# Most depressing songs that aren't about love? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 26, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301 "2003-04-26T11:53:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/21 "2003-04-26T16:47:12Z")
“Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” - Gordon Lightfoot ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/22 "2003-04-26T17:16:18Z")
“Life’ll Kill Ya” - Warren Zevon ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/23 "2003-04-26T17:30:38Z")
“Stan”- Eminem ---
**Author:** ![kung\_fu\_lola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f4b2a3/32.png) [@kung\_fu\_lola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kung_fu_lola)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/24 "2003-04-26T17:44:52Z")
_Happens Every Day_, by Dar Williams ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/25 "2003-04-26T17:56:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > \*\*“Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” - Gordon Lightfoot \*\* Seconded. I tend to play Pink Floyd’s “Brain Damage”/“Eclipse” when I’m in one of my nihilist moods. Mrs. CaptMurdock concurs that PF is one of the most depressing bands ever. She also feels that way about Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and Michael Jackson’s “Ben.” The theme to M_A_S\*H. “Suicide is Painless.” ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/26 "2003-04-26T18:13:19Z")
Can’t be about love, eh? That wipes out “Gloomy Sunday” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Both of those are gloomy to the point of death (literally). You might consider Fats Waller “Black and Blue.” It’s gloomy about race. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/27 "2003-04-26T18:22:24Z")
_Sonora’s Death Row_ which I first heard by Leo Kottke, but has been done by others. ---
**Author:** ![Omorka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Omorka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omorka)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/28 "2003-04-26T18:42:31Z")
“Nothing but Flowers,” Talking Heads. “Tramp the Dirt Down” and “Oliver’s Army,” Elvis Costello. Actually, most of Costello’s early work. “Discipline” and “Another Blow Against the Evil Empire,” Joe Jackson. “Ants Marching,” Dave Matthews Band. Pretty much anything by Warren Zevon. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/29 "2003-04-26T18:46:35Z")
“Shipbuilding” by Elvis Costello. ---
**Author:** ![dinahmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@dinahmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dinahmoe)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/30 "2003-04-26T18:51:10Z")
“Dancing With Tears in My Eyes” by Ultravox ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/31 "2003-04-26T18:53:50Z")
“Sparrow” by Simon & Garfunkel ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/32 "2003-04-26T19:08:44Z")
Cash’s cover of “Hurt”. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/33 "2003-04-26T19:10:43Z")
“Blackberry Molasses” - Mista Pretty sure it was never top 40, but it depresses the hell out of me. ---
**Author:** ![Payton\_s\_Servant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@Payton\_s\_Servant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Payton_s_Servant)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/34 "2003-04-26T19:35:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoClueBoy \* > \*\*CSN and Y’s _Four Dead In Ohio_ \*\* **NoClueBoy** , the song is simply titled _Ohio._ _Drive_ by The Cars. _You Can’t Always Get What You Want_ by The Rolling Stones _Wish You Were Here_ by Pink Floyd ---
**Author:** ![Prisoner\_24601](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a6a055/32.png) [@Prisoner\_24601](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prisoner_24601)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/35 "2003-04-26T20:57:25Z")
Waltzing Mathilda and Sally Maclenan by the Pogues always get me. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/36 "2003-04-26T21:00:11Z")
what’s that one … isn’t it _Sam Stone_ by John Prine? > [@](#): > > There’s a hole in Daddy’s arm where all the money goes ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/37 "2003-04-26T23:33:46Z")
_Dust In The Wind_ by Kansas. Most depressing song ever. Love or no love. ---
**Author:** ![Gail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Gail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gail)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/38 "2003-04-27T00:52:36Z")
Too bad the songs can’t be about love…I’m kind of partial to “Something’s Always Wrong” by Toad the Wet Sprocket when I want to be depressed. Here’s my list: Doll Parts by Courtney Love Nothing Else Matters by Metallica Real Men by Joe Jackson Smiling Faces by The Undisputed Truth (?) The Wall by Kansas For a depressing song that sounds cheeful (like Nothing but Flowers by the Talking Heads), there’s Allentown by Billy Joel …and for a depressing song about alienation and self-pity, there’s always “Creep” by Radiohead…all though in a way, that song is so over the top, it’s almost laughable. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/39 "2003-04-27T01:00:29Z")
_The Woman Downstairs_ by The Handsome Family (most of their stuff is pretty depressing) _Waiting For a Train_ - Jimmie Rodgers (or Merle Haggard or Johnny Cash or about a million others _Nothing_ by the Fugs (well… it’s kinda funny too) _Living For The Depression_ by Flipper ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301/40 "2003-04-27T01:21:04Z")
“20 Years Ago” by Kenny Rogers. “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica. “Cat’s in the Cradle” by Cat Stevens. I’m sure I’ll be back with more… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressing-songs-that-arent-about-love/171301.md?page=3)