Feel like crying?

Are you sad because Santa didn't bring you what you wanted? Or because you don't have someone to kiss at midnight on New Year's Eve?

Well, at least you don't have it as bad as these poor folks seem to think. This is a compilation of 24 "sad" songs from our friends at K-Tel, the Winnipeg-based company that churned out all kinds of compilations in the 60s, 70s, and beyond (along with various non-music items like "The Micro-Roast", designed to help you prepare "perfectly browned, crispy, juicy meats in your microwave!").

The "cornball factor" is through the roof on a lot of these songs, so you may be less likely to cry, and more inclined to laugh in some cases. The lead-off track, "Tell Laura I Love Her", the woeful tale of a young man who enters himself in a car race, in order to win money to buy a wedding ring for the love of his life (sniff!), has always been notable for me as a prime example of this kind of "teenage tragedy song". "Two Faces Have I" (ah-I ... yi-yi-yi-yi-ya-ha-hi!!) actually made me chuckle out loud when I first heard it.

Another crying shame is the fact that this album had a few irreparable skips on it. Normally in a case like this I'd leave the track out, but for the sake of "completeness", I've added non-skipping versions of each track anyway (to the hard-core vinyl purists, I apologize).

Finally, is it me, or does the motorcycle guy on the cover look like he's trying to help take the tears away by putting his hand down his pants? :D

Thanks to the fans of this blog for a great 2009! Happy New Year, and see you all in 2010!!