31 Sad Country Songs to Listen to When You're Feeling Blue
Grab a box of tissues.
Nothing soothes a broken heart or fixes a bad day like a good long cry. The best way to achieve this? A solid lineup of the saddest country songs of all time, of course. Country music can be a great genre for a good time, but no other genre can pull off a sad song quite like country can. Maybe it’s the acoustic guitar or maybe it’s the heart wrenching lyrics that make sad country songs hit the hardest.
There's truly a country song for every mood whether you're drinking a beer on a boat in the heat of summer or driving home from a long day's work, there's a country song for you. From current country artists like Morgan Wallen to old school favorite like Merle Haggard, we've got the full spectrum of sad country songs that any country fan will appreciate.
From songs about death—losing a parent, a partner, and even a child—to the most gut-wrenching breakup stories, the story-like lyrics and slow, twangy instrumentals just have a way of tugging at your heartstrings. We all could use a good cry every once in a while, even you country boys (no shame in the game). So, next time the sadness starts to get the better of you, grab a box or tissues (and maybe chocolates), queue up these sad country songs and let it all out!
"Chasin' You," Morgan Wallen
This sad tune about lost love and chasing that feeling is a real tear jerker. "Chasing that freedom, chasing that feeling that got gone too soon/ Chasing that you and me, I only see in my rear view/ Hell, I'm laying every night holding someone new/ Still chasing you, still chasing you".
"Don't Take the Girl," Tim McGraw
These detailed lyrics follow the story of a little boy and girl who end up getting married. As the boy is faced multiple times throughout his life with losing her, he realizes that he would give anything for her, even his own life. "Take the very breath you gave me / Take the heart from my chest / I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me / Make this my last request / Take me out of this world / God, please don't take the girl."
"You're Gonna Miss This," Trace Adkins
This sweet ballad is sad in a hopeful way. It reminds parents and kids to just slow down and bask in the wonder of now. "You're gonna miss this / You're gonna want this back / You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast / These are some good times / So take a good look around / You may not know it now / But you're gonna miss this."
"Butterfly Kisses," Bob Carlisle
As a daughter grows up, her relationship with her Daddy changes in the most beautiful ways. Here, a father reflects on those milestones. "Oh with all that I've done wrong / I must have done something right / To deserve her love every morning / And butterfly kisses."
"The Song Remembers When," Trisha Yearwood
Just when you think you've moved on, you hear a song that brings old memories back to life. Trisha Yearwood rehashes her past romance, which leads her to think about where and how he might be. "Well, for all the miles between us / And for all the time that's past / You would think I haven't gotten very far / And I hope my hasty heart / Will forgive me just this once / If I stop to wonder how on earth you are."
"The Secret," David Nail
This sad, soulful tune by singer-songwriter David Nail is all about missed opportunities a man is facing after the love of his life passes. "I can't help but think about all we could've been / Had you not stayed here and settled for a life with him / Ashes to ashes, dust to dust / Buried is the secret that was us."
"What Hurts the Most," Rascal Flatts
After being "so close" to telling someone special how much they're loved, the person in this story is heartbroken when their love decides to walk away, reminding you how difficult it is to live with regrets.
"Believe," Brooks & Dunn
Country duo Brooks & Dunn tells the story of old man Wrigley, a Navy veteran who has lost his wife and his baby, through the eyes of a young boy. The boy is devastated when he discovers the elderly man has died and thinks: "If there was ever anybody deserved a ticket to the other side, it'd be that sweet old man who looked me in the eye."
"When I Call Your Name," Vince Gill
Vince Gill laments his lost love in this song. After his wife sent him a goodbye note and then vanished, Vince still can't believe she's gone. "Your love has ended, but mine still remains, but nobody answers when I call your name," he sings.
"Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," Willie Nelson
Country legend Willie Nelson sings about a cowboy dreaming of his lost love. He croons, "Love is like a dyin' ember, only memories remain," as his heart aches for the his loved one who's now in heaven. This short but sweet song will make you think of those who are no longer with us.
"Concrete Angel," Martina McBride
Warning: This song is absolutely heartbreaking. Martina tells the story of a little girl who's being abused and "hides the bruises with linen and lace." She dreams about flying to a place where she's loved, and in the end, she devastatingly goes there.
"The Dance," Garth Brooks
Don't you ever wonder if you had taken a left turn in life instead of veering right? This 1989 release poses the same question. "And now I'm glad I didn't know / The way it all would end, the way it all would go / Our lives are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain / But I'd have to miss the dance."
"I Will Always Love You," Dolly Parton
Yes, there's the Whitney Houston version we all know and love, but we'd argue that nothing compares to Dolly Parton's magical version. Her one-of-a-kind, beautiful warble may quell some of the pain, but the moment you start listening to the actual lyrics again, here come the tears.
"Paint Me a Birmingham," Tracy Lawrence
This 2003 single is gut-wrenching to get through every single time. "And I said if there's any way you can / Could you paint me back into her arms again?" Lawrence begs. "Could you paint me a Birmingham? / Make it look just the way I planned / A little house on the edge of town / Porch going all the way around."
"Crazy," Patsy Cline
This 1960s Willie Nelson-penned tune hits all the pillars of sadness—loneliness, lovesickness, and rejection—rolled into one beautiful swirl of emotion.
"When I'm Gone," Joey + Rory
We still miss Joey Feek who died in 2016 from cervical cancer. "But life will call with daffodils and morning glorious blue skies / You'll think of me some memory and softly smile to your surprise / And even though you love me still you will know where you belong / Just give it time we'll both be fine when I'm gone," Joey sings, in a moving track that the duo's friend wrote as a tribute to her dying mother.
"Fire Away," Chris Stapleton
The guttural vocals of Chris Stapleton elevate this sorrowful tune from very sad to total tear-machine. Emotive voice aside, the lyrics certainly torch our heartstrings, too: "Honey load up your questions / And pick up your sticks and your stones / And pretend I'm a shelter for heartaches / That don't have a home / Choose the words that cut like a razor / And all that I'll say / Is fire away."
"I Drive Your Truck," Lee Brice
"Eighty-nine cents in the ash tray / Half empty bottle of Gatorade rolling in the floorboard / That dirty Braves cap on the dash / Dog tags hanging from the rear view," Lee Brice croons, already compelling us to get a little teary-eyed during the song's opening verse. And it only gets more heart-wrenching from there: "I leave that radio playing / Same old country station where you left it / Yeah, man I crank it up / And you'd probably punch my arm right now / If you saw this tear rolling down on my face / Hey, man I'm trying to be tough." Us too, Lee. Us too.
"Every Time I Hear That Song," Blake Shelton
It may be mid-tempo as opposed to the typical slow, sad country song, but it still gets us every time. We've all shared a song (or a few) with someone special who is no longer in our life. And Blake Shelton howling, "There's something in the bittersweet / The feeling of a memory / Right there in the moment / All I ever wanted was you and me," takes us right back.
"Hurt," Johnny Cash
You know a song is gonna be all about the lowest of lows when it opens with "I hurt myself today / To see if I still feel / I focus on the pain / The only thing that's real." And it only gets more downcast from there: "I wear this crown of thorns / Upon my liar's chair / Full of broken thoughts / I cannot repair."
Perri is a New York City-born and -based writer; she holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Columbia University and is also a culinary school graduate of the plant-based Natural Gourmet Institute, which is now the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, Men's Journal, Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Insider.com, Architectural Digest, Southern Living, and more. She's probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she'll never turn down a bloody mary. Learn more at VeganWhenSober.com.
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