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10 songs that feel like Sad Lisa

Matched to Sad Lisa by Cat Stevens on how the music actually moves — intensity, dynamic swing, texture, tempo — not by genre tag. Here's what makes each one a match.

The song you love
Sad Lisa
Cat Stevens
moderate 34/100 intensity 72 BPM
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You Are My Sister — Antony and the Johnsons moderate 72 BPM

A 99% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (34/100). Nearly the same tempo, too (72 BPM).

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In My Feelings — Lana Del Rey moderate 85 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (31/100). Same layered texture.

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Someone Great — LCD Soundsystem moderate 95 BPM

Keeps the same emotional pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (36/100). Measured 94% alike.

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Hand in Glove — The Smiths moderate 92 BPM

Measures 96% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (36/100). Same layered texture.

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Cherry — Lana Del Rey moderate 85 BPM

A 95% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (31/100).

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If You're Feeling Sinister — Belle and Sebastian safe 85 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (35/100). Same layered texture.

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Rocket Love — Stevie Wonder moderate 72 BPM

Keeps the same emotional pull — lands at almost exactly the same energy (38/100). Measured 94% alike. Nearly the same tempo, too (72 BPM).

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Normal Girl — SZA moderate 95 BPM

Measures 94% the same. It lands at almost exactly the same energy (36/100). Same layered texture.

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Shirt — SZA moderate 85 BPM

A 93% feel-match — carries the same emotional pull and lands at almost exactly the same energy (31/100).

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Harry Patch (In Memory Of) — Radiohead moderate 60 BPM

95% match across our 8 measured dimensions; it lands at almost exactly the same energy (37/100). Same layered texture.

…and if you want it calmer

Same feeling, measured gentler — for when Sad Lisa is more than you want right now.

Changes by Black Sabbath
Changes — Black Sabbath safe 72 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 21/100, down from 34. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Which Will by Nick Drake
Which Will — Nick Drake safe 72 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 3 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 11/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

I Remember Everything by John Prine
I Remember Everything — John Prine safe 75 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 2 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 8/100. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Please, Please, Please by James Brown
Please, Please, Please — James Brown safe 80 BPM

Holds the same feel while nothing in it lurches or startles. 32/100, versus the original's 34. Nearly the same tempo, too.

That's the Way by Led Zeppelin
That's the Way — Led Zeppelin safe 72 BPM

Keeps the same feel of the original, but its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Intensity 21/100, down from 34. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Water Shows the Hidden Heart by Enya
Water Shows the Hidden Heart — Enya safe 72 BPM

Its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6, so it lands at 15/100 — the pull without the edge. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Mood Indigo by Frank Sinatra
Mood Indigo — Frank Sinatra safe 60 BPM

If it's the same feel you're after, this delivers it while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. Reads 20/100.

Baby Can I Hold You by Tracy Chapman
Baby Can I Hold You — Tracy Chapman safe 72 BPM

Holds the same feel while its dynamic range stays a gentler 4 where the original climbs to 6. 15/100, versus the original's 34. Nearly the same tempo, too.

Frequently asked

What songs sound like “Sad Lisa” by Cat Stevens?

The closest feel-matches we measure are “You Are My Sister” by Antony and the Johnsons, “In My Feelings” by Lana Del Rey, “Someone Great” by LCD Soundsystem — the top match scores 99% alike. Matching is by how the songs actually move (intensity, dynamic range, texture, tempo, predictability, vocal force), not by genre tag or popularity.

What songs are like “Sad Lisa” but calmer?

“Changes” by Black Sabbath, “Which Will” by Nick Drake, “I Remember Everything” by John Prine keep a similar feel while measuring gentler — lower dynamic swing, fewer sudden shifts, or a calmer overall level.

How intense is “Sad Lisa”?

It measures 34/100 on our intensity scale, computed from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild sudden shifts, and soft vocals. Tempo is 72 BPM.

How do you decide which songs are similar?

Every song in our catalog is measured on 8 dimensions — intensity, dynamic range, tempo, sudden changes, texture, predictability, vocal force and fine sound detail. Similarity is the distance between two songs across those measurements, so matches cross genres and eras. Shared mood tags break ties.

By the numbers: how this song compares

Computed from this song’s place among the 19,209 songs we’ve measured.

Where it sits in 19,000 songs

On our 19k-song scale this lands in the middle band — more energetic than 22% of songs, calmer than the other 78%. Its intensity reading of 34/100 comes from a dynamic range of 6/10, layered texture, mild shifts, and soft vocals. Relatively few songs occupy this exact corner of the spectrum.

What makes it unusual

What stands out most about this song is a slow, unhurried pace: more extreme on that axis than 90% of everything we've measured. At the far opposite end of the library sit the songs built on full chaos — sudden changes, huge quiet-to-loud swings, and relentless energy — the kind of track this one is the counterpoint to.

Feels almost identical to

Closest matches by feel across all 19,209 measured songs — not by genre or artist, by how they actually move.

What it’s good for

Sleep6/10
Focus10/10
Workout2/10
Dinner7/10
Party / hype2/10

Scored from this song’s tempo, intensity, dynamics and texture — not crowd votes.

1970 in context

The 307 songs we’ve measured from 1970 average a dynamic range of 6.1/10. At 6/10, this track is right in line with its year.

Mixes smoothly with

Within a few BPM and close in feel — they flow without a jarring transition.

The fingerprint

Intensity34
Dynamics56
Tempo18
Surprise25
Density33
Predictability0
Vocal force25
Trigger load13

The 8-dimension measurement behind every rating on this page.

Want the single closest match, with every dimension compared?

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