It’s inexplicably hard to get over the death of a loved one. However, these songs about death may give you a different insight into your feelings and help you ease your pain.
Sometimes a song can help us cope with the pain we feel over the untimely passing of a loved one. There are also times when our words fail us and the only way to express our feelings is through a poem or song.
The problem with listing songs about death is that, not all artists admit that the song is directly related to the death of someone close to them. Some may admit, but usually they leave it for the listener to interpret the actual meaning of the song.
That being said, the inevitability of death has always inspired musicians and has surpassed every perceived genre. The sullen tones of blues, the vivacious antics of jazz, the earthly lyrics of country music, and the honest declarations of rock music, have all contemplated over the meaning of death and how it takes away the ones that we hold dearest in our lives.
Songs About Death and Losing Loved Ones (1960-1970)
♫ Artificial Flowers ~ Bobby Darin (1960)
♫ Ebony Eyes ~ The Everly Brothers (1961)
♫ Moody River ~ Pat Boone (1961)
♫ Leah ~ Roy Orbison (1962)
♫ Eleanor Rigby ~ The Beatles (1966)
♫ Ballad of The Green Berets ~ SSgt. Barry Sadler (1966)
♫ Billy and Sue ~ B. J. Thomas (1966)
♫ A Whiter Shade Of Pale ~ Procol Harum (1967)
♫ And When I die ~ Laura Nyro (1969)
♫ Patches ~ Clarence Carter (1970)
1971-1990
♫ American Pie ~ Don McLean (1971)
♫ Alone Again (Naturally) ~ Gilbert O’Sullivan (1972)
♫ Everything I Own ~ Bread (1972)
♫ Billy Don’t Be A Hero ~ Bo Donaldson & The Heywoods (1974)
♫ Seasons in the Sun ~ Terry Jacks (1974)
♫ Oh Very Young ~ Cat Stevens (1974)
♫ Emma ~ Hot Chocolate (1975)
♫ Blind Man In The Bleachers ~ Kenny Starr (1976)
♫ Dust in the Wind ~ Kansas (1978)
♫ I Don’t Like Mondays Lyrics ~ Boomtown Rats (1979)
♫ He Stopped Loving Her Today ~ George Jones (1980)
♫ Ride The Lightning ~ Metallica (1984)
♫ Death Letter ~ Son House (1985)
♫ Daddy’s Hands ~ Holly Dunn (1986)
♫ The Ballad Of Jayne ~ L.A. Guns (1989)
♫ Goodbye My Friend ~ Linda Ronstadt (1989)
♫ Cemetery Gates ~ Pantera (1990)
♫ Fly to the Angels ~ Slaughter (1990)
1991-2000
♫ Can’t Cry Hard Enough ~ Williams Brothers (1991)
♫ Tears in Heaven ~ Eric Clapton (1992)
♫ If I Had Only Known ~ Reba McEntire (1994)
♫ Don’t Take The Girl ~ Tim McGraw (1994)
♫ Mariah Carey ~ One Sweet Day feat. Boyz II Men (1995)
♫ Go Rest High On That Mountain ~ Vince Gill (1995)
♫ Fly ~ Celine Dion (1996)
♫ No-One But You ~ Queen (1997)
♫ Candle in The Wind ~ Elton John (1997)
♫ Gone Away ~ The Offspring (1997)
♫ Holes In The Floor Of Heaven ~ Steve Wariner (1998)
♫ Fire and Rain ~ James Taylor (1998)
♫ Last Kiss ~ Pearl Jam a cover of J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers (1998)
♫ In The Arms Of an Angel ~ Sarah McLachlan (1998)
♫ Don’t Laugh At Me ~ Mark Wills (1998)
♫ The Last Words You Said ~ Sarah Brightman (1999)
♫ O Death ~ Ralph Stanley (2000)
2001-2013
♫ Lullabye ~ Emitt Rhodes (2001)
♫ The Scientist ~ Coldplay (2002)
♫ Travelin’ Soldier ~ Dixie Chicks (2002)
♫ My Immortal ~ Evanescence (2003)
♫ Hello ~ Evanescence (2003)
♫ Concrete Angel ~ Martina McBride (2003)
♫ Whiskey Lullaby ~ Brad Paisley (2004)
♫ Slipped Away ~ Avril Lavigne (2004)
♫ In Loving Memory ~ Alter Bridge (2004)
♫ Goodbye My Lover ~ James Blunt (2005)
♫ God Only Cries ~ Diamond Rio (2006)
♫ Last Request ~ Paolo Nutini (2006)
♫ Say It’s Not True ~ Queen (2007)
♫ 42 ~ Coldplay (2008)
♫ Afterlife ~ Avenged Sevenfold (2008)
♫ The Crow And The Butterfly ~ Shinedown (2008)
♫ Cryin’ For Me ~ Toby Keith (2009)
♫ Through The Trees ~ Low Shoulder (2009)
♫ The Day I Died ~ Just Jack (2009)
♫ White Sparrows ~ Billy Talent (2010)
♫ If I Die Young ~ The Band Perry (2010)
♫ Ain’t No Grave ~ Johnny Cash (2010)
♫ May ~ James Durbin (2011)
♫ Born to Die ~ Lana Del Rey (2012)
♫ Skyfall ~ Adele (2012)
♫ Sand In My Soul ~ Gary Allan (2013)
Even though these songs regarding death have been sung by artists from various genres, they all resign to the basic fact that, the passing of a loved is heartbreaking and requires the healing touch of time.