# Pop Songs with Slow Depressing Music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 12, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312 "2018-04-12T19:28:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/1 "2018-04-12T19:28:02Z")
There is already an interesting thread on songs where the music is cheerful but the lyrics are not. But ignore the lyrics totally for a minute. Which pop songs have gloomy slow depressing music - songs where if you heard them **without lyrics** , you’d say “Is this funeral music, or what?” I’d go first, but I honestly can’t come up with any. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/2 "2018-04-12T19:29:52Z")
I’ll start with: [“The Freshmen”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1umEXpGHc0E) by Verve Pipe. And the lyrics are no less of a downer. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/3 "2018-04-12T19:31:38Z")
**In the Air Tonight, by Phil Collins**? That starts out pretty sparse and bleak-sounding. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/4 "2018-04-12T19:47:25Z")
The Freshmen is in a minor key, but it’s at a medium-to-medium-fast tempo, and if you hear it without lyrics it sounds thoughtful but energetic. Definitely not “WTF, who died?” kind of music, outside of the very gloomy lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/5 "2018-04-12T19:54:00Z")
Would _Indian Reservation_, especially as sung by Paul Revere and the Raiders, count? Lotsa minor key stuff, and the lyrics, true enough, are a real downer. But it’s definitely a Pop Song > **[Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Reservation_(The_Lament_of_the_Cherokee_Reservation_Indian))** > > "Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)" is a song written by John D. Loudermilk. It was first recorded by Marvin Rainwater in 1959 and released on MGM as "The Pale Faced Indian", but that release went unnoticed. The first hit version was a 1968 recording by Don Fardon – a former member of the Sorrows – that reached number 20 on the Hot 100 in 1968 and number 3 on the UK Singles Chart in 1970. > In 1971, the Raiders recorded "Indian Reservation" for Columbia Records... > [@](#): > > They took the whole Indian nation,Locked us on this reservation > . . .Took away our native tongue,And taught their English to our young > > ( CHORUS ) > Cherokee people! Cherokee tribe! - > So proud to live, so proud to die! ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/6 "2018-04-12T20:13:36Z")
An example (not pop) of what seems like slow depressing music to me, for comparison: [Goldberg variations #25](http://youtu.be/ObQCKpwzylE) ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/7 "2018-04-12T20:14:41Z")
**Down In The Park** by **Tubeway Army (Gary Numan.)** TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/8 "2018-04-12T20:15:17Z")
_Live and Let Die_ pretty much runs the gamut from maudlin to head-banging to island rhythm. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/9 "2018-04-12T20:20:01Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Would _Indian Reservation_, especially as sung by Paul Revere and the Raiders, count? Lotsa minor key stuff, and the lyrics, true enough, are a real downer. But it’s definitely a Pop Song > > [Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Reservation_(The_Lament_of_the_Cherokee_Reservation_Indian)) Indian Reservation’s music is zippy. It gets your toes tapping. Not in a super happy way, but not in a slow depressing way either. It’s kind of cute how people post the lyrics showing what a downer the song is 🙂 - yeah, I know that part, what I’m trying to find is songs that are **depressing without knowing the lyrics**. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/10 "2018-04-12T20:25:19Z")
People have told me I’m crazy for this, but the main riff of “Summer Breeze” always hit me as incredibly gloomy and morose for a song where “everything is alright.” ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/11 "2018-04-12T20:25:22Z")
_Hello_ by Adele ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/12 "2018-04-12T20:32:43Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > The Freshmen is in a minor key, but it’s at a medium-to-medium-fast tempo, and if you hear it without lyrics it sounds thoughtful but energetic. Definitely not “WTF, who died?” kind of music, outside of the very gloomy lyrics. Okay, how about [“A Whiter Shade of Pale”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA) by Procol Harum? ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/13 "2018-04-12T20:33:24Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > _Hello_ by Adele I think you found a real one. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/14 "2018-04-12T20:35:55Z")
> [@Nonsuch](#): > > People have told me I’m crazy for this, but the main riff of “Summer Breeze” always hit me as incredibly gloomy and morose for a song where “everything is alright.” I wouldn’t call it a depressing song at all, but I agree with you that there’s definitely a weird gloom to the main riff. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/15 "2018-04-12T20:37:25Z")
I don’t know if you mean Top 40 by “pop music,” but pretty much the entire Mezzanine album by Massive Attack is a gloomy, dark album that just sucks the light right out of the room. A good bit of Portishead would qualify, as well. Joy Division. Depeche Mode. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/16 "2018-04-12T20:41:49Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Okay, how about [“A Whiter Shade of Pale”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA) by Procol Harum? Well, it does have the organ solo, which gives bonus points for “Whose funeral is this?” 🙂 The whole song to me doesn’t end up depressing and slow - the part beginning “…And so it was…” turns brighter and livelier, and the song ends in that mode - but definitely parts of it are slow moving and maybe depressing. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/17 "2018-04-12T20:48:05Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > _Live and Let Die_ pretty much runs the gamut from maudlin to head-banging to island rhythm. The opening half a minute or so could fit my description, I think. Without the lyrics, is it depressing, or just thoughtful? I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/18 "2018-04-12T20:48:24Z")
_Wicked Game_ by Chris Isaak and others. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/19 "2018-04-12T20:51:23Z")
For something perhaps a bit more known, maybe Nirvana’s [Something in the Way.](https://youtu.be/vKcINnH1Xf4) I also find NIN’s [Hurt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPz21cDK7dg) to be pretty depressing, even if the lyrics were complete nonsense (but the vocal melody and inflection is still important for conveying the emotion.) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2018, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312/20 "2018-04-12T20:54:37Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > _Hello_ by Adele Gets my vote. > [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Okay, how about [“A Whiter Shade of Pale”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb3iPP-tHdA) by Procol Harum? Ditto. > [@pulykamell](#): > > Depeche Mode. “Personal Jesus” was one of the first songs that came to mind when I saw this thread. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-with-slow-depressing-music/812312.md?page=2)