Lost Cause by Beck

Sadness has its own siren-song beauty. Beck's 'Lost Cause' is such a hauntingly beautiful number that captures the essence of melancholy and resignation. The track, from his 2002 album Sea Change, is stripped down emotions fluttering on a simple tune. Beck's vocals are tender and vulnerable, on the verge of evaporating.

The song's arrangement is dauntingly minimalistic - acoustic guitar, soft percussion, and gentle strings and a murmur of vocals creating a vast ripple of intimacy. A relationship that has reached its end is laid out in the lines: 'There's too many people you used to know/ They see you coming, they see you go.' They evoke a sense of inevitability and sorrow.

What makes 'Lost Cause' particularly emotional is its straight-facedness in the face of sorrow. Beck's delivery is sincere and heartfelt, making you listen to personal grief. The song's beauty also lies in its honesty and the utter unprotected condition of the singer-narrator. It's a song that lingers long after the final note has faded, leaving a lasting impression on the listener, like incense smoke.