I'm not one to cry because of entertainment. The saddest book, news story, movie, tv episode, country song...whatever can be effective on me, but never enough to get me that emotional.

That being said, I've been listening to Oscar Peterson, and as weird as it is to admit, his music is so beautiful and moving to me that I felt like I've been on the verge of tears a couple of times.

So strange.

Has this every happened to you? Maybe at an opera or something?

I know this isn't what you're looking for, but the score to A Beautiful Mind inspires and moves me.

Some TV shows (The Wonder Years) and some movies (Million Dollar Baby) do the trick but a song never has.

the last time it happened was at a Backstreet Boys concert

The score to 25th Hour gets to me sometimes...

for some reason, Rock & Roll by the Velvet Underground gets me misty - just a simple song about the effect that music can have, and sterling morrison's guitar solos are things of beauty

Another film score:
OUATIA

Scores absolutely fit.

For those of you listing movie scores, is it the music or the music bringing to mind certain aspects of the movie?

That damm Christmas song about the kid buying shoes for his sick mom does it everytime. Also their is one where the father is singing about his daughter growing up that does it to me as well.

I just re-read the title of this thread where it says not the lyrics so my choices don't really fit.

Bob

The score to Somewhere In Time by John Barry. Even if you hate the movie, the music is so damn beautiful you have to weep.

Plus Barry was moved to write the theme after the death of his parents. Even more moving when you know that.

I mentioned A Beautiful Mind simply because of the music. I love the film, but the score moves me because of the music, not because it reminds me of anything. There are plenty of examples of scores and soundtracks moving me because of the film itself though, either because of the content of the film, or because it reminds me of a place in my life.

Going to see Sigur Ros play live got me close....it was an incredible experience.

Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 gets me nearly everytime. Of course more so since seeing Immortal Beloved.

Definitely agree about 25th hour score and Sigur Ros....
Also Moby's "Everloving" makes me cry as does Sergio Leone's scores to Once Upon A Time In The West and Once Upon A Time In America...

Score to schlinder's list.

"Dramamine" by Modest Mouse

There is a live version of "On Broadway" as performed by Gary Numan and his band, circa 1979. Billy Currie's synth solo towards the end is so hauntingly beautiful, it's brought me close to tears many times (I also know that other Numan fans have had the same reaction).

John Williams scores that move me:
Superman The Movie
Hook
Schlinder's List
Seven Years In Tibet
John Barry scores
Out Of Africa
Somewere In Time
King Kong (1976)
Living Daylights

Definitely Sara by Fleetwood Mac. I love the lyrics too but it's mostly about the melody.

You left out Heartbeeps for John Williams.


I actually ran into this yesterday. I was listening to XM's channel, The Loft, and heard a song called "High and Low" by some guy named Greg Laswell. I have the Inno, so I recorded it at the last minute because it just sounded so beautiful and sad. I didn't tear up initially but the song definitely made me feel melancholy and gave me a heavy heart...all without listening to the lyrics really closely. The guy's voice was just hypnotic and heart-breaking...especially near the end.

Didn't really listen good to the lyrics until the 3rd time around (and shed some tears after really listening to the lyrics...hey, I was sensitive yesterday) and bought the cd immediately when I got home after listening to the song over 20 times.

Just to show how people are completely different, I let my wife listen to the song (she really does not give a shit about music one way or the other) and she just grunted, said it was [i]okay[/], didn't care for the guy's voice, and said she liked "Brick" by Ben Fold Five better. My wife sucks.

There's one song that makes me cry once a year, year after year after year.

One Shining Moment.

Surprised no one has mentioned Barber's "Adagio for Strings".

The first time I head "The Final Countdown" from Europe was pretty emotional.

Besides that Requiem by Verdi.

Eno

Not cry, but I was moved by the "Spinning Plates" live version by Radiohead. Enough to get a tattoo. I would still say that the song soothes me.