It's almost pointless to add to a thread as long as this one is, but I just found it and read through all the posts. And I had tears in my eyes just from reading the list.
I started reading with just one song on my mind as the saddest, but so many mentioned others and I had to agree --
But with the all the mention of Eric Bogle's great songs, no one mentioned, "Singing the Spirit Home" and that made me think of "Grace." Both of those songs about someone who is executed.
And Conor Makem's words to the tune of "Old Maid in the Garrett." His song is "Spanish Stars" and though no one dies, hope did die and it belongs on this list. Same for Marion Parsons' "What He Gave," about the cellist who played for Sarajevo in the market place after everything else was destroyed. In her song many poeple died.
And all the others mentioned and not mentioned.