4 of the Saddest Country Songs of the ’00s

The ’00s were chock full of somber country songs. Artists in that era were masterful at tugging on the heartstrings of their listeners. Check out four of our favorite sad country songs from the ’00s, below.

[RELATED: 4 of the Saddest Country Songs of the ’90s]

4 of the Saddest Country Songs of the ’00s

1. “Skin (Sarabeth)” – Rascal Flatts

We’re starting our list of somber ’00s country songs with Rascal Flatts’ “Skin (Sarabeth).” This ballad about childhood cancer is almost too much to bear. Reading the lyrics alone is enough to start to well up. But, add in Gary LeVox’s incomparable vocals and your emotions are sure to run wild.

Sara Beth is scared to death

To hear what the doctor will say

She hasn’t been well, since the day that she fell

And the bruise it just won’t go away

So she sits and she waits with her mother and dad

And flips through an old magazine

Till the nurse with the smile stands at the door

And says will you please come with me

2. “Travelin’ Soldier” (The Chicks)

Though The Chicks weren’t the first to record “Travelin’ Soldier,” their version has become the definitive. Their stunning harmonies and female perspective help to bring this song about young love amid war times to life. When the final verse reveals the tragedy at hand, tears are sure to fall.

I cried

Never gonna hold the hand of another guy

“Too young for him,” they told her

Waitin’ for the love of a travelin’ soldier

Our love will never end

Waitin’ for the soldier to come back again

Nevermore to be alone

When the letter said, “A soldier’s comin’ home”

3. “I Hope You Dance” (Lee Ann Womack)

Though this song isn’t sad in the same way that the previous two inclusions are, it is still rife with emotion. In the years since its release, this song has become an assuage for people who have lost a loved one. It has been taken as a message from the departed to those that have survived them, telling them to keep living life.

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens

Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

4. “The House That Built Me” (Miranda Lambert)

Lastly on our list of sad country songs, we have Miranda Lambert‘s “The House That Built Me.” Coming in at the end of the ’00s, this track will be relatable to anyone who moved away from their childhood home. We can all get sentimental about a place and the memories made there. This song is a reminder of that feeling.

I thought if I could touch this place or feel it

This brokenness inside me might start healing

Out here, it’s like I’m someone else

I thought that maybe I could find myself

If I could just come in, I swear I’ll leave

Won’t take nothin’ but a memory

From the house that built me

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