Elton John – Sad Songs (Say So Much)

About The Song

“Sad Songs (Say So Much)” is the closing track on English musician Elton John’s 18th studio album Breaking Hearts, written by John and Bernie Taupin, released in 1984 as the lead single of the album. It reached No. 7 on the UK chart and No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song reached the Top 10 of many countries except in Germany and Italy where it reached the Top 20. The single version of this song appeared on the 1990 box set To Be Continued… and various versions of the 2007 compilation Rocket Man: The Definitive Hits.

The lyrics describe how it sometimes helps for someone who is feeling sad, or who has lost a partner, to listen to old radio blues classics.

The music video, directed by Russell Mulcahy and shot on a street in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, featured John without his familiar trademark glasses in some scenes. The single sleeve likewise featured John with no glasses. The song and the music video were both used in an early 1980s US TV advertisement for Sasson Jeans, altering the lyrics to “Sasson says so much.”

John played this song on his concerts from 1984 to 1993 and then again in 2000 to present on rotation after he performed the song on One Night Only: The Greatest Hits Live at Madison Square Garden in October 2000 with Canadian rock star Bryan Adams. In 2013, John was joined by Rod Stewart in a special performance of the song at the London Palladium after being presented with the first Brits Icon award in recognition of his “lasting impact” on UK culture.

Video

Lyrics

Guess there are times when we all need to share a little pain
And ironing out the rough spots
Is the hardest part when memories remain
And it’s times like these when we all need to hear the radio
Cause from the lips of some old singer
We can share the troubles we already know

Turn them on, turn them on
Turn on those sad songs
When all hope is gone
Why don’t you tune in and turn them on?

They reach into your room, oh, oh, oh, oh
Just feel their gentle touch
When all hope is gone
Sad songs say so much

If someone else is suffering enough to write it down
When every single word makes sense
Then it’s easier to have those songs around
The kick inside is in the line that finally gets to you
And it feels so good to hurt so bad
And suffer just enough to sing the blues

So, turn them on, turn them on
Turn on those sad songs
When all hope is gone
Why don’t you tune in and turn them on?

They reach into your room, oh, oh, oh, oh
Just feel their gentle touch (their gentle touch)
When all hope is gone
You know, sad songs say so much

Sad songs, they say
Sad songs, they say
Sad songs, they say
Sad songs, they say so much

So, turn ’em on, (turn ’em on), turn ’em on, (turn ’em on)
Turn on those sad songs (turn on those sad songs)
When all hope is gone
Why don’t you tune in and turn them on?

They reach into your room, oh, oh, oh, oh
Just feel their gentle touch (gentle touch)
When all hope is gone
You know, sad songs say so much
When all hope is gone
You know, sad songs say so much

When ever little bit of hope is gone
Sad songs say so much
When ever little bit of hope is gone
Sad songs say so much
When all hope is gone
Sad songs say so much

When ever little bit of hope is gone
Sad songs say so much
When ever little bit of hope is gone
Sad songs say so much