Several examples I thought of have already been mentioned. But even before I saw this thread, as I watched this evening's news stories about the beginning of the Holiday Shopping Season, I was thinking of Jim Ringer's "Waitin' for the Hard Times to Go, " which has not gotten any less relevant with the passing of time.

And hearing that American Airlines is shutting down its Tampa maintenance operation and laying off 300 mechanics also brought to mind "Detroit December," which John McCutcheon recorded, but I'm not sure whether or not he wrote it. Another "personal" song that taps into the pain and anguish of those who've lost everything:
    The things I had, the things I made,
    Are lost like pebbles on the beach.
    And anything I want the most
    Is always farthest out of reach.

    To trade these blues for dancing shoes,
    And trade the Old Year for the New.
    But Time, it seems, can steal your dreams,
    Detroit, December, and you.

And as we wait to see whether/when we will find ourselves in the sixth war in my lifetime, Eric Bogle's "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" is never far from my thoughts: this was a very personal song for me, because one of my uncles was left a paraplegic from schrapnel at Anzio in 1944.

I'm sure I can come up with happy songs, and songs by women, but not tonight.    M.