still I will get by.” 

In 2003, rock band Evanescence released their hit single “My Immortal.” The song gives the perspective of someone dealing with the loss of a loved one. As they sing in the second verse, “You used to captivate me by your resonating light / Now I’m bound by the life you left behind.” 

Mariah Carey’s 2008 single “Bye Bye” lyrically details the loss of her father, but the song could easily be a tribute to people dealing with the loss of a loved one. As she sings on the hook, “And it’s true that you’ve reached a better place / Still, I’d give the world just to see your face / And be right here next to you / But it’s like you’re gone too soon / Now the hardest thing to do is say bye bye.” 

Ed Sheeran’s 2017 single “Supermarket Flowers” is a tribute to his late grandmother. Sheeran describes his grandmother, who, in his eyes, was already an angel and would be welcomed with open arms in heaven. As he sings on the piano-driven hook, “So I’ll sing Hallelujah / You were an angel in the shape of my mum / When I fell down you’d be there holding me up / Spread your wings as you go.” 

Elton John’s 1974 track “Candle in the Wind,” reflects on celebrities who died at a young age. As he sings on the hook, “Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did.” 

Wayne Brady may be mostly known as a television personality, but he also has a solid music career. In 2008, Brady released his debut album, appropriately titled A Long Time Coming. On the track “Make Heaven Wait,” he describes feelings of loneliness and confusion after dealing with the loss of a loved one, with hopes of going back in time to see them again. As he sings on the hook, “If I could make heaven wait / I’d find a way to ask God if he made some mistake / If he’d save your wings for another day.”

Carrie Underwood’s 2013 single “See You Again” tells the story of how people try to deal with losing a loved one but has hopes of reuniting with them in the afterlife. As she sings on the bridge, “Sometimes I feel my heart is breaking / But I stay strong, and I hold on / ‘Cause I know I will see you again / This is not where it ends / I will carry you with me, yeah, yeah.” 

Cole Swindell's 2015 track "You Should Be Here" is a dedication to his late father. In the song, Swindell is at a great point in his life and wishes his father was still around to help him celebrate his successes. 

In 1975, Motown artist G.C. Cameron released the song “It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday,” a song featured in the film Cooley High. When Boyz II Men released their cover of the song 16 years later, it became a massive hit. The song narrates how difficult it is to lose a loved one. As they sing, “And I’ll take with me the memories / To be my sunshine after the rain / It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.” 

In 2004, Avril Lavigne released her sophomore album, Under My Skin. The song “Slipped Away” wasn’t released as a single, but it was the final track on the album. On the track, she details how her life changed forever after she lost a loved one. Her feelings are evident as she sings, “I hope you can hear me / ‘Cause I remember it clearly / The day you slipped away / Was the day I found it won’t be the same.” 

On Faith Hill's 2001 track "There You'll Be," the country singer reflects on past moments with a lost loved one and appreciates their time together. She sings in the second verse, "Well, you showed me how it feels / To feel the sky within my reach / And I always will remember all / The strength you gave to me."