Sadness is part of the human condition; hopefully in its place and in balance with other aspects of life, but none the less not something to be shied away from. Music is good at expressing sadness, and so there is a lot of melancholy music out there, in all styles and genres. Let's share music that exercises our need to be sad sometimes.
I've been enjoying getting to know a wide range of anime recently, and so I'll start with two ending songs:
Walking Through the Empty Age - the end of the last episode of Texhnolyze; as the curtain falls and the credits start, we see Ichise dying in a dead world - all humans on the surface have lost hope and have simply been waiting to die, while those below have been rushing towards death, or have become Shapes, and simply stopped when their power failed; and finally Ichise lies down to die himself, with the first smile he ever makes on his face as he sees the shape of one of Ran's flowers in the shadows.
Sakura Nagashi - the song for the credits of the third Rebuild of Evangelion film; before the credits, we have seen Shinji, Asuka, and Rei walking away through the destroyed landscape after Shinji has triggered the end of the world for the second time; and while we contemplate what remaining hope there can be for his redemption, this plays.
What are your favourite sad songs?
Oh man, I love Helene Bøksle! I don't think I could feel melancholy while listening to her, though. :-P The other version is definitely more sorrowful.
Where you from, Tin?
It's a chapter from the Project "Odin's Raven Magic", in which Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson (allsherjargoði of the Icelandic Ásatrúarfélagið and film music composer) and Sigur Rós created music to the poem "Hrafnagaldr Óðinns", which translates to "Odin's Raven Magic", which is part of the poetic Edda (though this attribution is debatable)
:-)
Hrafnagaldr Óðinns (https://notendur.hi.is//~eybjorn/ugm/hrg/hrg.html) and Runaljod – Gap Var Ginnunga makes me feel better, though.
Her mind she spoke not,
nor was Gefjun able
to utter a word,
nor express any joy;
tears trickled,
from the skull's shields,
the mighty one
was bereft of power.
My definition of melancholy music :
I like it.