History TearJerker / Radiohead

* "Lewis (Mistreated)" has a very catchy and upbeat riff, but the depressing lyrics convey a different message. One of the lyrics is "don't do it, don't, jump." Thom Yorke even sounds like he's crying (or at least very distressed) when he sings this.

* "Fake Plastic Trees" is even more of a TearJerker in UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}, where it was the soundtrack for a [[PublicServiceAnnouncement PSA]] on Down Syndrome.
** There's a lot of great lines in "Fake Plastic Trees" but especially heartrending is the final verse: "she looks like the real thing / she tastes like the real thing / my fake plastic love / [...] and it wears me out/ it wears me out."

* "Fake Plastic Trees," and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)."
** Thom Yorke himself has admitted that "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is one of their darkest songs with [[DownerEnding no hope at the end]],[[note]]Yorke says the song is "about staring the fucking devil right in the eyes, and knowing, no matter what the hell you do, he'll get the last laugh".[[/note]] and says that the only way he can play it without breaking down is emotionally detaching himself from the song. Even the last line (''"immerse your soul in love"''), which sounds heartwarming, becomes tragic in context.
** The former is even more of a TearJerker in UsefulNotes/{{Brazil}}, where it was the soundtrack for a [[PublicServiceAnnouncement PSA]] on Down Syndrome.

** The [[LastNoteNightmare ending]] initially sounds just [[NightmareFuel disturbing]], but manages to get sad once you find out [[IndecipherableLyrics what Thom's saying]]: "half of my life". This is the first Radiohead album made since Thom broke up with his wife after 23 years of marriage. He's 47 years old now, so he's been with his wife for around ''half of his life''.
* "Glass Eyes" could most possibly take the place as Radiohead's most beautiful composition ever, featuring Jonny Greenwood's orchestration skills at their finest, accompanied by gorgeous, harp-like piano playing, making for a subtle but aching performance. The song itself is about being on the verge of having a sudden and unexpected panic attack from visiting an unwelcoming new town. Jesus.
* "True Love Waits." Oh god. There's a reason why people consider one of of Thom's finest moments as a songwriter.

* Overplayed and cliché as it may be, to the point that [[CreatorBacklash even the band are sick of it]], "Creep" is popular for a very good reason, because [[ShrinkingViolet it's subject]] [[AllLoveIsUnrequited matter]] is all-too familiar.

* "Bullet Proof..I Wish I Was" can usually tug on one's heartstrings.
** Seriously, don't listen to that song in a depressive mood. It's just... overkill. That song is extremely sad.

* "Let Down." Just... "Let Down." As if the subject matter isn't melancholy enough, this troper considers the "You know where you are..." bit to be one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful moments in music history.

** In the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fH40DYHzHs#t=20 Live in Praha Concert]]", Thom dedicates it to Creator/FranzKafka before they play it. The live version featuring Jonny's bowing of his electric guitar makes it all the more haunting. ;~;.

* The [[RearrangeTheSong live version]] of "Fog." "Where did you go bad...? Did you go bad...?" *sniff*

** A {{YouTube}} comment [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzyOfQeK-bY (from the original version of the song)]] sums it all up best:

* The liner notes for the album include dedications to Scott Johnson - the band's drum tech who was killed in a stage accident in 2011 - and Vic Godrich - the father of the band's producer Nigel Godrich and a sound editor for ''Series/DoctorWho'', who died while the album was being recording.

* "Creep." Never mind that it might be cliché, and [[CreatorBacklash Radiohead hates the damn song.]] Some people still find it impossible to not cry at the song...

* "True Love Waits." Oh god.

-->This version is like an optimistic look into the future

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3GLYgJQARI "How I Made My Millions"]] is the band's most emotional outputs, considering it's led only by piano with Thom's gentle vocals on top of it.

* "Glass Eyes" could most possibly take the place as Radiohead's most beautiful composition ever, featuring Jonny Greenwood's orchestration skills at their finest, accompanied by gorgeous, harp-like piano playing. Jesus.

* "Glass Eyes" could most possibly take the place as Radiohead's most beautiful composition ever, featuring Jonny Greenwood's ochestration skills at their finest, accompanied by gorgeous, harp-like piano playing. Jesus.

* "Creep." Never mind that it might be cliche, and [[CreatorBacklash Radiohead hates the damn song.]] Some people still find it impossible to not cry at the song...

* The backing vocals to "(Nice Dream):"

** Thom Yorke himself has admitted that "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is one of their darkest songs with [[DownerEnding no hope at the end]], and says that the only way he can play it without breaking down is emotionally detaching himself from the song. Even the last line (''"immerse your soul in love"''), which sounds heartwarming, becomes tragic in context.

* "Bulletproof... I Wish I Was" can usually tug on one's heartstrings.

* "Exit Music (For a Film)." It was written for [[Film/WilliamShakespearesRomeoAndJuliet an adaptation]] of ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet'' and was directly inspired by the original story itself, so the TearJerker quality is imported from a much older source. The broken-sounding, raw vocals at the end are especially gut-wrenching.

* "Let Down." Just... "Let Down." As if the subject matter isn't melancholy enough, this troper considers the "You know where you are..." bit to be one of the most heart-breakingly beautiful moments in music history.

** The little moment of peace at the end ("Such a pretty house, such a pretty garden") just increases the Tearjerkiness.

* "How to Disappear Completely" is a good example. Thom painfully singing, "I'm not here, this isn't happening" is enough to bring many to tears. The lines were actually given to Yorke as a sort of mantra, a way to disconnect himself from a situation, avoiding discomfort, particularly with performing onstage.

* Oh sweet God, "Pyramid Song." "...and we all went to heaven in a little row boat / there was nothing to fear, nothing to doubt..."

* The documentary film ''Meeting People is Easy'' is rather distressing, especially since it mainly focuses on Radiohead's difficulty dealing with their growing popularity during the ''OK Computer'' era. The saddest scenes are subtle, but are still packed with quite the emotion.

* "True Love Waits." Oh god.
-->"I'm not living / I'm just killing time..."

[[folder:Ninth album]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTAU7lLDZYU "Daydreaming"]], a beautiful and emotional piano ballad.

Music/{{Radiohead}} is [[TrueArtIsIncomprehensible weird]], [[NightmareFuel/{{Radiohead}} disturbing]]... yet has a large assortment of [[TearJerker these type of songs]]. Most of their albums have at least a few examples.

[[folder:Pablo Honey]]
* "Creep." Never mind that it might be cliche, and [[CreatorBacklash Radiohead hates the damn song]]. Some people still find it impossible to not cry at the song...
** While {{Radiohead}}'s "Creep" is sad in and of itself, [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXlzci1rKNM this]] cover by a homeless man can tug at the heartstrings of even the most resolute of individuals.