Posted by Robert Wagner on September 27, 2026, 10:25 am
With the success of the responses to Test Question #1 (Whistling), I am submitting Test Question #2 (Sad Songs).
In the intro to the DVD documentary "Jim Reeves The Story of a Legend", notable collector of Jim Reeves memorabilia, James Newberry, comments about the ability of Jim to sing sad songs with beautiful emotion and sound resulting in positive uplifting results.
Regardless of how manly or tough we consider ourselves, an emotional release is necessary at times. A "Sad Song" can provide the impetus for this release.
I find songs like "Men With Broken Hearts", "Is It Really Over", "This Is It", and a couple others fit the bill well. "Amazing Grace" by 101 Strings is another go to song for emotional release.
However there are some sad songs that go too far. "Little Rosa" by Red Sovine, "Where Have You Been" by Kathy Matea, and "Nobody's Child" by various artists are a little too painful without the hopeful result that Jim's songs achieve.
I hope this question about "Sad Songs" elicits a number of responses that the question about "Whistling" did.
There are some really painful sad songs out there.
Jim said that he liked singing sad songs. To me the most beautiful tunes seem to be sad. I think a lot of it has to do with the melody. Sad songs seem to have the prettiest melodies. To me they do.
Some of my favorites include "Is It Really Over", "This Is It", "The One That Got Away". "I Won't Forget You", "Blue Side Of LOnesome", "Pride Goes Before A Fall", "The World You Left Behind", " There's A Heartach Following Me".
The saddest one varies. The first two I mentioned probably top the list most often.
I love sad songs in general, especially Jim's. Sometimes, what I prefer listening to at the moment depends on the mood I'm in. I love listening to my Jim CD's in the car. When I go out really early in the morning and the streets are quiet, I can really get into an album like "A Touch Of Velvet" with quiet ballads like "There's Always Me", It's No Sin" and "All Dressed Up And Lonely". It really soothes me. "Talkin' To Your Heart" is another one that can put me b in a mellow see mood...
"Pride Goes Before a Fall" written by the blind singer & songwriter Leon Payne. It's one of Reeves best recordings. A rare one featuring Anita Kerr on accordion. I didn't realise this fun fact until now :) & Brenton Bolden Banks in the violin section. Larry writes that Jim didn't like his playing. Jim, being the perfectionist that he was, found his playing a bit off sometimes.
"Trying to Forget" is a Reeves demo recording which I've loved since I heard he overdub version on the "Blue Side of Lonesome" (1967) LP. It's so sad but so beautiful. I wish he'd done it professionally for RCA Victor.
"Talkin' to Your Heart" is a special album. Robert mentioned "Men With Broken Hearts". The only "song" by Hank Williams that Jim recorded.
One recitation always brings me to tears: "Old Tige". Such a beautiful and sad tale of a boy/man and his dog.
"Trouble in the Amen Corner" (by Archie Campbell) is beautiful too & what about "Annabel Lee" by the great Edgar Allan Poe.
"Teardrops on the Rocks" is another favourite. Written by Bobby Bare & Charlie Williams. It has a nice tie to the the movie "Casablanca" in the lyrics: "Well, hello Sam. Now, how you've been. Guess it's awhile since I've been in". & Jim's ending recitation: "Sam, how 'bout pourin' me one more will you and I'll try to find my way out of here." :)
And I have to mention "I Catch Myself Crying" a beautiful song written by Roger Miller. Jim made it even better. At that same session, on february 1, 1962, he did "That's When I See the Blues (In Your Pretty Brown Eyes)" a lovely tune written by Jim & Carl Belew. It's a shame the song remained in the vault until it got overdubbed in 1968.
"Crying is My Favourite Mood" is a sad jazzy song. It was written by Jim, but we know that we should take his song writing credits with a grain of salt after what Larry revealed in his biography. Jim did, on occasion, steal songs from other writers and take the credit himself to make some extra cash. It's a sad thought, but it may've been a usual practice back then?
I could go on and on. Jim recorded so many sad and beautiful songs.
For me with Jim's sad song category, it has to be "Old Tigh" recorded on march 21, 1961. Thank you Even for the mention. After losing our beloved Golden Retriever Nicholas, many years ago, I couldn't listen to this song for a long time. It was just that powerful. I sense Jim never wanted anyone to be upset, but simply to search the human soul to tell us what's important in life and reflect on the treasures we already have.
Two other songs in my opinion would be "When You Are Gone' and of course "Where Do I Go To Throw A Picture Away", Jim's iconic heart wrenching recording done on feb.1,1962. For me it will always invoke a feeling of a lost soul looking for a reply to a question that has no answer. And again, at the end of the song, you get a feeling no all is lost. Things will get better.
An honorary mention to "The Night Watch', "The Blizzard" and how about "Wreck Of The Number".
Wow Bob, this is a very good conversation along with the 'whistle' post. Thank you for this and perhaps you could add more to your thoughtful listings in the future. Certainly garnered much needed conversation. And a special thank you to everyone that posted lately on Bob's thread, with exceptionally great song suggestions.
What great responses. I agree with all and would add "I Won't Come In While He's There" to the mix.
If we boil it down to the basics James Newberry said it best in the "Jim Reeves The Story of a Legend" DVD, when he said that Jim had a "Gift" which was very rare.
It comes down to "The Voice" almost entirely.
Who else had a voice where you could hear the pain in the words "Heart" or "Home", with such emotion?
"Where Do I Go To Throw a Picture Away" is a good example of the voice alone.
Or had the articulation in the words "Talk" or "Walk", where you could hear the letter "L"?
This is another post by Roy, that makes me think he is "my brother from another mother". "The Night Watch" was an excellent choice for a moving song.
My brother, who was a Letter Carrier in California over 30 years said the only dog that he never had trouble with delivering the mail was a "Golden Retriever".
We had a golden "Trooper", for 13 years, and like Roy we couldn't get another.
On a Friday he came up to the couch I was on and laid beside me. I knew he was in trouble. Next day he could not move as he had a stroke.
The vets where we live come to the house to put the dog out of his misery. My wife and I will never forget the look Trooper gave us as he was being given the "shot". We think he knew what was coming and was at peace.
The song about "Old Shep" hits home here.
Roy, keep an eye out for filming of a new "Jesse Stone" episode if that occurs. "Dogs passing" play a big part in that series which I recommend also.
"Old Shep" was an Elvis Presley recording, Bob :) I much prefer "Old Tige".
How could I forget about "Where Do I Go to Throw a Picture Away"? It's a big favourite. I even mentioned the 1962 session it was recorded on. Written by Carl Belew and Jim. The whole album which it was first released on is lovely: "The Jim Reeves Way" (1965). I get emotional listening to that one too.
"The One That Got Away", mentioned by Gary, is great too. Written by Buddy Killen and Jim.
"Guilty", written by Jim's fishing buddy Alex Zanetis, is also one of the best. Jim and Alex had some kind of dispute and their friendship, sadly, ended.
"True" by Cindy Walker is a very sad song. Cindy wrote many greats for Jim through the years.
Great info. Agree with all. Thanks for the response.
I realize "Old Shep" was an Elvis recording but I mentioned it because it was similar to our dog seeming to know his time was up when gazing up to us at the end.
I realized I made a mistake above. "That's When I See the Blues (In Your Pretty Brown Eyes)" was not written by Carl Belew & Jim. It was a collaboration between Blake, Belew, Stevenson. I don't know Blake & Stevenson.
The songs many of you mentioned here are perfect examples of the many sad songs that Jim recorded. But of course, it would be impossible to name them all. A few more that come to mind are "Missing You", Oh How I Miss You Tonight", "Make The World Go Away" and the spoken word "Men With Broken Hearts", but the list is endless. As for the song "Old Shep", it was written by Red Foley (who became Pat Boone's father-in-law) and Elvis' recording of this was featured on his second LP simply titled "Elvis". This was the first song he ever sang in public at his school when he was a young lad. I agree that an excellent question like this one was just what this forum needed. It provoked many responses, and good ones at that!...
Bob, I have been keeping an ear to the ground for the 'Jessie Stone' series, but I have to say there is nothing here this summer. With the changing of the seasons it's a no go for sure. But never say never I will always be on the lookout.
I can't believe this Bob, but Nicholas gave us the same stare. I will never forget carrying him to the car for the last visit to the vet, and soon as I laid him down, he lifted his head and just looked at me. For years I really never quite knew if he was saying good by and thanking us for relieving his pain, or was it "why have you forsaken me": In our hearts we did feel it was the former. He was fourteen and a half years. Sorry folks, but I needed Bob to hear this similarity. very unusual for strangers to have close connections and so much of it. My friend Mike Slater says that about him and I very often. it's just amazing.
Even, I looked in Larry's book about the break up of Jim and Alex. The only thing said is it concerned a business deal gone bad. No details were ever given other that Jim to publicly say, he would not have anything to do with Alex or his songs after that. Speaking of Alex and his so called song writing ability, there was suspicion that he really never wrote many songs at all. It was public knowledge that he took advantage of starving song writers and would offer little cash to get the rights and put his name on it. Never proven in court but word on the street says he was never completely honest with people, as Jim would eventually find out.
Fourteen and one half years is a long life for a Golden. I'm sure he was loved and had excellent care.
Will take that "knowing" stare to the grave. My wife witnessed it also, with the same reaction. We were both over him on a blanket in the back yard, when the vet arrived to administer the shot..
Fascinating you experienced similar.
As an aside, a Golden Retriever has a big part in a few episodes in the Jesse Stone series, which I also identify with, as a Massachusetts Police Chief.
Selleck better get on the ball, he's getting long in the tooth, and a 10th episode is getting questionable.
I thought of a demo recording of Jim's: "Ballad of 96". I wondered when it was recorded and Larry's book has the answer.
It was recorded at Starday studios in late february 1964, along with "The Storm" & "The Writing's on the Wall".
Dottie West was one of the backup singers and she and Jim, apparently, had a sexual relationship. When the two appeared on the same TV show ,"Pet Milk Grand Ole Opry" on 10-16-1962, I couldn't detect any longing looks between them.
Roy, thanks for clearing up the details of the Zanetis / Reeves dispute.
Mike, I thought about mentioning the writer of "Old Shep" but I skipped that. Thanks for doing it and doing it well :)
"The Tie That Binds" is an emotional story for sure, Peter. Was it in Larry's book I read that when Jim took the recordings (LP "Tall Tales & Short Tempers") home to listen to she commented on most of the songs being very sad.
I was always curious about a sexual relationship with Dottie West, as Jim did so much getting Chet Atkins to sign her at RCA.
There is is a good photo of them together on a red carpet with white trim, which incidentally, was the same carpet that was on a cruise ship I was on years ago.
Also, Jim is mentioned in the "Big Dreams & Broken Hearts" made for TV movie 1995, staring Michelle Lee, and David James Elliott of "Jag" fame.
The move is available in various forms but is hard to get in DVD format I believe. I got one but I don't remember where from.
Dottie's exploits in the movie seem to indicate sexual relationships likely in her later life, but not necessarily so, earlier on when Jim was involved.
Many more interesting replies here. Thanks to all. Roy, that is such a sad story about your dog. I know for sure that he was looking up at you with love.They have always said that a dog is man's best friend. I'm sure his love for you was unconditional as your love was for him. Hope this provides a little comfort and reassurance about that moment. As for the songs, another one that has yet to be mentioned is "That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine". Whenever I hear this song, it reminds me of my own Dad, who passed away at 92 on the first day of Spring back in 2004. His hair was silver too, so I always think of my dad with the great love I will always have for him. And who could make these lyrics sound more beautiful than Jim, although the Everly Brothers do a wonderful job with this song as well...
on September 27, 2026, 10:25 am