Jeff Buckley’s Saddest Song of All Time Is Perfect From Start to Finish

Jeff Buckley is the master of heartfelt songs for the grunge-minded. His only completed studio album, Grace, is a deeply emotional album, deeply driven by Buckley’s natural aptitude for poetry, his operatic vocals, and Led Zeppelin-inspired string and percussion-heavy instrumentation. It remains one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the ‘90s, and "Lover, You Should've Come Over" is by far a fan favorite, and has had its moment of virality on social media. But nestled in its powerful sound is a quiet masterpiece. “Lilac Wine” sits at the emotional center of Grace, and it’s unlike anything else on the record, peeling back the drama of the album. It’s not a huge epic that he so brilliantly executes, but an intricate confession of a lost soul. It strips away the noise and leaves only him, the listener, and a vulnerable confession of longing.