Short & Poignant Songs
October 10, 2020 7:45 PM

Looking for some recommendations for some short & poignant songs. Or just thoughtful and maybe emotional and melancholy a bit. Or short & cute, that works too. Under 3 minutes preferably, and under 2 minutes even better.

So by "short" I mostly mean from 1-2 minutes long, but under 3 minutes works as well.

To give you an idea, here's what's already on my playlist:

Burgundy Heart-Shaped Medallion - David Wilcox (1:38)
A Long Way to Get - Bob Schneider (2:19)
Sweet Dream - Greg Laswell (1:08)
Good Riddance - Green Day (2:33)

Give me your favorite short songs! Mainly looking for poignant / emotional / thoughtful etc, but other kinds are welcome as well.
posted by cats are weird to Media & Arts (69 answers total) 12 users marked this as a favorite
Sally's Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas is just under 2 minutes.
posted by tomboko at 7:48 PM on October 10, 2020


Hold On, Hold On by Neko Case is around 2:45
posted by muddgirl at 7:59 PM on October 10, 2020


"Needle and the Damage Done", by Neil Young clocks in at 2:03.
posted by alex1965 at 8:03 PM on October 10, 2020


Simon & Garfunkel: "Song for the Asking": 1:49.
posted by splitpeasoup at 8:08 PM on October 10, 2020


Plumtree - Good Time to Tell Me (3:08) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT9Mwrb4Kko
posted by nickggully at 8:22 PM on October 10, 2020


The White Stripes: “Little Room” (1:00)
posted by D.Billy at 8:30 PM on October 10, 2020


Calling Cards , another by Neko Case
Just damn beautiful
posted by armoir from antproof case at 8:42 PM on October 10, 2020


Mount Moriah - Lament (2:33)
posted by eponym at 9:08 PM on October 10, 2020




The Beatles - Blackbird (2:19)
U2 - MLK (2:32) or "40" (2:35)
posted by sigmagalator at 9:10 PM on October 10, 2020


Both by Spoon:

Anything You Want (2:17)
You Gotta Feel It (1:29)

First one is poignant; second one is more short and cute.
posted by holborne at 9:13 PM on October 10, 2020


John K Samson - Virtute at Rest (1:37). It has a bit of history but I think it might stand alone too.
posted by valrus at 9:18 PM on October 10, 2020


Memo to My Son - Randy Newman
Achin' All the Time - Ray LaMontagne
Drive On - Johnny Cash
Who By Fire - Leonard Cohen
Hot Summer Nights - Tom House
Steamboat - Adrienne Lenker
Man Burning - Josh Ritter
I Drink Beer - Dan Reeder
Astro Zombies - Steve Gunn
posted by Redstart at 9:28 PM on October 10, 2020


Under the Disco Ball by Jill Sobule. ~1:30
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:46 PM on October 10, 2020


Always liked “The Way Old Friends Do” by Abba.
posted by Melismata at 9:54 PM on October 10, 2020


In descending length order:

First Day of My Life by Bright Eyes (sorry, a touch long at 3:06, but the perfect sweet and melancholy song)

The Riddle Song as performed by Doc Watson (2:41, teared up the first time I heard this after my toddler was born)

Sea of Love as performed by Cat Power (2:18, simple and lovely)

Walkaways by Counting Crows (1:12, "someday I'm gonna stay, but not today")
posted by Synesthesia at 10:01 PM on October 10, 2020


Tom Petty's "I won't back down" is well under three minutes.
Most of the songs on the album which it comes from (Full Moon Fever) are short, too. For example, Alright for now is 2 minutes, and could be very poignant.
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 10:03 PM on October 10, 2020


Walk on by - Dionne Warwick; short and poignant. There're probably quite a few Burt Bacharach songs that fit that fill.
posted by Calvin and the Duplicators at 10:11 PM on October 10, 2020


Cynicism by Nana Grizol
posted by Grandysaur at 10:17 PM on October 10, 2020


The Box Tops - The Letter (1:58)
posted by rhizome at 10:19 PM on October 10, 2020


Field Day for the Sundays by Wire is 0:28 and I think it's great and a little melancholy.
posted by kensington314 at 10:24 PM on October 10, 2020


Fare Thee Well (Dink's Song). Here's Oscar Isaac's version from Inside Llewyn Davis.
posted by katecholamine at 10:24 PM on October 10, 2020


Tom Waits' I Don't Wanna Grow Up, if you listen to the lyrics. (The video is 3:33, but the actual song is 2:39.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:30 PM on October 10, 2020


Golden Slumbers by the Beatles is 1:32 and one of my favorite Beatles songs.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 10:31 PM on October 10, 2020


Little Birdie sung by Pete Seeger is the most mournful/wistful song I know.
posted by brookeb at 10:32 PM on October 10, 2020


Bry Webb - Asa (2:56)
posted by Juniper Toast at 10:47 PM on October 10, 2020


And you tell me by Aha clocks in at 1:53, was a staple of filler at the end of 'awesome' mix tape compilations to crushes.
posted by edman at 10:52 PM on October 10, 2020


Okay, I love this question. I combed my collection for the best matches at 2:00 or under and here's what I came up with.

Björk - Sonnets/Unrealities XI (2:00). Setting of an e.e. cummings poem, gorgeous.
Joanna Newsom - On A Good Day (1:49). Joanna Newsom is brilliant, this is her only sub-2-minute song. Also quite wistful and melancholy.
Aesop Rock - Get Out of the Car (1:53). IDK if you're looking for rap but this is a short, drum-less track featuring a characteristically verbose track about a friend of Aes's who died and his own recovery process.
Charly Bliss - Fighting in the Dark (1:11). An interlude from one of my favorite albums of last year, but stands well enough on its own.
Fear of Men - Erase (Aubade) (1:57). Lovely electronic dream-pop apparently about Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind-ing yourself after a relationship ends.
Frightened Rabbit - Housing (In) (1:31) and Housing (Out) (1:04). Bittersweet songs about being taken away from your home by being a touring musician.
John K. Samson - Highway 1 East (1:25). A gorgeous little number about, I guess, getting stranded on the highway in Canada.
The Microphones - I Felt Your Shape (1:55). A breakup song, from one of the classic indie breakup albums.
Mitski - Lonesome Love (1:51). Miserabilia from the queen of sadness.
Mount Eerie - Grave Robbers (1:51) and Pink Light (1:58). Two songs about death from an album and its sequel over a decade later.
The Weakerthans - (hospital vespers) (1:40). The second in a three-part series of sonnets set to music. This one's real sad.
Waxahatchee - Grey Hair (1:46). Not sure what this one's about - maybe another about the travails of touring? A lovely song, regardless.
The Mountain Goats - If You See Light (1:58). Sonically upbeat, but it's about waiting for your neighbors to break down your door and probably kill you, so.
Prurient - Falling Mask (1:58). Just wanted to throw something out there probably not like any other suggestions. Actually rather poignant, lyrically, if you can get past the blasts of white noise and death metal vocals.
posted by valrus at 10:59 PM on October 10, 2020


Early Mountain Goats: There Will Be No Divorce (2:52)

Recent Mountain Goats: Possum By Night (3:00)
posted by terretu at 12:09 AM on October 11, 2020


Fontaines DC: Oh Such a Spring (2.32)
posted by Chairboy at 1:36 AM on October 11, 2020


I Will—The Beatles (1:46)

Tonight You Belong to Me—Eddie Vedder and Cat Power (1:52)

This Will be Our Year—The Zombies (2:09)
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:39 AM on October 11, 2020


Radio War - Iron & Wine (2:03)
I Missed the Point - Neko Case (1:52)
posted by fourpotatoes at 2:22 AM on October 11, 2020


My Funny Valentine - Elvis Costello and the Attractions 1:29
posted by Too-Ticky at 2:40 AM on October 11, 2020


John Denver, "Tools"
posted by notsnot at 5:06 AM on October 11, 2020


Bombed - Mark Lanegan (1:11)
A Baby for Pree - Neutral Milk Hotel (1:21)
It's Only Love - International Harvester (1:40)
Why Do You Do This to Yourself? - Evan Dando (1:59)
After Hours - The Velvet Underground (2:09)
Tears in the Typing Pool - Broadcast (2:11)
posted by misteraitch at 5:38 AM on October 11, 2020




Bevis Frond: Thankless Task just squeaks under the wire at 2:59.
posted by flabdablet at 7:05 AM on October 11, 2020


I'll Follow The Sun
posted by tarvuz at 7:12 AM on October 11, 2020


Sara Bareilles, Kaleidoscope Heart Barely over a minute!
posted by humbug at 7:26 AM on October 11, 2020


Parachutes - Coldplay (0:47)
Life Is for Living - Coldplay (1:39)
Yesterday - The Beatles (2:05)
I Bloom Blaum - Coldplay (2:11)
Of Angels and Angles - The Decemberists (2:27)
Won't Let You Down - Oasis (2:48)
Idler's Dream - Oasis (2:57)
Parabol - Tool (3:06)
posted by xenization at 7:59 AM on October 11, 2020


Pigs...(In There) Robert Wyatt (1986!) - (2.39)
posted by tardigrade at 8:52 AM on October 11, 2020


Shel Silverstein - 26-Second Song (1969)

More very short songs on The Residents' Commercial Album, and Nanobots by They Might Be Giants.
posted by Rash at 8:53 AM on October 11, 2020


Meaningless - Magnetic Fields (2:08)

Possibly one of the best in the "short and poignant" class in my mind. Yes yes yes, how deliciously meaningless, yes yes yes, effervescently meaningless, yes yes yes...
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 9:12 AM on October 11, 2020


“I’m on Fire” by Bruce Springsteen, one of his best, is 2:37.
posted by kevinbelt at 9:37 AM on October 11, 2020


Souvenir - Billy Joel (2:01)
So Sad - Jeff Lynne [covers the Everly Brothers] (2:32)
Kiss With A Fist - Florence + The Machine (2:08)
I Don't Want To Know - Matthew Sweet (2:29)
666 Pack - The Meat Purveyors (2:02)
Dumb - Silver Sun (2:15)
Fell In Love With a Girl - White Stripes (1:55)
Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon - Queen (1:08)
I Cannot Understand You - They Might Be Giants (0:27)
posted by bitterkitten at 9:48 AM on October 11, 2020


Pink Moon - Nick Drake (2:04)
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:59 AM on October 11, 2020


Anonymous 1916,” by John Wesley Harding (AKA Wesley Stace) is 58 seconds long.
posted by baseballpajamas at 10:08 AM on October 11, 2020


San Dimas High School Football Rules - The Ataris (2:47)
Breakdown - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (2:44)
posted by SisterHavana at 10:30 AM on October 11, 2020


Mirah's Gone Sugaring is a small masterpiece.
posted by youarenothere at 10:43 AM on October 11, 2020


After Hours by the Velvet Underground is 2:07.
posted by vunder at 10:52 AM on October 11, 2020


Oh! We're Going To Be Friends by the White Stripes.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:10 AM on October 11, 2020




Todd Rundgren - Remember Me (0:53)
posted by bink at 3:23 PM on October 11, 2020


Keane’s “The way you want it” is just barely 3 minutes, all of them poignant.
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 4:47 PM on October 11, 2020


This list is already heavy with John K. Samson content, but I’m going to add his Weakerthans song, “Bigfoot!” a song about a reluctant cryptid witness. Poignant.
posted by baseballpajamas at 4:57 PM on October 11, 2020


Man of the World by Fleetwood Mac is under three minutes.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 5:41 PM on October 11, 2020


The Smiths Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want is under 2 minutes and poignant AF.
posted by maddieD at 8:45 PM on October 11, 2020


Cheerio by Jethro Tull.
posted by inexorably_forward at 9:40 PM on October 11, 2020


The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory by Guided By Voices is 1:45 and is pretty melancholy and lovely.
posted by chr1sb0y at 4:51 AM on October 12, 2020


These all strike me as great examples of fitting a great deal of song and sentiment into less than 150 seconds:
The Buzzcocks: I Don't Mind 2:19
Barbara Streisand: Come to the Supermarket (in Old Peking) 1:55
The Beatles Yesterday 2:06
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son (2:21)
Elastica: Stutter (2:23)
Joni Mitchel: Big Yellow Taxi (2:14)
Van Morrison: Coney Island (2:03)
Ninette: Push a Little Button (1:50)
The Smiths: William It was Really Nothing (2:09)
Dusty Springfield: Son of a Preacher Man (2:26)
The Undertones: Teenage Kicks (2:28)
Tom Waits: You Can Never Hold Back Spring (2:26)
White Stripes: Hotel Yorba (2:10)
Chuck Wood: Seven Days Too Long (2:23)
posted by rongorongo at 5:37 AM on October 12, 2020


Ben Folds Five - Cigarette
posted by Billy Rubin at 9:18 AM on October 12, 2020




Such a great question, and such great responses! I don't know if lyrics are necessary, but I love these two by Aphex Twin, and I'd call them both poignant.

Avril 14th 2:05
IZ US 2:57
posted by The Larch at 1:06 PM on October 13, 2020


Young Marble Giants: Final Day (1:42)
posted by rongorongo at 11:18 PM on October 13, 2020


Laughter to existential tears in under 30 seconds: Ed's Redeeming Qualities' Cheese Grater (Spotify link).
posted by quarterframer at 10:10 AM on October 14, 2020


Paul Baribeau—Ten Things (1:53)
posted by ActionPopulated at 8:54 PM on October 14, 2020


Hamilton - the Musical!:
Dear Theodosia, Mixtape version (2:26)
Dear Theodosia, Broadway cast version (3:04)

Tony Bennett:
Wait Til You See Her (1:28)
I Left My Heart in San Francisco (2:09)
While We're Young (2:22)
By Myself (2:09)

Wesla Whitfield:
Why Did I Choose You (2:05)
It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow (2:22)
Lost in the Stars (2:46)

Bobby Short:
Once Upon a Time (2:09)
Confession, with Mabel Mercer (1:28)
Days Gone By, with Mabel Mercer (1:36)
Why Did I Choose You, with Mabel Mercer (2:20)

Ani DiFranco :
This Bouquet (2:30)

The Andersons:
Apology (2:28)

Ben Folds:
Hospital Song (2:06)
Jane (2:34)
Gracie (2:40)

Kevin Gilbert:
From Here to There (2:23)
Blank Page (2:23)

Elton John:
Goodbye (1:47)
This Song Has No Title (2:24)
Friends (2:24)
I Need You to Turn To (2:33)
Harmony (2:47)

plus so much Jonathan Coulton:
Mr. Fancy Pants (1:20)
Lady Aberlin's Muumuu (2:15)
You Ruined Everything (2:17)
Big Bad World One (2:50)
Chiron Beta Prime (2:51)

And too long for your criteria, but so lovely (also JoCo):
I'm Your Moon (3:12)
Christmas is Interesting (3:53)
posted by kristi at 10:02 PM on October 15, 2020


OH! Also

Johnny Flynn - Detectorists theme (2:06)

Also a bit too long, but lovely: Karine Polwart, Follow the Heron (3:02)
posted by kristi at 10:11 PM on October 15, 2020


Augh! Too many!

Elvis Costello:
Boy with a Problem (2:12)
Just a Memory (2:19)

Crowded House:
Four Seasons in One Day (2:50)
As Sure As I Am (2:54)
posted by kristi at 10:21 PM on October 15, 2020


« Older Texting to GOTV - how does it work? How best to do...   |   Finding data on number of deaths by any cause in... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.