# Most depressingest album ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 21, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659 "2003-10-21T07:32:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_wizard_song_for_thee)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/1 "2003-10-21T07:32:07Z")
I’ve been on a sad song kick lately, and I wanted to know what you guys thought was the most depressing album of all time. Most dark albums have at least one or two upbeat or nice-sounding songs to them, but I want one that is, well, essentially, _Buffy_’s second season finale. Y’know (or you may not), the sort of sublime sadness that you get when everything goes wrong at once? Personally, I would humbly nominate _Berlin_, by Lou Reed, which is sort of a concept album of, well, being sad and self-destructive. Songs like “The Kids,” “Caroline Says,” and “The Bed” really make this a definite contender for most unflichingly bleak album of all time. What others qualify? ---
**Author:** ![electric\_sheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@electric\_sheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electric_sheep)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/2 "2003-10-21T07:53:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Most depressing_est_ album ever? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by A wizard song for thee \* > **…_Buffy_’s second season finale. Y’know (or you may not), the sort of sublime sadness…** Are you trying to be funny? Ok, here’s me being funny too: The darkest album ever is Lou Reeds “Metal Machine Music.” Incidentally, it is also the happiest, smartest, and dumbest album ever. ---
**Author:** ![electric\_sheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@electric\_sheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electric_sheep)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/3 "2003-10-21T07:59:38Z")
BTW, I found this apostrophe laying around: **'**. Anyone want to stick it back in my post? ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/4 "2003-10-21T08:16:30Z")
You could try _Dusk_ by The The. Phenomenal album, but it always leaves me with a creepy and lonely feeling by the time I’m done. It ends on a relatively upbeat note; I hope that doesn’t knock it out of the running. ---
**Author:** ![Kurt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kurt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kurt)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/5 "2003-10-21T08:59:13Z")
Leonard Cohen’s _Songs of Love and Hate_ deserves a mention, even if only for the absolute despair and self-loathing expressed in ‘Dress Rehearsal Rag’. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/6 "2003-10-21T09:39:42Z")
Any of Joy Division’s albums would qualify, especially Closer. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/7 "2003-10-21T10:20:38Z")
Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd is pretty despressing. Great album though. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/8 "2003-10-21T10:20:53Z")
OK, here it is. [The Final Cut](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000002C1V/qid=1066732045/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/104-7367019-0951118?v=glance&s=music) by _Pink Floyd_. If you’re feeling too happy and need some bumming out, this is the record for you. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/9 "2003-10-21T10:33:31Z")
Another vote for Joy Division’s _Closer_. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/10 "2003-10-21T11:32:18Z")
Ha! I too, came to nominate Pink Floyd, only my choice is _Animals_. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/11 "2003-10-21T13:25:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dung Beetle \* > \*\*Ha! I too, came to nominate Pink Floyd, only my choice is _Animals_. \*\* Wah…? ‘Sheep’ kicks butt, man. It’s not depressing at all… For ‘Best Selling’ depressing albums, I’d vote for Springsteen’s Nebraska - very dreary music (well, at least to me…) ---
**Author:** ![Jerrybear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8c91f0/32.png) [@Jerrybear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jerrybear)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/12 "2003-10-21T13:27:28Z")
How about Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence” album? There is the title track with its theme of urban alienation, also “Blessed” and “I Am A Rock” which have a similar theme. There are two wistful songs of lost love, “Leaves That Are Green” and “April Come She Will.” Side two kicks off with not one, but two suicide songs! First we have “Richard Cory,” about a rich but ultimately unhappy man who blows his brains out with a gun. Then we have “A Most Peculiar Man,” about an anonymous loner who gasses himself to death. “We’ve Got a Groovy Thing Goin’” is a relatively upbeat song, but even here the lyrics are at least somewhat sad. Overall, this is not exactly a fun and happy album. A good one musically and lyrically, but not one that you can get through without a box of tissues. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/13 "2003-10-21T13:39:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ruadh \* > \*\*Another vote for Joy Division’s _Closer_. \*\* me three. ---
**Author:** ![waits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df788c/32.png) [@waits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waits)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/14 "2003-10-21T13:42:45Z")
_Shoot Out the Lights_ by Richard and Linda Thompson. The sound of a marriage disintegrating on vinyl (forgive me, I’m old). One critic said that this album made Springsteen’s _Nebraska_ sound like a party album. ---
**Author:** ![keithnmick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90db22/32.png) [@keithnmick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keithnmick)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/15 "2003-10-21T14:00:50Z")
I agree with what’s been posted so far. I’ll also add Travis - The Man Who as a pretty depressing album. Some exerpts, all from different tracks, thanks to this website: [http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/travis/140518.html](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/t/travis/140518.html) “Everyday I wake up alone” “Call me a name and I’ll hit you again You’re a slut, you’re a bitch, you’re a whore Talked to your daddy in that tone of voice There’s a belt hanging over the door So you run to your room And you hide in your room Thinking how you could settle the score” “Drifting over bridges Never to return Watching bridges burn You’re driftwood floating underwater Breaking into pieces pieces pieces Just driftwood hollow and of no use” “The fear is coming clear My dear The fear is here All I wanted was the chance to say I would like to see you in the morning Rolling over just to have you there Would make it easy for a little bit longer” “It’s the last laugh of the laughter Sur la dernier page du chapitre On the last day of the year Ma vie Tout ma vie When the spotlight fade away Ma vie C’est la vie When the blue skies turns to grey Ma vie Tout ma vie” “What’s so wrong Why the face so long Is it over And where you going that You no longer belong here And distance tells you that Distance must come between love” “So now she starts to cry Without a reason why She’s so poor And only now she’s looking back She sees her story on a paperback What will become of her There’s not much left for her” “Today is the day For dancing and for singing The birds in the tree and all The bells are ringing The sun in the sky Is bright as bright as second light Is bright oh God I hope I’m alright Cause I’m gonna cry Hold on hold on Slow down slow down” “I want to see what people saw I want to feel like I felt before I want to see the kingdom come I want to feel forever young I want to sing To sing my song I want to live in a world where I belong” "Sunny days Where have you gone? I get the strangest feeling you belong Why does it always rain on me? " - mods - I hope these exerpts are OK. The album is actually pretty good, by the way, but it can be a little, um, depressing. ---
**Author:** ![Rhum\_Runner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rhum\_Runner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhum_Runner)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/16 "2003-10-21T14:05:40Z")
I hate to nominate recent albums, but Beck’s _Sea Changes_ is very depressing. I’m a big Floyd fan, and I don’t find DSOTM depressing at all, _Final Cut_, oh yeah, depressing. Even _The Wall_ is depressing IMHO, but not DSOTM. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/17 "2003-10-21T14:27:39Z")
_Sea Change_ is depressing, but my vote’s with _Berlin_. ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/18 "2003-10-21T14:49:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rhum Runner \* > \*\*I hate to nominate recent albums, but Beck’s _Sea Changes_ is very depressing. > > I’m a big Floyd fan, and I don’t find DSOTM depressing at all, _Final Cut_, oh yeah, depressing. Even _The Wall_ is depressing IMHO, but not DSOTM. \*\* “Time” has to be the most depressing song of all time. Depressing in a good way. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/19 "2003-10-21T15:15:40Z")
There’s a comedian named Mark Klein who has a theory that Johnny Cash is the “most depressing son of a bitch on the face of the earth.” So far as contemporary albums, I’ll nominate _Recovering the Satellites_ by Counting Crows. Some of the music’s upbeat, but the lyrics are full of self-loathing, unrequited love, self-doubt. indentity crises, realizing that the one person that you love is horrible for you, and like that. ---
**Author:** ![DaveX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@DaveX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveX)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659/20 "2003-10-21T15:20:28Z")
On a more recent note… If you are looking for a great depressing album dealing with relationships gone awry, check out Damien Rice’s “O”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-depressingest-album-ever/208659.md?page=2)