Most depressing song

[Shadow of the Sun]

And it's that time again! Now for an overall pointless thread that may cause a massive argument over trivial reasons!

What is, in your opinion, the most depressing song/s you have ever heard? When you feel bad, sometimes a depressing song is better than a happy one- at least, it is for me.

For me, the one of the songs would be The Dead Flag Blues by Godspeed You! Black Emperor. It has a tangible message and depressing instrumentals which work together to make a very bluesy song. I applaud GY!BE.

Second, Moses? by Mogwai. It is a fully instrumental song that is rather dark and depressing while also being uplifting. Masterpiece.

Third is Far Away Boys by Flogging Molly. It incredible, one of the only songs where I focus more on the vocals than the instruments. Quite depressing, but I like it.

[The Orange Zergling]

For me, it's Mad World (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-I8x-g1JpbE). It doesnt exactly bring a tear to my eye, it just makes me feel sober and sad...

[Archmage]

"Best I'll Ever Be," by Sister Hazel

[Shadow of the Sun]

Mad World is a really depressing song, but I think The Dead Flag Blues tops it. But I am a massive GY!BE fan, so I am biased.

[The Prince of Cats]

Radiohead's "Street Spirit" is quite an emotional song for me to perform, but it is their "Exit Music (For a Film)" that really gets me. I thought it was a perfect ending to Baz Luhrman's Romeo and Juliet.

[Bears With Lasers]

Tori Amos' Me And A Gun.

[faerwain]

Wow, this thread makes me feel dumb, as I never heard of most of the bands. My most depressing song is always changing according to occasion, guess the recent one would be "Demon Love" by ASP.

[Bears With Lasers]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3_6709tNJc (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVua-CW6ecs)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_And_A_Gun

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/toriamos/meandagun.html

[Selrahc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DIYNeOXKXY

Gloomy Sunday. The song linked to more suicides than any other music in the history of the world.

[Bears With Lasers]

Oh, yeah, Gloomy Sunday's beautful. I've got the Sarah Brightman version.

Edit: oh, yeah, Hallelujah has to be mentioned. Originally by Leonard Cohen; there are a number of cover versions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmbQEQltOwM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMOdVXAPJ0

[Invisible Queen]

Sweden has a lot of depressing songs to offer most people will never listen to.

This is one Johan Rothstein with a song called 17-33, translated to english by me:

---
Yesterday I was 17, suddenly I became 33
I'm sitting here and watch, I've sat myself here beside

I see people running, rushing around
They chase after (bliss/happiness/fortune) but me, I'm doing nothing

All my friends, they've made it
They have cars, kids, a house, family and everything
Things we promised we would never get
They have become adults, but me, I have not

There is nothing I have will to do and nothing that I want
Nothing that I long for and nothing I'm good enough for
I have no plans and nothing to hope for
I'm sitting here, waiting, and letting the days go by

I don't want to work, don't want to sell my days
But I want to make money and have good times

The same old thoughts I had when I was seventeen
I'm caught in a trap and time marches on

There is nothing I have will to do and nothing that I want
Nothing that I long for and nothing I'm good enough for
I have no plans and nothing to hope for
I'm sitting here, waiting, and letting the days go by

I wait and wait and now I begin to understand
That I have no idea what I'm waiting for

But I know a place where I can find comfort
Where I can find someone who will push me to their chest
When the stars in the sky twinkle welcome here
When the night's at its darkest, that's when I'll go there
---

All this sung in a slow, quiet, hoarse voice with just the tiniest effort to show emotion.
The bold part is my emphasis, cause that's the part that makes me cold when I hear it. :x

Oh, and there's Raymond & Maria's "Ingen vill veta var du köpt din tröja". It goes something like this:

---
The bus leaves at 8:30 but it's usually late
if your luck is bad you have to rush when you get there
if you go by the tunnel you can save a minute
but then you have to count the red lights at the intersection
I've been told november can be hard
every fourth call has to give a deal
but everyone seems happy and we have a new boss
you know everyone's name and say hi every morning, but

No one will grieve when you die, no one will miss what you do
no one wants to know where you bought your shirt
and though you've done everything right, you're polite, you're happy
and you've gotten rid of your stupid dialect

Next saturday we'll maybe look at a house
there's some new ones they're building by the station
if you do some stuff yourself it doesn't get too expensive
and your man is handy, he's already built a sauna, but

No one will grieve when you die, no one will miss what you do
no one wants to know where you bought your shirt
and though you've done everything right, you're polite, you're happy
and you've gotten rid of your stupid dialect

No, no one will grieve when you die, no one will miss what you do
no one wants to know where you bought your shirt
and though you've done everything right, you're polite, you're happy
and you've gotten rid of your stupid dialect

I remember last summer, it was really quite nice
sunny every day and we had rented a cottage in the countryside
we haven't decided what to do this year again
but we've worked well, we'll get extra vacation

Lalalalalala lalalalalalala
Lalalalalalalala lalalalalala

No one will grieve when you die, no one will miss what you do
no one wants to know where you bought your shirt
And though you've moved to a house, which is open, modern and bright
none of the guests will remember where it was
and though you've learned every song and though you have a lovely boat
there is no one who wants to touch your cheek

No, no one will grieve when you die, no one will miss what you do
no one wants to know where you bought your shirt
---

To me it's mostly cruel and mean, but I imagine if the kind of person who identifies with the "you" in the song could get very depressed. >_>

[The Prince of Cats]

Tori Amos' Me And A Gun.

That is not depressing, that is just... shocking. I mean, even before I knew it was based on her own experiences, I still found it quite chilling. Afterward... *shudders*

[Jibar]

Well...apparantly Radiohead (http://crap.jinwicked.com/?comic=315) is pretty damn depressing.
Though, I personally find Mad World and Why Does It Always Rain On Me? by Travis depressing.
Some Oasis tracks like Stop Crying Your Heart Out, and Cast No Shadow are also downers.

[clarkvalentine]

I Grieve, by Peter Gabriel. The most realistic portrayal of abject despair I've ever heard in song. It's gut-wrenching.

[Bears With Lasers]

That is not depressing, that is just... shocking. I mean, even before I knew it was based on her own experiences, I still found it quite chilling. Afterward... *shudders*

It must take a hell of a lot of strength and courage to perform that, especially her first time.

[RationalGoblin]

In the End by Linken Park.

Do I even need to explain it?

[Shadow of the Sun]

Another two by the same band, I Was Only Nineteen and probably a cover, And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda by Redgum. These two songs are not depressing until you really think about it, but when you do they are rather chilling. They are anti-war songs, written afterwards from the view of the soldier and the things he saw. They are both lovely songs and I love them.

[Bears With Lasers]

In the End by Linken Park.

Do I even need to explain it?

Really? Because that one cracks me up.

[Khantalas]

Most of The Silent Force depresses me to heck. The Swan Song, Pale, Memories, Angels... You name it, I can be depressed by it.

[RationalGoblin]

Really? How so?

For example, part of the lyrics:

In the end, it doesn't even matter.

That's not depressing?

[Khantalas]

Oh, and to add It Was a Very Good Year, by Sinatra.

[Strengfellow]

I like Ohne dich (Without You) by Rammstein

and pretty much every New Model Army album has a couple of maudlin gems contained theerin.

At seventeen by Janis Ian

[Bears With Lasers]

Really? How so?

For example, part of the lyrics:

In the end, it doesn't even matter.

That's not depressing?

It just makes me laugh at the Zomg-Emo-Angst rather than be actually affected by it. Kind of like "CRAAAAWWWWLLIIIIIIIING IIIIN MYYYY SKIIIIIIN" and so on.

[Shadow of the Sun]

I despise Linken Park and all it stands for, so meh.

Another one that I am sure Amotis would have eventually popped in with had I not posted Do You Realize?? by The Flaming Lips. The song is bot depressing and uplifting, but the story behind it is what clinches it for me.

[Invisible Queen]

Yeop, Linkin Park sound more like "hey let's tap into the emo kids' wallets with some generic depressing songs" than, well, actually depressing. I guess that's sad in itself. . . but the point is it sounds fake.

[Bears With Lasers]

Shadow--I prefer Fight Test.

And I don't know how a man decides
What's right for his own life,
It's all a mystery...

[Sewer_Bandito]

I think this'll be the third time I've mentioned this song in a music thread but...Slow Motion by Third Eye Blind.

[The Prince of Cats]

Now I think about it; the whole "A Kind of Magic" album by Queen is kind of a roller-coaster ride for me. I find the instrumental version of Who Wants to Live Forever extremely sad, one of the saddest songs I have heard.

I'm told that Freddie knew he was dying when he wrote the song, which just makes you see where the emotion comes from...

[twerk_face]

In the End by Linken Park.

Do I even need to explain it?


this IS depressing (in your oppinion) because of how popular it was for absolutely no reason at all, and that it is one of the worst songs to have come out mainstream in the last 12 years? Right? RIGHT?????

[Amotis]

Bears with Lasers! Stop listening to the covers done NOT by Jeff Buckley! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! (and it's not a depressing song at all....)

And yeah, Shadow of the Sun got's that one right. I was acutally surprised that the Lips, out of all the bands, made a really sad song.

But for the most depressing ever? Hmm...that's hard.
Me And A Gun is probably really up there.
As is a lot of tracks on Mogwai's Happy Music for Happy People or GodSpeed You! Black Emporer's F sharp A sharp Infinity albums (both kinda included in Shadow's OP).
So is Radiohead's Exit Music (for a Film) or How to Disappear Completely.
So is Mad World, of course.
So is Cowboy Bebop's Blue.

Eh, I don't know yet.

[The Orange Zergling]

Personally... I got no emotional reaction whatsoever from In The End.

[Dragonrider]

Either Way by Guster is one of those that makes you almost uncomfortable....

You were almost kind, you were almost true
Don't let me see that other side of you
You have learned in time that you must be cruel
I'll have to wait to get the best of you
Poison in everything you say
Don't you, don't you
Wonder what difference does it make?
Either way...

And so on. I actually really like the song. The lead singer has a great falsetto (my 13-year-old brother, whose voice hasn't changed yet, sings it perfectly), and there's a musical interlude where it builds and builds and builds until it breaks into the last verse. Beautiful.

Edit: Also, Losing You by Nothin' to See

[Bears With Lasers]

Bears with Lasers! Stop listening to the covers done NOT by Jeff Buckley! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! (and it's not a depressing song at all....)
It's heartbreaking, c'mon.
And I prefer the Rufus Wainwright version to Jeff Buckley's.


So is Cowboy Bebop's Blue.

"Blue", by Angie Hart (of Frente! and Splendid non-fame), is fairly-sad pretty.

Night falls,
I fall,
And where were you?
And where were you...?

Warm skin,
Wolf grin,
And whe-e-ere were yo-ou...?

I found a music video (not related to the song) so you can hear it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFLIhyHyRWU

[Shadow of the Sun]

Another depressing song would be Replica by Sonata Arctica. It is an awesome song that is fairly depressing while maintaining upbeat instrumentation.

I find The Bard's Song by Blind Guardian to be rather depressing.

Dead Boy's Poem by Nightwish is a very depressing song, but it also has an uplifting quality to it. I love it.

[Amotis]

It's heartbreaking, c'mon.
And I prefer the Rufus Wainwright version to Jeff Buckley's.



It's a moving song, yes. Probably the most moving song I've ever heard. But depressing? No...not really. Sad. But not depressing.

And what?! I - I don't know you man! Come on...Jeff is one of the best singers I've ever heard. Wainwright is a pop music singer. Jeff is a ballad emotional singer.

...come on...

[FdL]

Before I start pouring what's left of my heart in this thread :p, I'd like to know what we're talking about. I'm told by my friends that I listen to depressing music, but that's kinda relative.

Do you mean a song that actually makes you feel angst when you listen to it? Because there's stuff that's sad but it gives you hope...I don't know, for my first definition I would have to mention the band Come. Something like "Saints Around Your Neck", but all of their stuff is emotionally powerful stuff. Like falling into a black well only to touch its bottom and being reborn in darkness and pain...

[Shadow of the Sun]

Essentially, if you think it is depressing in any of it's definitions, pop it up.

[FdL]

Anything by Low then, but it falls into "depresing-but-beautiful-and-hopeful".

[LCR]

Ochrasy by Mando Diao
Minor Incident by Badly Drawn Boy
Sad Song and Cigarettes and Alcohol by Oasis as there are sometimes no other things that make sense than booze and cigarettes.

[SDF]

I like Do you Realize because it switches from depressing to uplifting. It goes from, "Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die." to, "instead of saying all of your goodbyes let them know you realize that life goes fast, it's hard to make the good things last, you realize that the sun doesn't go down it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round." and the tone of the music changes.

Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World is a pretty sad one. Freakish by Saves the Day is another one.

[Roland St. Jude]

A few off the top of my head:

Jeff Buckley's version of Lilac Wine
Jim Croche's Photographs and Memories (or Operator)
Johnny Cash's version of Hurt

[ZombieRockStar]

Most of the ones I'd pick have been mentioned already (Toria Amos especially), so I'll just throw "Behind Blue Eyes" into the mix. (By The Who, not that LB crap)

[Ted_Stryker]

The whole Magic and Loss album by Lou Reed is ultra-depressing. Don;t know if I could pick a particular song from it, though.

[FdL]

You nailed it, it's really depressing. There's nothing as terrible of the certainty of the death of a loved one. Despair goes on forever, you know... :(

I seem to recall one of the central songs was "Sword of Damocles" or something similar. I saw a video where he performs the entire album.

[Strengfellow]

The whole Magic and Loss album by Lou Reed is ultra-depressing. Don;t know if I could pick a particular song from it, though.


Good call and i'll add Caroline says part II

[Plums]

I always thought And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda was by an irish dude named John McDermott... Anyways, I've got a few.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps Beatles.
Vincent Don McLean (the "American Pie" guy)
Yesterday Also Beatles
A lot of Simon & Garfunkel songs Guess who sings. :P

And some newer ones:
Runaway Love I think its Snoop Dog and Mary J. Blige, but I'm not sure..
How to Save a Life The video actually doesn't represent the song very well, but oh well.

[Amotis]

Yesterday is about a new relationship, how is that sad?

edito - whoops I'm thinking about Something. My bad. Stupid one word song names...

[clarkvalentine]

Oh, man. I just remembered Sullivan by Caroline's Spine. Now that's depressing.

Still not as gut-wrenching as I Grieve, but that's a matter pf perspective I guess.

[anak]

you realize that the sun doesn't go down it's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round."[/QUOTE]
Nice quote

Is it just me, or do depressing songs make you feel better than happy songs? That Mad World song makes me feel lively for some reason

When listening to a happy song, a sad person would feel sadder because they realize that the happy things in the song are not happening to them, right? (By the way I'm characterizing songs by their meaning alone and not by the sounds or the tone). Well, if so, shouldn't the reverse be also true. To elaborate, should not a happy person, when listening to a sad song, feel happier because they realize that the sad things in the song are not happening to them?

[Cult_of_the_Raven]

The very last time by The Alan parsons project.
try it. you'll like it.

[purple gelatinous cube o' Doom]

I really do like this song, but Whiskey Lullabye by Brad Paisley and Dolly pardon is a pretty depressing song. It's probably my song of choice if I don't feel like listening to upbeat music. Another one is Alyssa Lies by Jason Michael Carroll. I heard the latter on the radio a few weeks ago, and hearing it once was enough. If it comes on the radio now, I will find something else to listen to...or turn the radio off.

[Alex Kidd]

My vote goes to Mad World.


Another depressing song would be Replica by Sonata Arctica. It is an awesome song that is fairly depressing while maintaining upbeat instrumentation.

And I agree with this.

Also Waltzing Matilda, is probably the most depressing pseudo-national anthem ever.

Also Linkin Park has one use, anytime I felt emo during my early teens I'd turn it on and realize how much of a whiny ***** I was being.:smalltongue:

[Amotis]

I found one riding to school today.
Neutral Milk Hotel's - Holland, 1945

[FdL]

Probably there's a couple more candidates in that album. Wonderful stuff nonetheless.

[Amotis]

Communist Daughter make me sad but that's because it's so short. I feel depressed every time I hear that trumpet melody at the end cause I know the song's gonna end. I could listen to that track for ever. Though it leads in to Oh Comely so I guess that always makes me feel better.


edito - and because of another person's post I am reminded of a song I cannot finish playing or listening to without crying.

Peter, Paul, and Mary's Puff the Magic Dragon

A beautiful wonderful song that words cannot complete.

[Dr._Weird]

Communist Daughter make me sad but that's because it's so short. I feel depressed every time I hear that trumpet melody at the end cause I know the song's gonna end. I could listen to that track for ever. Though it leads in to Oh Comely so I guess that always makes me feel better.


edito - and because of another person's post I am reminded of a song I cannot finish playing or listening to without crying.

Peter, Paul, and Mary's Puff the Magic Dragon

A beautiful wonderful song that words cannot complete.

That song makes me get tears in my eyes occasionally too.

[zeratul]

For me, it's Mad World (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-I8x-g1JpbE). It doesnt exactly bring a tear to my eye, it just makes me feel sober and sad...

I totally agree. Either that or Mr. Jones by Ben folds.

[Dragor]

Mad World is an excellent song... and Blue Veins by The Raconteurs has a strange and sad tone to it. Jack White sounds like he's cracking up more than ever on that track.

[Telonius]

"Puff the Magic Dragon" is one of the saddest songs ever, I think.

[Sewer_Bandito]

I totally agree. Either that or Mr. Jones by Ben folds.

I think you're talking about Mr.Jones by Counting Crows or some other band, because Bean Folds hasn't done a song called Mr.Jones, at least not one that's on iTunes. :smalltongue:

And if you are talking about Mr.Jones by Counting Crows then I'll second that one :smallwink:

[Khantalas]

Is There Anybody Out There? for the nomination.

Five words. Just five words and it gets me depressed.

[Joran]

I'll go a different route. I find these two songs kind of bittersweet and sad. Many people probably won't agree, mainly because they are very funny songs.

Jonathan Coulton - Code Monkey: The third stanza is the key to why I think it's a sad song. The part where he sings, "Code monkey just waiting for now/Code monkey think someday, somehow." That line shows the state of mind of many a computer programmer; that he is only in that thankless line of work just for the moment, but in actuality he's trapped there.

Barenaked Ladies - Million Dollars: Amongst a song riddled with many funny statements of what they'll buy ("a fur coat/But not a real fur coat, that's cruel" and "a green dress/But not a real green dress, that's cruel") there's that line "If I had a million dollars/I'd buy your love." Which to me implies that the singer doesn't actually have that unnamed person's love. It's kind of sad that the singer thinks that actually having a million dollars would buy them a person's love.

Although, I will allow that maybe I'm projecting ;)

[Khantalas]

Jonathan Coulton - Code Monkey: The third stanza is the key to why I think it's a sad song. The part where he sings, "Code monkey just waiting for now/Code monkey think someday, somehow." That kind of shows the state of mind of many a computer programmer; that they are in that thankless line of work just for the moment, but actually that they're really trapped in there.

I thought Code Monkey was a love song...

[Lynwë]

dont know if anyone else does, but I always feel depressed when i listen to ''Fix You'' by Coldplay.

-----------------------------------------------------
When you try your best but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

And high up above or down below
When you’re too in love to let it go
But if you never try you’ll never know
Just what you’re worth

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears stream down your face
when you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face
And I

Tears stream down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face
And I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
----------------------------------------------------

chris martin wrote this song for his wife, after her father died

[Axl_Rose]

Some Oasis tracks like Stop Crying Your Heart Out, and Cast No Shadow are also downers.

I was a big fan of Oasis, most of their tracks tend to be upbeat. Stop Crying your Heart out is one of the sadder ones though, I'll agree. Cats No Shadow isn't very sad though. It's a tribute to Richard Ashcroft.

In terms of sad songs.... err...

Unintended by Muse
Don't Cry by Guns n' Roses
Heaven Beside you by Alice in Chains
Don't look back in Anger by Oasis
Creep by Radiohead
Hyper Chondriac Music by Muse

[Teal Kuinshi]

The Son Never Shines [On Closed Doors]

[mikeejimbo]

Oh, and to add It Was a Very Good Year, by Sinatra.

I can see how that could be a bit depressing, but there are three other Sinatra songs that I find even more so.

My Way. Depending on how it's sung, this can be a real tear-jerker.
That's Life. Not quite as depressing, if you ask me, more cynical, but can be sad in it's cynicism.

And for what might be the most depressing of my list, Put your Dreams Away, if only because it was the last song they played as his funeral, but I still find it quite sad.

[smellie_hippie]

On the third page here, and nobody has even mentioned the cure...

the cure This is a Lie
the cure Waiting
the cure Bloodflowers

I'll also just throw in for show...

Nine Inch Nails Something I can Never Have
Pink Floyd Paranoid Eyes

"and if i, show you my dark side
will you still hold me, tonight?
and if i, open my heart to you,
show you my weak side, what would you do?"

[Soulus101]

God Put a Smile Upon My Face by Coldplay
Hello by Evanescence (maybe not depressing, but very emotional. Amy Lee has an incredible voice on that album)
Reel Big Fish's "Cheer Up!" album is a great one when you're feeling depressed. Nothing like Ska to make depression turn to a smile :)

[clarkvalentine]

On the third page here, and nobody has even mentioned the cure...


I very nearly mentioned Apart.

[mikeejimbo]

Oh man, I forgot my favorite depressing song of all:

Suicide is Painless.

[Amotis]

It briiiings on many chaaanges....

[FdL]

Check out the Manic Street Preachers' version. Even more check out the Manic Street Preachers if you don't know them.

[Closet_Skeleton]

I thought Code Monkey was a love song...

Every song is a love song.

Kind of.

Not at all.

It just seems that when people can't think of what to right about for song lyrics they write about love. Not that all love songs are badly written, but songs with no real direction are often love songs.

[ElfLad]

Every song is a love song.

Kind of.

That's not what my ex-girlfriend said when I burned her a CD with "Under My Thumb" on it for Valentine's Day.

[FdL]

Every song is a love song.

Kind of.

Not at all.

It just seems that when people can't think of what to right about for song lyrics they write about love. Not that all love songs are badly written, but songs with no real direction are often love songs.

I'll look up the lyrics for Gang of Four's "Anthrax", where between squalls of feedback and a solid funky, dublike rythm they explain why they don't write love songs.

Not all songs are love songs per se. But then again, the subject of love, or the lack of it is such an important part of human nature that is an ineludible subject when creating art, which feeds from and expresses human emotions.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Sonata Arctica write a lot of depressing songs. I personally like Tallulah, a pseudo depressing lovesong, The Misery and A Letter to Dana, all somewhat depressing songs. It is a good band. I like 'em.

[Castaras]

For me, it's Mad World (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-I8x-g1JpbE). It doesnt exactly bring a tear to my eye, it just makes me feel sober and sad...

That is one sad song...although I don't really have depressing songs...

[Krade]

Someone mentioned Vincent by Don McLean, and a few years ago (before I listened to the rest of the album) I would've agreed. Now I'd say The Grave, from the same album, is much more depressing, which is saying something because Vincent was:frown: one of my dad's favorite songs.

I've actually committed The Grave to memory.

The grave that they dug him had flowers,
Gathered from the hillside in bright, summer colors,
And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone
He's gone

When the wars of our nation did beckon,
The man barely twenty did answer the calling,
Proud of the trust that he placed in our nation
He's gone

But eternity knows him,
And it knows what we've done.

And the rain fell like pearls
On the leaves of the flowers,
Leaving brown, muddy clay
Where the earth had been dry.

And deep in the trench,
He waited for hours,
As he held to his rifle
And prayed not to die.

But the silence of night
Was shattered by fire,
As guns and grenades blasted sharp through the air.

And, one after another,
His comrades were slaughtered.
In a morgue of marines,
Alone, standing there...

He croutched ever lower,
Ever lower with fear.
"They can't let me die,
They can't let me die here!
I'll cover myself, with the mud and the earth,
I'll cover myself- I KNOW I'M NOT BRAVE!!
The earth... The earth... The earth is my grave.

The grave that they dug him had flowers.
Gathered from the hillside in bright, summer colors.
And the brown earth bleached white at the edge of his gravestone.
He's gone...

Yes, Vincent is sad, even with its personal meaning, but its about one well known man who killed himself, and now everyone knows he died and no more tears are shed. The Grave, on the other hand, is about a young man, any young man, and EVERY young man, who didn't want to die. Not some crazy old fogey that lived a long time ago.

[Amotis]

A beautiful crazy old fogey.

[Wippit Guud]

Close Your Eyes Forever by Ozzy Osborne and Lita Ford.

Telling someone that it's ok for them to die... and then thinking if I ever have to do it...

[Ceska]

Remember the Tinman by Tracy Chapman (actually a good part of the album) makes me kind of sad, as does Renaissance's At the Harbour.

[valis]

Pink Flyod song: "Mother"

If you can make through this song and not cry you suck.

[Wayril]

I think the top is Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks, I think.

[kamikasei]

Is it just me, or do depressing songs make you feel better than happy songs?

Yes, actually. I'm not quite sure why. Most of my favourite songs are in some way sad or depressing, but at the same time I find them elating. I find it hard to think of a song that just straight-out depresses me.


So is Cowboy Bebop's Blue.

Ah! Damn you! So depressing!

And yet elating, see? "Life is just a dream you know, it's never ending... I'm ascending..."

Hmm...

"Exit Music" and "Street Spirit" by Radiohead. "Exit Music" in particular. "2+2=5", also, to a lesser extent. "And you try to sing along but the words are all wrong..."

"The Noose" by A Perfect Circle. Also, somewhat, "The Package" from the same album. It's not depressing in itself but it has a sort of alienation at the core that is depressing when you think about it. "Passive", too, a little bit, it has the angry-love-song thing going but it's also full of despair.

Doubleplusdepressing, but also highly elating, "Wings for Marie" and "10000 Days" from Tool's most recent album (it's one song split into two tracks). All about his mother slowly dieing over thirty years... they played this at a recent concert and had tears streaming down my face.

"Bleeding Me" by Metallica, a little bit. Especially the version on S&M with the orchestral backing, which greatly improves the song.

Oh, and how did I forget "Fade to Black", also by Metallica?

Both versions of "Hurt", and I'll leave it at that.

[Portent]

Johnny Cash, "Hurt" definitely tops my list.

Evanesence, "Fields of Innocence" is a close second.

Staind, "It's Been a While" probably ties the above.

[wellington]

Depending on how you interpret it, Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat" can be intensely depressing, especially when performed by Cohen himself. I usually prefer covers of Cohen to Cohen himself, but... this is an exception, definitely. "I hear that you're building your little house deep in the desert / You're living for nothing now; I hope you're keeping some kind of record." On the other hand, there's an uplifting interpretation of the lyrics, too, so, hard call.

"A Day in the Life," by The Beatles, is famously depressing, without ever being overtly manipulative in the way, that, say, "Gloomy Sunday" is.

"Mad World" strikes the silly-emo-zone for me, really.

"Now, it's kind of funny, and kind of sad,
But the dream of dying's the best I've had;
It's just too much to take,
But this angst takes the cake -
It's a mad world after all!
It's a mad world, after all,
It's a mad world, after all,
It's a mad, mad world!"

[ray53208]

The Lonely Man Theme by Joe Harnell...

its the end theme to the incredible hulk tv show.

"David Banner is believed to be dead, and he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him."

[Amotis]

And yet elating, see? "Life is just a dream you know, it's never ending... I'm ascending..."

Hmm...

"Exit Music" and "Street Spirit" by Radiohead. "Exit Music" in particular. "2+2=5", also, to a lesser extent. "And you try to sing along but the words are all wrong..."

"The Noose" by A Perfect Circle. Also, somewhat, "The Package" from the same album. It's not depressing in itself but it has a sort of alienation at the core that is depressing when you think about it. "Passive", too, a little bit, it has the angry-love-song thing going but it's also full of despair.

Doubleplusdepressing, but also highly elating, "Wings for Marie" and "10000 Days" from Tool's most recent album (it's one song split into two tracks). All about his mother slowly dieing over thirty years... they played this at a recent concert and had tears streaming down my face.

"Bleeding Me" by Metallica, a little bit. Especially the version on S&M with the orchestral backing, which greatly improves the song.

Oh, and how did I forget "Fade to Black", also by Metallica?

Both versions of "Hurt", and I'll leave it at that.

2+2=5 is a bit angry I think.

The Noose is okay I suppose, APC is my guilty pleasure. But Passive was a load of radio hit over produced crap. I mean...that album was horrible, but Passive was a sore thumb in that cd.

And Maynard's mother was in a coma, not really dying, but I suppose it's sad. And Tool always makes me cry. (Inside. And outside. Sometimes both. It hurts that bad.)

[Annarrkkii]

I second "Hallelujah." That song was used to brilliant effect in House M.D. I believe it was the first episode of the second season...

[clarkvalentine]

I heard this one not long after watching my father grieve for my mother, who died without warning a few years ago. I'd like to say "helped him through," but you can't. You just can't.

http://www.lyricsfreak.com/p/peter+gabriel/i+grieve_20107554.html

Jeez. I can't even read the words.

[jkdjr25]

Hurt-Johnny Cash Version
Vincent-Don McClean
Whiskey Lulabye-Brad Paisely and Alison Kraus
Drinking Me Lonely-Chris Young
He Stopped Loving Her Today-George Jones
Mr. Bojangles
My Elusive Dreams-Roger Miller
Sunday Morning Coming Down-Johnny Cash (written by Kris Kristofferson)