A song that was written in 1974 just took my breath away, literally

[PeaceLoveAndCandy]

I went out for a long walk and had Spotify making suggestions. This song came up, never heard it before, and it stopped me on my tracks. I had to slow down as I was crying. This song was written in 1974 and I am 50. How have I not come across this song before? The song by the way is Diamonds and Rust by Joan Baez. Has this happened to you and what was the song?

The Living Years (Mike & the Mechanics) did this to my when my father was slowly approaching death in a nursing home, unable to communicate. For some reason I'd never really listened to the words before.

Argh I have to comment just so I can find the thread as there are so many songs I want to listen to thanks to you all 🌸

Songs that took my breath away when I first heard them are hard to come by but:

Hallelujah sung by Jeff Buckley
Varuo (with an accent I can't replicate on my phone!) By Sigur Ross
The secret song at the end of Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran - I'm not really a fan of his but this one came at me literally by surprise and had me sobbing on the way home so that was fun!

Songs that break my heart for personal reasons:

Medicine by Daughter
Mr Bonangles by Sammy Davis Jr due to the recent passing of my dad
Danny Boy for the same reason

Bojangles*

I came across a song on Facebook written and sung by a young boy, it was about bullying. The song and the video made me bawl.
A couple of months ago it was Creedence Clearwater Revival have you ever seen the rain.
I dont know if that's what it called.

@MolotovMocktail we have similar music tastes, I LOVE Black by Pearl Jam and Hallelujah was on my list too 😊

@Yorensnow

Queen-Who wants to live forever

Yes!

Yes! This happened to me twice just recently. The first time the song was Hello In There by John Prine, which I just had to stop and listen to, and then play on repeat (sadly, this was just before he died of Covid). The second song was also a Spotify find - Lilac Wine by Nina Simone, who I thought I knew fairly well. So beautiful.

Love Joan Baez btw - if you like her you might want to check out Judy Collins too :-)

Letting Go by Suzy Boguss, anyone who has a child going off to lead their lives should listen to this with some tissues handy.

Down the 80s nostalgia lane... yes I know it's cheesy but soooo intense!

(and what a belter of a voice for a tiny man like Klaus, he's also bit ugly but I bloody fancy a bit of that verve ).

Dance 9 from In the Upper Room by Philip Glass

I'll See You in My Dreams. Joe Brown - concert for George.

Who wants to live forever by Queen gets me everytime too, breaks my heart, more so than the show must go on despite that being Freddie's swan song.

The other one for me (probably already mentioned) is Fast Car by Tracey Chapman. Totally not my style of music (I'm a rock and metal girl) but that song makes me cry like a baby.

Different Corner - George Michael

This is a lovely thread and I am nodding to so many here.

I have lots, many mentioned here already, but I didn't see:
First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes - it was on the radio the day we brought my eldest son home from the hospital and the line "this is the first day of my life/swear I was born right in the doorway" just ruined me.

Also, A Heart To Hold You by Keane. It's not well known and was actually a Christmas song, recorded back in the days of Jo Whiley's live lounge on Radio 1. It always makes me think of Christmas, but when it came up on my Christmas playlist this year, suddenly I was sobbing:
"When you're lonely and sad
If you think of the times we had
Just the thought
Will bring you back to me
Seen you staring in to space
Shadow falling across your face
But it won't take long to get to you
Whatever you do
And if your heart should melt away
No matter, I'll find you anyway"

Siiigh - no ones music taste is as good as mine

@Lady1576 I love Zaz! Le Long de la route and La fée are both gorgeous songs too - she has a wonderful voice.

By your side by Sáde ❤️ I sob every time

Nick Drake - Riverman

It had just bypassed me for some reason. I "found" it about 15 years ago - it just really moves me, makes me think of things in my life that could have been different. I love the video that goes with it - just a selection of stills. Worse too that he died 😥

So many great ones mentioned. I can't make you love me by Bonnie Raitt always gets me, landslide by Fleetwood Mac and river by Joni Mitchell.

Mama said by metallica tugs my heart strings, but jessie's song from toy story absolutely ruins my husband every time it's on.

F R David- words (don’t come easy)

Love it, but makes me want to cry

Fields of Gold Eva Cassidy for me

My go to is I see your smile - Gloria Estefan and For the good times by Perry Como - the words

"And this old world will keep on turning
Let's just be glad
We had some time to spend together
There's no need to watch the bridges
That we're burning"

• gets me every time...

Just Breathe by Pearl Jam

Yes I understand
That every life must end
As we sit alone
I know someday we must go
Oh, I'm a lucky man
To count on both hands
The ones I love
Some folks just have one
Yeah, others they got none
Stay with me
Let's just breathe
Practiced on our sins
Never gonna let me win
Under everything
Just another human being
Yeah, I don't want to hurt
There's so much in this world
To make me bleed
Stay with me
You're all I see
Did I say that I need you?
Did I say that I want you?
What if I did and I'm a fool you see
No one knows this more than me
'Cause I come clean
I wonder everyday
As I look upon your face
Everything you gave
And nothing you would take…

Also ‘River’ - It’s the Robert Downy Jr version from Ally McBeal that does it for me.

Fast Car Tracy Chapman, even after 30 years it hits me deep whenever I hear it

Twice:

1971 David Bowie's Changes, whilst laying on my bunk bed listening to a swishing Radio Luxembourg. It just blew me away.

1976 Getting a lift home from work in a posh car (it had a radio!) when Stephen Bishop's 'On And On' played on the radio. Aswad later released a version in 1993 which did much better in the charts, but Stephen Bishop's version, as a 19 year old, made a huge impression on me.

Having said that, just today J-Lo sang a song called This Land is Your Land at Biden's inauguration and it quite moved me. Never heard it before, but I'd love a version with lyrics for us Brits!

We are all so lucky these days to be able to conjure up any music at any time. Give these tracks ago - I'd love to know if they come close to pleasing you as much as they did me.