# Good sentimental pop, rock, and such



## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I'm a lot more familiar with classical music than popular music, but I'm a fan of some sentimental non-classical songs (mainly pop and rock), some of which I've heard on the radio but don't know the names of. 

I want to explore this type of music more. 

Please share your favorites.


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

Believe it or not, it was supposed to be a protest song against the last government's introduction of ASBOs! Political and sentimental- no wonder all the shallow hipsters don't 'get' Richard Hawley!

Brace yourself for the sheer amount of emotion in this one:






And if Hawley doesn't do it for you, there's always Bruce Springsteen!


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

My favourites (with YouTube links): Countdown to ecstasy.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Chordalrock said:


> I'm a lot more familiar with classical music than popular music, but I'm a fan of some sentimental non-classical songs (mainly pop and rock), some of which I've heard on the radio but don't know the names of.
> 
> I want to explore this type of music more.


I'm not even sure what kind of music you have in mind.
This is a sentimental song, composed by Harold Arlen (great american songbook)





this Husker du's classic is a sentimental song too, and it's punk





God only knows is a sentimental song too and it's considered surf music





this is brazilian pop music (a Jobim song)





Country





The fact is: with sentimental do you mean just love songs? And what genre do you want to listen?


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I just happened to be listening to this one from an old Joe Walsh album. It sounds nothing like the famous, hard rocking lead off track.






I used love this one when I was a kid. It's actually from their second album,
not the CTA album pictured here.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

There was a schmaltzy pop song that was a hit when I was an early teenager, Crimson and Clover. I don't recall who did it, but Joan Jett did a _fine_ version of it:


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)




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## mirepoix (Feb 1, 2014)

The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds.
And for latter day (and affectionate) renderings of 20th century standards, perhaps consider this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Little_Touch_of_Schmilsson_in_the_Night


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## Whistler Fred (Feb 6, 2014)

brotagonist said:


> There was a schmaltzy pop song that was a hit when I was an early teenager, Crimson and Clover. I don't recall who did it, but Joan Jett did a _fine_ version of it:


It was Tommy James and the Shondells. It was considered quite psychedelic and hip in 1968, with its electric tremelo for the final chorus. Here is a You-Tube for the curious:


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I don't listen to those old rock albums from my childhood/youth much anymore and most of them seem dated and, even, juvenile. For the sake of nostalgia, I'll give them a listen once in a while, but most are long forgotten, and that's likely best 

There is one artist/band that I still like today (although I haven't followed their output since the early '80s): Peter Hammill and Van der Graaf Generator. Hammill wrote great lyrics and a lot of his songs are sentimental ones.

Here's one from Hammill's first solo album:






Another, this one from my favourite solo album:






The band could _really_ rock and _nobody_ did it like them.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

Tommy James and the Shondells. OMG, were they schmaltzy  Yes, Whistler Fred, their version of Crimson and Clover is very psychedelic. I like it  I checked out this one, another of their hits from when I was 12 or 13. I don't particularly like it like I do the other one... no wild psychedelic guitars and stuff... but the video is great:






Talk about nostalgia


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I'm not sure if this qualifies as sentimental  but it is one of my favourite songs that has been covered by nearly everyone. I should have put this version in the covers thread, because I think Paul Revere and the Raiders' version is one of the best. I don't like the R&B versions at all [ugh], but the '60s psychedelic guitar solo in this version is so incredible, that it sends chills up my spine:


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

norman bates said:


> I'm not even sure what kind of music you have in mind.
> 
> The fact is: with sentimental do you mean just love songs? And what genre do you want to listen?


It could be something that's difficult to categorise, like Stairway to Heaven, which I love. What are the lyrics of that song about? I don't really know, and while it's rock, it's not typical rock, not even typical "progressive rock".

Love, death, anything, as long as you think it's good and sentimental. What I'm thinking of in particular inclines toward sadness rather than joy.


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Joni Mitchell's 1969 classic.






The late, great John Martyn.






San Diego's Mike Keneally. One of the few musicians writing catchy pop
songs these days.


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## mirepoix (Feb 1, 2014)

And I'll suggest Marshall Crenshaw. http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marshall_Crenshaw_(album)


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I would say Willie Nelson's cover of Rainbow Connection is sentimental without drifting over into the negative connotations of the word.








Chordalrock said:


> It could be something that's difficult to categorise, like Stairway to Heaven, which I love. What are the lyrics of that song about? I don't really know, and while it's rock, it's not typical rock, not even typical "progressive rock".


I would never describe Stairway as sentimental, so perhaps we do need some guidance here.


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> I would never describe Stairway as sentimental, so perhaps we do need some guidance here.


I just mean sad & beautiful in a way that sophisticated classical music listeners would probably find not-sophisticated-enough, so they'd call it sentimental, but might still enjoy it and recommend.

Something like that.


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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

People, I went through all of these that had youtube links and also listened to a few on the linked blog and some others (Crenshaw etc).

Loved the Peter Hammill song, The Birds. This already made the thread worth it for me, but I hope there will be more suggestions.

Thanks for those posted so far.


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## muzik (May 16, 2013)

Nothing beats this in my opinion:






since I've been loving you, led zepp...


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

*New Order - (1985) Low-life*


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## Figleaf (Jun 10, 2014)

This is pre- rock by some decades, but it has to be sentimental enough! I love the Edwardian picture postcards with the lyrics on.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)




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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

Brings to mind The Beach Boys. Never considered them any good thou.


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## RedRum (Dec 24, 2013)

Something like this ?


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## echo (Aug 15, 2014)




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## Chordalrock (Jan 21, 2014)

I like this jazz version of a Leonard Cohen song:






The original is of course rather well known but it was more or less unknown to me until a few days ago. Amazing lyrics.


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## echo (Aug 15, 2014)

2 chords


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## Morimur (Jan 23, 2014)

*James Brown - Hell 1974 (Full Album HD Vinyl)*

Ah don' know if this hea' be sentimental, but it sho' be FUNKEY!


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

This one always hits me in the heart ... especially in the morning, right around breakfast time.


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## echo (Aug 15, 2014)




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## Headphone Hermit (Jan 8, 2014)

sounds like you might be ready for 1950s revival sugar pop or Country and Western ... or you could just mainline it with Patsy Cline, perhaps?


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Just go Bacharach and Wonder for a bit - there ain't better songwriters (sorry Schubert) - maybe Carole King?


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

When I really want to mellow down with some "sentimental pop" music, I can always trust the Dead Kennedys to deliver, as they do with _Frankenchrist_, one of many DK gems in my LP collection:


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)




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## echo (Aug 15, 2014)

any one care to dance ?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)




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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

I love this freakin' guy...


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

What's that, more Morrissey? Sure. The Smiths.


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## Blake (Nov 6, 2013)

Alright, last one. I've been on a real Morrissey/The Smiths kick lately.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

I love this duo: The Civil Wars.






Another great song by David Grey:






And one of my favorites by Ray LaMontagne"






V


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