10 Saddest, Yet Most Touching, Country Music Songs That Pull At Your Heart Strings

1. If You’re Reading This by Tim McGraw

“War was just a game we played when we were kids” speaks to anybody who has seen someone in the military experience the difficulties of that lifestyle. McGraw bravely portrays the daily struggle of anyone fighting for freedom in this patriotic song.

2. Just a Dream by Carrie Underwood

Another military song, “Just a Dream” emotionally portrays the difficulty of a military romance. Knowing that thousands of military personnel have died protecting our rights is incredibly sad. What is even more upsetting is thinking about those they loved and had to leave behind.

3. I Drive Your Truck by Lee Brice

Unfortunately, all too many people have experienced the difficult loss of a close friend. As Brice sings, “I leave that radio playin’ that same old country station where you left it,” his internal struggle of missing his friend is revealed. The truck serves as a reminder of the happy memories he had with his friend and his inability to let go of the good times they had together.

4. One More Day by Diamond Rio

One more day. Twenty four additional hours. One more chance to do the things that you missed out on doing when a loved one was here with you. This song puts into perspective just how much someone can be missed in the grand scheme of things.

5. Alyssa Lies by John Michael Carroll

Sung from the point of view of a father whose daughter’s new friend is a victim of domestic abuse, the thought of the pain and suffering a young child had to unfairly endure is sure to upset anyone.

6. Believe by Brooks & Dunn

People often form unique and special bonds. In this song, the lessons a boy learned from talking to his neighbor throughout the course of his life are profound. So profound, in fact, that the song title will inspire anyone to “believe” that “there’s more to life than just what [you] can see.”

7. The Baby by Blake Shelton

Anyone who has experienced the pain of a loved one’s sudden departure from this world will be able to relate to Shelton’s ballad, in which his busy life prevents him from making it home in time to hold his mother’s hand one last time before she passes on.

8. A Lot of Things Different by Kenny Chesney

As much as we all try to pretend that we do not, at the end of the day, everyone has sensitive subjects that they would done differently if they had the opportunity. Chesney’s established career as a musician leads this song to be incredibly powerful to anyone who is looking back and evaluating his or her choices.

9. The Best I Ever Had by Gary Allan

Although Allan is not the original singer of this song, when one realizes that his wife committed suicide, his version is put into a new perspective. He does a beautiful job of expressing the pain left behind when someone experiences a traumatic event like a suicide.

10. When I Get Where I’m Going by Brad Paisley

There is something so intimately beautiful about the lyrics in this song. When Paisley sings about walking with his granddaddy, it pulls on a string in the hearts of so many who have lost a grandparent. Nearly anyone can relate to Paisley’s wish to spend more time with someone they love and miss so dearly. At the end of the music video, a short clip of an elderly man on a rocking chair smiling, laughing, and inviting us to “come on in” and “rock awhile” puts this song in the number one spot on my list.