Songs That Make You Cry

Get out your hankies! We've got the best musical "Tearjerkers." Then, Jim and Greg review the first record in over 15 years from The Afghan Whigs.

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Music News

In the week's most unexpected news, Prince has reconciled with Warner Music after a two-decade split. Fans may remember their public kerfuffle in 1996, when the star scrawled "SLAVE" across his face, changed his name to the unpronounceable Love Symbol, and otherwise acted out until the label released him from his contract. But independence wasn't quite the salvation Prince expected, and his album sales faltered. Now Prince has the promotional power of Warner Bros. back on his side. Plus, he regains control over his catalog, just in time to reissue a 30th-anniversary edition of Purple Rain. It's a shrewd business move—or, as Jim suggests, maybe a form of Stockholm syndrome.

Over the years, Sound Opinions has witnessed endless battles over pop music piracy, from the Pirate Bay to Limewire to the aforementioned Purple One. Now digital theft has spread to the theatre. Wicked composer Stephen Schwartz and other prominent Broadway writers have learned that thousands of fans are downloading their sheet music illegally, thus keeping them from thousands of royalty dollars. But instead of rushing to file copyright lawsuits (à la the RIAA and so many record labels), the composers have taken a more compassionate route, emailing downloaders one-by-one to let them know how piracy hurts them. To that, Jim and Greg cheer: "Bravissimo!"

Tearjerkers: Songs That Make You Cry

Feel a lump in your throat? Go ahead and let it all out as Jim and Greg play some of the greatest musical Tearjerkers. These weepies make you cry, no matter how strong your disposition.

Greg

  • Al Green, "For the Good Times"
  • This Mortal Coil, "Song to the Siren"
  • Beach Boys, "The Lonely Sea"
  • LCD Soundsystem, "All My Friends"

Jim

  • Luther Vandross, "A House is Not a Home"
  • Sarah MacLachlan, "When She Loved Me"
  • Rod Stewart, "The Killing of Georgie, Pt. 1 & 2"
  • Dome, "Rolling Upon My Day"

Listener Picks

  • Jennifer Mackey via Facebook: The Muppets, "Rainbow Connection"
  • Jon Sheperd via Facebook: Big Star, "Thirteen"
  • Laura Williams Ambelang via Facebook: R.E.M., "Everybody Hurts"
  • Josh Rosen via Facebook: Tom Waits,"Martha"
  • Alex Orr via Facebook: Warren Zevon, "Keep Me In Your Heart"
  • @dxferris via Twitter: "Moon River"
  • Olivia Rose via Twitter: Scott Walker, "The Electrician"

Wanna share a song that makes you cry? Tell us on Facebook, Twitter, at interact@soundopinions.org or 888.859.1800

Do to the Beast The Afghan Whigs

Do to the Beast

After almost 16 years, Greg was genuinely excited to learn about the return of Greg Dulli and The Afghan Whigs. He always loved the Jim Thompson-like storytelling in the songs, and the R&B exuberance of Dulli's on-stage persona. But, Do to the Beast is a somewhat mixed return to form. The Whigs are missing their original guitarist and drummer. So Greg says Try It. Jim is not so kind. He was never as taken with Greg Dulli's "schtick" and thinks the record is a poor imitation of other great R&B-tinged albums. He gives Do to the Beast a Trash It rating.

Dear Listeners,

For more than 15 years, Sound Opinions was a production of WBEZ, Chicago's public radio station. Now that the show is independent, we're inviting you to join the band and lend a hand! We need your support more than ever because now we have to do all the behind-the-scenes work that WBEZ handled before (like buying insurance and paying for podcast hosting, ugh). Plus, we have some exciting ideas we'd like to try now that there's no one to tell us no!

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