Someitmes, as was mentioned, a sad song tells an interesting story ("Jam on Gerry's Rock," or "Tecumseh Valley" are good examples). I, for one, never saw the point of singing "The Banks of the Ohio;" it was just killing for killing's sake, and bothered me.

But the ones that really make me nutsy are the sad songs that are written with only one objective in mind: Let's make these people CRY!! You know the kind I mean--this year, at Christmas, there was the one about the shoes for the dying mother; there's "Willie Roy, the Crippled Boy" (it's bluegrass); that old 'trucker' song, "Teddy Bear;" stuff like that. Intentionally maudlin, designed to make you cry, whether you want to or not--and they drive me nuts! I never listen if I can avoid it at all.

There aren't so many of these in *folk* music; more, I think, in bluegrass or country--and pop songs went through a phase of them in the late 50's/early 60's (before my time, but I've heard them, anyway!)

I don't know why people would like these kinds of songs--the folks in them are so miserable that their life looks good, perhaps? Or maybe they just needed a good cry, anyway...But someone must like 'em, 'cause they keep making 'em!
denise:^)