Losing someone you love is an incredibly painful experience. Words often fail to capture the depth of sorrow and the complex emotions that bereavement brings. In these dark times, music can be a powerful source of comfort, offering solace and understanding when little else can. This article explores a curated playlist of Songs About Losing Someone, each chosen for its ability to resonate with the feelings of grief, loss, and remembrance. If you are navigating the difficult path of grief, these songs may offer a sense of connection and validation, reminding you that you are not alone in your pain.
Visiting Hours – Ed Sheeran
“I will close the door but I will open up my heart, and everyone I love will know exactly who you are”
Ed Sheeran’s “Visiting Hours” poignantly expresses the longing to reconnect with those we’ve lost. The lyrics beautifully articulate the universal desire to transcend the boundaries of life and death, wishing for just one more visit. Sheeran captures the raw emotion of grief, highlighting the painful reality that those simple, everyday moments of connection are no longer possible. Many who have experienced loss will deeply relate to the sentiment of wanting to “pop over” and spend time with their loved ones, a testament to the enduring bond that grief cannot break.
Joanne – Lady Gaga
“Heaven’s not ready for you; every part of my aching heart needs you more than the angels do”
“Joanne,” inspired by Lady Gaga’s aunt who passed away from lupus complications, is a deeply personal yet universally relatable song about loss. While Gaga never met her aunt, Joanne’s story profoundly impacted her and her family, particularly her father. This song transcends Gaga’s personal history, resonating with anyone who has experienced the pain of losing someone dear. The lyrics, especially the opening lines, powerfully convey the feeling of being unprepared to say goodbye, of feeling that your loved one was taken too soon. It speaks to the raw and visceral ache of a heart struggling to accept absence.
Marjorie – Taylor Swift
“Should have kept every grocery store receipt, cause every scrap of you would be taken from me”
Taylor Swift’s “Marjorie,” from her Evermore album, is a touching tribute to her grandmother, Marjorie Finlay. The song beautifully encapsulates the complexities of grief and remembrance. Swift weaves in her grandmother’s life lessons and advice, expressing a poignant regret for not knowing her better. This resonates deeply with the common experience of realizing, after a loved one’s passing, the depth of what we didn’t know and the questions left unasked. The lyric about keeping “every grocery store receipt” is particularly powerful, illustrating the desire to hold onto even the smallest remnants of the person we’ve lost, transforming everyday objects into precious keepsakes. This highlights the tangible ways we try to maintain a connection with those who are gone.
Slipped Away – Avril Lavigne
“I miss you. I miss you so bad. I don’t forget you. Oh, it’s so sad. I hope you can hear me, I remember it clearly. The day you slipped away was the day I found it won’t be the same”
Avril Lavigne’s “Slipped Away,” dedicated to her grandfather, is a raw and honest expression of grief’s immediate impact. The song’s strength lies in its simplicity and directness. Avoiding complex metaphors, it focuses on the pure, unfiltered pain and longing that loss evokes. While Lavigne sings of not having a chance to say goodbye, a feeling many share, the song’s core message is the profound and immediate shift in life’s landscape after loss. The lyrics capture the disorienting feeling of the world continuing around you while everything within feels irrevocably changed, a sentiment deeply familiar to those grieving.
Monsters – James Blunt
“No need to forgive, no need to forget, I know your mistakes and you know mine. And while you’re sleeping, I’ll try to make you proud, so Daddy, won’t you just close your eyes. Don’t be afraid, it’s my turn to chase the monsters away”
James Blunt’s “Monsters” confronts the difficult reality of parental mortality with heartfelt vulnerability. Written as a tribute to his father battling late-stage kidney disease, the song resonates with anyone facing the impending loss of a parent. It poignantly captures the role reversal that occurs as children become caregivers, offering comfort and reassurance to those who once provided it. The lyrics, particularly “I know your mistakes and you know mine,” speak to the unconditional love and acceptance that often deepens in the face of death, stripping away trivialities and focusing on the essential human connection. This song acknowledges the complex emotions surrounding saying goodbye, emphasizing love and acceptance above all else.
Sidelines – Phoebe Bridgers
“Watching the world from the sidelines, had nothing to lose, till you came into my life, gave me something to lose”
Phoebe Bridgers’ “Sidelines,” while not explicitly about grief, evokes the emotional landscape of bereavement. Featured in the Conversations With Friends adaptation, the song’s themes of detachment and observing life from a distance resonate with the isolating experience of early grief. The lyrics suggest a before-and-after – a life lived on the “sidelines” until a meaningful connection created vulnerability and the potential for loss. For those grieving, “Sidelines” can articulate the feeling of being disconnected from the world, watching it continue while feeling profoundly changed and set apart by loss. It touches upon the altered perspective grief brings, where joy and engagement feel muted.
Home to You – Sigrid
“When I don’t know what to say, when I don’t know what to do, would it be okay if I came home to you?”
Sigrid’s “Home to You” embodies the yearning for comfort and safe haven in times of distress. Initially resonating with a past loss, the song takes on new depth after bereavement. It speaks to the fundamental human need for a place of solace, a “home” that represents security and unconditional acceptance. For those grieving, this song can evoke the memory of a loved one as that safe harbor, the person you could always turn to for comfort and understanding. The lyrics encapsulate the desire to return to that feeling of safety and love, especially when navigating the confusing and overwhelming emotions of grief.
Ronan (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift
“Flowers pile up in the worst way, no one knows what to say”
Taylor Swift’s “Ronan,” particularly “(Taylor’s Version),” is a heartbreaking masterpiece about child loss. Written using blog excerpts from Ronan Thompson’s mother, the song offers a raw and unflinching look at the devastation of losing a child to neuroblastoma. The lyrics are intensely personal and yet universally impactful for those grappling with profound loss. Lines like “flowers pile up in the worst way, no one knows what to say” capture the isolating and often awkward attempts of others to comfort the bereaved. The song’s unflinching honesty about the pain and the strange, small rituals of grief, like “trying to talk to you” in familiar places, offers a powerful sense of validation for those navigating similar experiences.
Bigger Than the Whole Sky – Taylor Swift
“Did some force take you because I didn’t pray? Every single thing to come has turned into ashes, cause it’s all over, it’s not meant to be, so I’ll say words I don’t believe”
“Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” a deeply emotional track from Taylor Swift’s Midnights (3am Edition), explores the overwhelming sense of loss and what-could-have-been. While speculated by some fans to be about pregnancy loss, the song’s themes of sudden absence and the feeling that time with a loved one was insufficient are universally applicable to grief in any form. The lyrics express the disorienting feeling that everything has changed, turned to “ashes,” and the struggle to find meaning or acceptance in the face of loss. It resonates with the raw, questioning phase of grief, where even faith and previously held beliefs can be challenged by the magnitude of the pain.
Blackbird – The Beatles
“Take these broken wings and learn to fly”
The Beatles’ “Blackbird” offers a message of hope and resilience amidst sorrow. Often interpreted as an allegory for overcoming adversity, in the context of grief, it can be seen as a gentle encouragement towards healing and moving forward, even with “broken wings.” The song’s simple melody and evocative lyrics provide a sense of peace and quiet strength. For those grieving, “Blackbird” can be a reminder of the possibility of finding light even in darkness, of taking small steps towards healing while honoring the memory of the loved one lost. It’s a song that acknowledges pain but gently points towards hope and the eventual ability to “fly” again.
This playlist offers just a starting point. Music’s power in grief is deeply personal, and the songs that provide comfort will vary for everyone. Exploring songs about losing someone can be a valuable part of the grieving process, offering a space for emotions, validation, and perhaps, a little light in the darkness. What songs have helped you through times of loss? Share your recommendations in the comments below.
