Wanted: Sad Electric Organ Music

January 5, 2016 6:11 PM

I love, love, love melancholy or sad songs that feature an electric organ, but I stumble upon them infrequently. Could you help me find more?

Most of my headphone time lately has been taken up with podcasts, so one of my goals for 2016 is to listen to more music. I especially love songs that feature an electric organ - some examples below:

When I Go - Over the Rhine

River - Leon Bridges

Once Upon a Time - Ebba Forsberg

I'm really looking for melancholy or downright sad songs where an electric organ is played. If it's one of the only instruments, even better. Not really interested in purely instrumental music, though. Otherwise, any genre, artist, or time period is great. (Please assume that I am a total electric organ newbie.)

I saw this previous question, and it's helpful but about ten years old and focused on any music that includes electric organs, not just depressing stuff (though if you have any awesome non-depressing electric organ song suggestions, feel free to note those too).

My ears thank you in advance!

posted by Synesthesia to Media & Arts (16 answers total)

Best answer: Aimee Mann - "One"

The Microphones - "The Glow Pt. 2"
posted by naju at 6:46 PM on January 5, 2016 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Sufjan Stevens - "Vito's Ordination Song"
posted by naju at 6:50 PM on January 5, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Procol Harum : "Whiter Shade of Pale"
posted by 4ster at 6:59 PM on January 5, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Cat Power - Blue
posted by forallmankind at 7:27 PM on January 5, 2016

Best answer: Crowded House - Don't Dream It's Over (I think it's organ in the bridge)
posted by lakeroon at 8:11 PM on January 5, 2016

Best answer: Black Diamond Heavies - Bidin' My Time
posted by ghharr at 8:47 PM on January 5, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Also, Billy Bragg - A Lover Sings
posted by ghharr at 9:06 PM on January 5, 2016

Best answer: Check out Blind Slime. It's vaguely spooky, mostly melancholy instrumental music. Very organ heavy.
posted by sleeping bear at 10:39 PM on January 5, 2016

Best answer: Chariots of Fire
posted by fairmettle at 1:51 AM on January 6, 2016

Best answer: Golden Brown - The Stranglers
posted by banishedimmortal at 2:39 AM on January 6, 2016

Best answer: The Cure's 17 Seconds and Faith albums are both steeped in simple, gloomy organ/string sounds (as is a lot of their later work, but those two albums are particularly stark and bleak). You might want to check out Spiritualized as well, e.g. Broken Heart.
posted by srednivashtar at 3:03 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Charlie Musselwhite - Christo Redemptor
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:25 AM on January 6, 2016

Best answer: Mammane Sani et son Orgue- Tunan
Top-Drawer- Song of a Sinner
Timber Timbre- Lay Down in The Tall Grass
Beach House- Master of None
Harumi- Fire By The River
Procol Harum- A Whiter Shade of Pale or [Nicolettas Les orgues d'antan Cover]
Wendy Rene -After Laughter (Comes Tears) [Booker T Jones on Organ]
posted by abhardcastle at 8:38 AM on January 6, 2016

Best answer: Yo La Tengo - Our Way to Fall
Wilco - Jesus, etc.
Decemberists - Grace Cathedral Hill
posted by Leontine at 9:20 AM on January 6, 2016

Best answer: Oh my good gracious, you need Broken Wings by John Mayall (sans Bluesbreakers) in your life.
posted by greenish at 9:53 AM on January 6, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thank you all so, so much! So much wonderful organ music in one place.
posted by Synesthesia at 7:11 PM on January 6, 2016