Music Tropes/Tear Jerker: Difference between revisions

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Since other works of media generally have a soundtrack, it would only be natural for [[Tear Jerker|songs that can make you cry]] to show up there.

 

== [[Anime]] ==

*** No mention of [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un_-kExsuRk&fmt=18 Aozora]?

* One can get teary-eyed upon listening to ''Hime murasaki'' by Nana Mizuki. It doesn't help it's the ending song for a VERY tragic anime series, ''[[Basilisk]]: Koga Ninpu Chuu''.

** The place where wishes come true is amazing

* "Blue" from the end of ''[[Cowboy Bebop]]''. Obviously has a lot of emotional impact as a part of the events, but the song is fairly tear jerking on its own.

*** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ngJDBdMpE The Atonement]. Poor Nina and Alexander

** ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist (manga)|Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood]]'' with "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEiucbbXBUA The Requiem of the Brigadier General]", played during {{spoiler|Hughes' [[Meaningful Funeral|funeral]]}}. Also, "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tm9CWguXl98 Happiness: Requiem of the Blind Alchemist]". It's basically a different version of the Brigadier General song, but that doesn't make it any less poignant, especially the back story behind the Blind Alchemist failed human transmutation and resulting blindness.

** What do you mean, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RshWLn7lN7o&feature=related except that one?] Do not underestimate [[Yoko Kanno]].

* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Trd-QmkDlSA Ai no Melody]" by Kokia, from Origin: Spirit of the Past, is already borderline tear-jerker, especially if you read the lyrics. But then you watch the video. And then halfway through, you realise exactly what the song is about {{spoiler|and that the reason that she's packing up the stuff isn't because he broke up with her}}.

* "Encounter", the ending song to the original Gundam movie trilogy.

* The ending theme to [[Violinist of Hameln]] 's [[Direct to Video]] half-hour movie, ''Ame no Chi Hareruya'' (a linguistic pun that can both mean "After the rain, hallellujah" and "After the rain the sky clears"). The movie itself is a majorly plotless funny sidequest (as opposed to the Wangsty and overly serious TV series), but the ending tune is just about perfect and true to the manga's spirit, talking about how people should have fun even in rainy days, and in every painful moment, they should hold hands and sing. Then the pre-chorus really kicks it in by going "''See, the faraway sky is getting brighter''..." Anyone who has read as far as the 15 volume will break down, and the rest of the series only adds to it.

* From [[Axis Powers Hetalia]], China's character song "Aiyaah, 4000 years", which is about China and Japan's relationship and how Japan had betrayed China. The music and lyrics make it even worse.

{{quote|"Even if our countries are different

* But Brian Tyler's "Battle Adagio" brought a sad, tender humanity and a sense of hope to the finale of ''[[Rambo]]'' movie that shod many manly tears from the audiences at various theatres.

* Frigging John Williams and his frigging "Across the Stars" from ''[[Star Wars|Attack of the Clones]]''. Forget that it's the Leitmotif for ''the'' [[Romantic Plot Tumor]] -- this is the music to what the love story should have been. Particularly coming in at full blast after the glorious rendition of the Imperial March. It's telling that the most evocative sequences in the [[Romantic Plot Tumor]] are those with ''no'' dialogue... just lovely, lovely music.

** Also, the soft viola version of the Imperial March subtly underscoring Darth Vader's death in ''Return of the Jedi''. A beautiful reversal of what is essentially ''the'' iconic "Bad Guy Theme".

** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRt-dieB3rs "Anakin's Betrayal"], the hauntingly sad music that played in the Order 66 sequence.

** John Williams' score for ''[[Born On the Fourth of July]]''.

* "Ashokan Farewell", a 1980s slow waltz, was used to heartbreaking effect in the Ken Burn's documentary ''Civil War'' numerous times, most notably over the infamous Sullivan Ballou letter.

** "Into The West" is made even better (worse?) when you see its documentary: While they were writing the song the production company discovered a teenaged filmmaker and were impressed by his skills; unfortunately he was [[Littlest Cancer Patient|dying of cancer]]. He managed to make several short films (or long trailers) before he died, and parts of his funeral are shown (complete with his mates doing a ''haka'' at his graveside).

** How about "The Steward of Gondor"?

** "Evenstar", "Amon Hen", and "The Bridge of Khazad Dum" are three more.

** The Shire's theme. ''Especially'' the snippet of it at the end of "May It Be" by [[Enya]]

* The "''[[Forrest Gump]]'' Suite".

* According to the "Making Off" special of ''The Princess Diaries 2'', when Julie Andrews agreed to sing a song for the movie, several tattooed, [[Perma-Stubble|Perma Stubbled]], bald-shaven production crew members openly wept at getting to hear her sing in person.

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9cCABTE18E "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill]. From ''[[Pearl Harbor]]''.

* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H0JDomv8ac Arrival To Earth]", from the ''[[Transformers Film Series]]''. Something about the incredibly awe-inspiring choir in the background as the Autobots find a new home rarely fails to produce tears in fans.

* "Gabriel's Oboe" from ''The Mission''. It's an extremely powerful song... especially when you realize that Ennio Morricone took the random on-screen oboe-pantomiming of Jeremy Irons and turned it into such a beautiful piece.

** Someone apparently sung the piece into something called "Nella Fantasia". It basically ''doubles'' the tear-jerking and heartwarming factor.

* The instrumental version of "A Day in the Life" that plays in ''[[Across the Universe (film)|Across the Universe]]'' when Jude goes back to Liverpool. The song can make some people cry ''anyway'', but with the raw sadness showed in that part of the movie... Waah.

* "When She Loved Me" from the [[Toy Story 2]] soundtrack. Never mind that it's a sad [[Sarah McLachlan]] song, but the montage that goes with it can make one go home from the theater and hug her old teddy bear.

* The theme to ''Brian's Song'', especially considering the story.

* Depending on your mood (and your awareness of the story), "A Place For Us" from the ''Bridge To Terabithia'' soundtrack can be an excellent example of this.

* The Dubliners' "On Raglan Road" set to {{spoiler|Ken's suicide}} in ''[[In Bruges]].''

* The theme from ''[[To Kill a Mockingbird]]''..... [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5cKSMI6_8k To Kill A Mockinbird].

* Even a staunch atheist can be consistently reduced to tears by the end of the first stanza of "God Help the Outcasts" from Disney's ''[[The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney film)|The Hunchback of Notre Dame]]'', particularly the line, "Still I see your face and wonder, were you once an outcast too?" addressed to a statue of Mary and Jesus.

 

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

* "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7jH45JVdTw Admiral and Commander]" by Bear McCreary, from the ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'' soundtrack, especially at the end when the drums kick in.

** Similarly, [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EQXEIoZrZE Something Dark Is Coming], off the Season 2 soundtrack can be heartbreaking.

** Don't forget "Madame de Pompadour", "Father's Day" and "This is Gallifrey: Our Childhood, Our Home". Murray Gold is honest to god ''aiming'' for this trope.

** "The Dream of a Normal Death" is another one.

** The hymns from Gridlock. Especially the version of Abide with Me that plays in the background as the Doctor is describing Gallifrey to Martha. Though this troper hopes for her own sake that neither that nor Old Rugged Cross are played in church anytime soon for fear that she'll burst into tears.

** "The Rueful Fate of {{spoiler|Donna Noble}}" belongs here, especially with it's reminiscence of "Doomsday"

I'll escape now from that world, from the world of Jean Valjean<br />

There is nowhere I can turn, there is no way to go on..." }}

* An oldie but a goodie: "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpKXC8NnP_E Try to Remember]", from ''[[The Fantasticks]]''.

** Another one: Near the end of the show, during act 2, Matt re-appears, battered and bruised, singing a [[Dark Reprise]] of the intro to "I Can See It" - except while El Gallo tells Luisa of the world's grandness, he sings about what the world is really like to the audience (an inversion of their roles in the song's original appearance), after being beaten by Mortimer and Henry earlier in the show, during "Round and Round" as a metaphor for the world hurting him. It's really awful considering how excited he was to go out and see the world on his own, earlier in the show. Luisa then returns to the stage, after leaving to pack her things, and sees that El Gallo has left her, and begins to cry, while Matt goes over to comfort her. El Gallo then appears behind the central action, and recites a poem about how he had to hurt Matt and Luisa to make them realize what love is, and how he hurt himself in the process, and the two realize that everything they wanted was each other, leading into the song "They Were You". Matt and Luisa then sing a reprise of "Metaphor", with a deeper understanding of life. The Fathers then return and are about to tear down the wall, when El Gallo reminds them that the Wall must stay, as a way of telling them just to leave things as they are, concluding with a reprise of the final verse of "Try to Remember".

** "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXkgn3QUA2w&feature=related Calling to the Night]" from Metal Gear Portable Ops. Also featured in MGS4 as a track on your I-Pod and in [[Super Smash Bros.]] Brawl, and it can really make one cry.

** No mention of "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGlSak7hG0U Heavens Divide]" from ''[[Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker]]'' yet?! This song, especially when it plays after {{spoiler|Peace Walker's mammal pod makes a [[Heroic Sacrifice]] ([[It Makes Sense in Context]])}}, is absolutely heart-breaking. [[Manly Tears|Where's my Kleenex again?]]

** [[Mother 3]]'s "Love Theme".

** It's ''surprising'' to not have seen a single mention to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-EKQp4Hedk It Is Finished]. The simple context in which this song is inserted will make you very, ''very'' depressed.

** The original game's "All That I Needed (Was You)".

** "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmobfd3hiUk Bon Voyage, Amigo]", making you cry for recruiting a party member.

** Likewise, the end credits music that plays after {{spoiler|Midna returns to the Twilight Realm and breaks the Mirror of Twilight.}}

** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBTu_y850q0 Departure] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB6wEv1daJ4 Epilogue] from ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Legend of Zelda the Wind Waker]]''. Both start out sounding heroic, and wind up making the player/listener want to cry.

* "Lullaby for You" from TWEWY may not seem so sad if you listen to it out of context. However, if you listen to it in-game, right after The Reveal...oh God. "[[You Are Not Alone]]..."

* The song "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnwBx0L1hBE Hikari no Naka ni]", or "Within the Light", from Ar Tonelico 3 can be a tearjerker on a musical level -- but try listening to it while reading the lyrics.

** Composer Yasunori Mitsuda has reportedly said that he himself was brought to tears upon seeing exactly how the piece was used, particularly in the Dead Sea sequence and the associated nostalgic imagery from ''Chrono Trigger''.

** Speaking of ''[[Chrono Trigger]]'', the closing credits song, "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyemxHCJUNg To Far Away Times"/"Outskirts of Time]" can also do it.

*** Wait, Reuben Kee... [[Player Punch|uh]].

** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5F3nbbdlv4 "To Good Friends"]. It's bad enough with its music box melody...but [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_HMLvLB7b0 when used at the climax of someone's marriage proposal], it results in happy tears.

** ''Cross'''s "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-xrTeCB0hg Leaving the Body]", played over Dario's grave, is quite poignant...and made all the better for foreshadowing its powered-up heroic remix, "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKaCk7wn13U Dragon Rider]."

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-A23EkKlSQ This] performance of the song "Eight Melodies" from the Mother video game certainly applies. And, yes, those are supposed to be the voices of the characters in the game. Made even sadder when you realize {{spoiler|that's Giygas singing mournfully at the end.}}

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDJnlP80IXQ Amongst The Dead] from ''[[Medal of Honor]]: Underground'', fittingly played on the level after Jacques' death. It is also [[Nightmare Fuel]] with its ghostly [[Ethereal Choir]]. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRM-eWWty2g After The Drop] and [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whqXv24iQlA Arnhem] from ''Frontline'' also use melancholy [[Cherubic Choir|boy's choir]], which add an element of [[Soundtrack Dissonance]].

* ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'' has a cutscene song entitled ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPbtnGU30fE Sadness]'' which is [[Exactly What It Says on the Tin]], particularly since it sounds so childlike and innocent. Also from the ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog]]'' series, there's the introspective [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2sOpyF1nF4&feature=related E-102 Gamma theme], the remorseful [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUJEQX2dyO4 Slightly Hero ending theme] of ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog]]'', and also [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hln4V3IFAyw&feature=related I Am... The Story Is Over] from the same game.

== [[Western Animation]] ==

* ''[[Futurama]]'''s infamous use of Connie Francis' [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLmnyRozFKk I Will Wait For You] in its sci-fi re-telling of the story of [[wikipedia:Hachiko|Hachiko]].

{{quote|So the years went by,

I stayed the same;

You're one of us..." }}

 

[[Category:Tear Jerker/Music]]