History TearJerker / TheBeatles

** "Golden Slumbers" gives us the lyric "Once there was a way to get back homeward", the most obvious interpretation being that while there was a way back once, that way is now closed off forever, and there is no going back to how things were. In this case, the Beatles knew this would likely be their last collaboration, and as much as their frictions are aggravating, it's still sad it has come to this.

** And now, almost 30 years later, thanks to the power of advanced modern-day technology, "Now and Then" has been completed into it's very own song, allowing for the Beatles to band together one last time, albeit in a way that bands them together more metaphorically, in a bittersweet posthumous way.

** And now, almost 30 years later, thanks to the power of advanced modern-day technology, "Now and Then" has been completed into it's very own song, allowing for the Beatles to band together one last time, albeit in a way that bands them together more metaphorically, in a bittersweet post-humous way.

* "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is more often counted as [[NightmareFuel/TheBeatles Nightmare Fuel]] for its distorted, proto-Black Sabbath guitars and its [[LastNoteNightmare sudden stop]] at the end, but the sudden stop can take on a whole, sad, new meaning when you consider it was ''the last-ever song the group as a whole worked on''. And just two days later they had their final photo shoot, which by most accounts was the last-ever time all four Beatles were together.

* "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" is more often counted as [[Beatles/NightmareFuel Nightmare Fuel]] for its distorted, proto-Black Sabbath guitars and its [[LastNoteNightmare sudden stop]] at the end, but the sudden stop can take on a whole, sad, new meaning when you consider it was the last-ever song the group as a whole worked on. And just two days later they had their final photo shoot, which by most accounts was the last-ever time all four Beatles were together.

-->You're gonna carry that weight... carry that weight a long time...

-->And in the end\\

You make...

** "For No One" is a BreakupSong that has some of the most depressing lyrics on the album.

** "For No One", meanwhile, has some of the most depressing lyrics on the album.

** Perhaps even moreso, the cover performed by Twiggy on ''Series/TheMuppetShow'' which turns it into a reflection on her highly influential modeling career, with all the peaks and valleys that implies.

** Try watching [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAf59XJPQC4 this]] ''Anime/GraveOfTheFireflies'' AMV that uses the song.

** Tear Jerking FridgeBrilliance. Eleanor Rigby "... was buried along with her name." ''Everyone forgot her.'' A possible exemption could be made for Father [=McKenzie=].
*** It could actually be ''worse''. This phrase could also mean that Eleanor was the last surviving Rigby--'''period.''' With her death, her entire family line is extinct.

-->"All the lonely people\\

-->'''Pollack:''' ...I think that one is intrigued and also challenged by an ambiguous duality in the message:
--->Petition: May something I want to happen but which might not be forthcoming be allowed to become an actuality.
--->Acceptance: With complete faith and patience in the inevitability of the outcome that is not the one I may "want," I wistfully let go of any desire for that different eventuality, and ask that whatever is decreed by fate to be may happen with all good speed.
-->Our human foible here is to be trapped into the unquestioned assumption that the two prayers above are automatically in opposition to each other. Indeed, the truly sublime appeal of "Let It Be" as well as LVB's Opus 135 is in the extent to which each encourages us toward a vivid foretaste of that blessed state in which both desires converge and become one and the same.

* "She's Leaving Home" from ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand'', an oddity as Beatles songs went (considering their "mischievous kid" personas). Lines from that song, like "We gave her most of our lives... we struggled hard all those years to get by" can be especially heartbreaking. Also, the lines "We never thought of ourselves...Never a thought for ourselves..We didn't know it was wrong..." -- showing parents who only meant well, but only drove their daughter away in throwing money at her, and must now go on without her. It can really wrench one's gut. The beautiful strings and vocals can also do it. And the way it ''ends'' hits every tender nerve as it fades out.

-->"I look from the wings at the play you are staging\\

* "Real Love" from ''Music/TheBeatlesAnthology'' is probably the finest song John had ever written -- and the song seems that much more heart-wrenching, when put into the context of his tumultuous life. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWWJx4gpfMg The Video]] is also sad in context.

* "Something" from ''Music/AbbeyRoad'' may also count. Music/FrankSinatra actually called it the best love song Lennon or [=McCartney=] wrote, but it's Music/GeorgeHarrison's song about his then wife [[TheMuse Patti Boyd]] - who would later go on to divorce him for Harrison's best friend Music/EricClapton, who also wrote a song ("Layla") about her. George wasn't exactly cool with it... in fact, he did a cover of "Bye Bye Love" with altered lyrics relating to the situation. [[http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/e/everlybrothersthe7422/byebyelove270215.html The original.]] [[http://www.lyricstime.com/george-harrison-bye-bye-love-lyrics.html His version.]] He did get over it though.
* "Because" from ''Music/AbbeyRoad''. Not a particularly sad song in of itself, but the beautiful vocal harmony is tearjerking.
* "Strawberry Fields Forever" from ''Music/MagicalMysteryTour'' is a very sad, poignant piece of poetry -- and, not to mention, a very personal song for John. The loneliness that comes through can make ones heart ache for him.

** When Ringo whispers the final lines, it's both a LastNoteNightmare and a tear jerker as it sounds like he really means what he's singing. And there's just something painful about the words "everybody, everywhere... good night."

* "No Reply" from ''Music/BeatlesForSale'' can be particularly moving piece. The melodramatic chords and the audible heartbreak in John's voice can do it for some people.

** And said impostor gets no credit to ''his'' own name, and has had to give up his own name, face, identity, and entire life, to keep "Paul" "alive."

** The version from ''Film/AcrossTheUniverse'' -- done by a single a cappella boy, a gospel choir, and then played over the image of a young soldier's funeral -- can be very heart-wrenching. Played over the funerals of the soldier ''and the boy'' (the latter of which died in a city riot).

* ''Film/AcrossTheUniverse'''s rendition of "Happiness is a Warm Gun" can make certain people feel lonely (and even lachrymose).

** When someone (it sounds like John) starts screaming "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah" in the background, it shows how far the band had truly progressed within a few short years -- and a fitting tribute to their Mop-Topped selves.

** A lovable young man, at the height of his fame, is killed in a senseless and grizzly accident.

* "Eleanor Rigby" from ''Music/{{{Revolver|Beatles Album}}'' is a hopeless song about someone who died as a lonely woman. It can especially affect those who also struggle with loneliness and having few (if any) friends. Also, part of what makes "Eleanor Rigby" so sad is the fact that the strings sound like they're sighing. Both Paul and the instruments sound angry and disgusted that we live in a world where this happens.

* "Eleanor Rigby" from ''Music/{{Revolver}}'' is a hopeless song about someone who died as a lonely woman. It can especially affect those who also struggle with loneliness and having few (if any) friends. Also, part of what makes "Eleanor Rigby" so sad is the fact that the strings sound like they're sighing. Both Paul and the instruments sound angry and disgusted that we live in a world where this happens.

* Two from Paul on ''Music/{{Revolver}}'' (besides the aforementioned "Eleanor Rigby"):

** Almost immediately after this trauma, the band is told they have to accept a look-alike impostor into heir band, help teach him how to be "Paul," and lie to the world. They have to see Paul's face every day, smile for the press, and pretend nothing has changed.

Little darling, the smiles returning to our faces

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun''\\

** "Golden Slumbers" gives us the lyric "Once there was a way to get back homeward", the most obvious interpretation being that while there was a way back once, that way is now closed off forever, and there is no going back to how things were.

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces\\

-->'''Pollack:''' ...I think that one is intruigued and also challenged by an ambiguous duality in the message:

* "Hey, Jude" -- sad melody, and there are times when the lyrics don't quite make it better.

* Music/RingoStarr's last visit to George. George was incredibly sick at the time and could only lie down. Ringo was visiting him and was trying to explain that he couldn't stay because his daughter had a brain tumor and he needed to be with her in Boston. Supposedly, [[TrueCompanions George's last words to Ringo]] were: "[[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Do you want me to come with you?]]"
* The other members of The Beatles were very upset when John Lennon was killed in 1980. George Harrison actually had to cancel his recording session.
** Music/YokoOno wrote a tribute song for Lennon called ''Goodbye Sadness''.
* In January 1994, Paul [=McCartney=] was given two tape cassettes by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono that included home recordings of songs Lennon never completed or released commercially. One tape included the songs “Grow Old With Me” and “Now and Then”.
** Both songs can be tearjerkers within themselves, but what makes it worse is that, on said tape, the words '''"for Paul"''' had been scrawled hastily in John’s handwriting.

* "Eleanor Rigby" from ''Music/{{Revolver}}'' is a hopeless song about someone who died as a lonely woman. It can especially affect those who also struggle with loneliness and having few (if any) friends. Also, part of what makes Eleanor Rigby so sad is the fact that the strings sound like they're sighing. Both Paul and the instruments sound angry and disgusted that we live in a world where this happens.

** Even the version of "Eleanor Rigby" from the Music/TheBeatlesAnthology, which is ''just the strings'', will haunt you.

* Then there is "Julia" from Music/TheWhiteAlbum, which John Lennon wrote for his late mother. In the Music/TheBeatlesAnthology version, he actually starts crying.

* "When I'm Sixty Four" from ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand'' may be another one, even if only because [[SoundtrackDissonance it plays over the ending credits of]] ''The World According To Garp'' (which has its own entry in the film examples).
** Russell Brand's version of "When I'm Sixty Four", while considered {{Narm}} for some, is heartbreaking for others -- because Russell was instructed to sing it as if the answer to "Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I'm sixty-four?" was "No."

** George Martin had cried when presenting the song in the Music/TheBeatlesAnthology documentary.
** The most depressing version of the song might be Jeff Beck's instrumental version from George Martin's "In My Life" album -- the sad, melancholy beauty of the song is amplified to the point where it's almost tangible.

* "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from Music/TheWhiteAlbum can also do it.

* "Something" from ''Music/AbbeyRoad'' may also count. Music/FrankSinatra actually called it the best love song Lennon or [=McCartney=] wrote, but it's George Harrison's song about his then wife [[TheMuse Patti Boyd]] - who would later go on to divorce him for Harrison's best friend Music/EricClapton, who also wrote a song ("Layla") about her. George wasn't exactly cool with it... in fact, he did a cover of "Bye Bye Love" with altered lyrics relating to the situation. [[http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/e/everlybrothersthe7422/byebyelove270215.html The original.]] [[http://www.lyricstime.com/george-harrison-bye-bye-love-lyrics.html His version.]] He did get over it though.

* "Good Night" from Music/TheWhiteAlbum. Although the song itself is usually considered sappy and maudlin, after the emotional rollercoaster that ''is'' the entirety of ''The Beatles'', climaxing with the... [[NightmareFuel preceding song]], it's just some sort of sweet, simplistic release, restoring your sanity when you need it most. In its own way, it's the perfect closer for the album.

* George Harrison's solo piece "My Sweet Lord". The lyrics are depressing considering he has passed away, and the rest of the song is chanting "Hallelujah", tambourines, and an acoustic guitar.
-->My lord...\\
I really wanna know you,\\
really wanna be with you,

* "No Reply" from BeatlesForSale can be particularly moving piece. The melodramatic chords and the audible heartbreak in John's voice can do it for some people.
* Ringo's last visit to George. George was incredibly sick at the time and could only lie down. Ringo was visiting him and was trying to explain that he couldn't stay because his daughter had a brain tumor and he needed to be with her in Boston. Supposedly, [[TrueCompanions George's last words to Ringo]] were: "[[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments Do you want me to come with you?]]"

** Yoko Ono wrote a tribute song for Lennon called ''Goodbye Sadness''.

* In January 1994, Paul McCartney was given two tape cassettes by Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono that included home recordings of songs Lennon never completed or released commercially. One tape included the songs “Grow Old With Me” and “Now and Then”.

** Tear Jerking FridgeBrilliance. Eleanor Rigby "... was buried along with her name." [[spoiler: ''Everyone forgot her.'']] A possible exemption could be made for Father [=McKenzie=].

* Their official [=YouTube=] channel (and their Vevo channel) was at one point [[ScrewedByTheLawyers terminated due to copyright claims from UMG_MK]]. This also affected people who posted the Beatles songs on the site, as well as a user named [=McCKLENN=] who uploaded episodes from [[WesternAnimation/TheBeatles The Beatles cartoon show]]. [[CorruptCorporateExecutive All with the express purpose of artificially increasing album sales, it seems]].
* The passing of their old director George Martin at age 90.
* In a way, how the band itself broke up. Four lads who were close friends who just happened to form the greatest rock band the world ever seen, whose musical style was based on ''harmony'', where every performance and singing voice complemented each other... and then they stopped being like that. The breakup of the Beatles was viewed as Earth-shattering news when it happened. There was a reason why people kept hoping the band would get back together during the Seventies -- Lorne Michaels' offer on ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' for the band to reunite for $5000.00 mocked then-ongoing proposals by the networks (and if Paul and John were serious about going down to the studio that very night, it might have ''worked'') -- all because the fans wanted to see them together one more time.
** And then a crazy person shot Lennon. The whole world grieved.
* The passing of the electronic engineer Magic Alex at age 74.
* Let's not forget poor Stuart Sutcliffe, who died of an undiagnosed brain aneurysm at the age of 21 in the arms of his fiancee.
* The passing of engineer Geoff Emerick from a heart attack on October 2, 2018, aged 72.
* We know it's coming, and we will never be ready for it. The day will come that Paul or Ringo will pass on, and we will all fall to tears knowing only one survives. Then, even worse, the day will come when the last Beatle passes on, and the world will wail knowing they are gone.