Those songs make me gag, too, and yet I cry at plenty of other songs. I think the difference is that one type involves a somewhat detached songwriter or singer who's obviously trying very hard to provoke an emotional response. The other type seems like the songwriter and/or performer is getting emotional. If the song doesn't completely suck bilgewater, t's the level of sincerity that does it. Then again, never mind. I can cry at TV commercials, so I guess it just comes down to what mood I'm in.

(Before I wrote songs, I was going through a vet school and was learning how to check animal poop for worm eggs. The song I sang when doing this was "Feces...nothing more than feces..." Sorry.)