# Sad, depressing songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415 "2003-04-17T21:54:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/21 "2003-04-18T00:56:45Z")
The Swans- Failure Angels of Light- A Song for my Father Death in June- Fall Apart The Smiths- Asleep NIN- Hurt VnV Nation- Further Depeche Mode- Blasphemous Rumors Interpol- Hands Away Tool-H Weezer- Island in the Sun ---
**Author:** ![jjohnny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@jjohnny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjohnny)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/22 "2003-04-18T01:11:55Z")
It makes no difference-The Band Oh,lonesome me-Neil Young Black-Pearl Jam It’ over-Roy Orbison ---
**Author:** ![fizzestothetop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@fizzestothetop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizzestothetop)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/23 "2003-04-18T01:46:06Z")
Lover You Should’ve Come Over - Jeff Buckley ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/24 "2003-04-18T02:06:48Z")
_Long, Long Time_ - Linda Ronstadt _Down to You_ and _Song for Sharon_ - Joni Mitchell \*Lose Again \* - Karla Bonoff _Shotgun Down the Avalanche_ - Shawn Colvin _Let Him Fly_ - Patty Griffin ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tanaqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Tanaqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tanaqui)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/25 "2003-04-18T02:08:42Z")
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division _Why is the bedroom so cold? You’ve turned away on your side Is my timing that flawed - our respect run so dry? Yet there’s still this appeal that we’ve kept through our lives Love, love will tear us apart again –_ Boys Don’t Cry - The Cure _I would tell you I loved you if I thought you would stay but I know that it’s no use 'cause you’ve already gone away misjudged your limits, pushed you too far took you for granted, thought you needed me more more…_ Schism - Tool _The light that fueled our fire then has burned a hole between us so We cannot see to reach an end, crippling our communication._ You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette Okay, there’s a lot of hate for her lyrics, but I like them. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/26 "2003-04-18T02:11:32Z")
Brother (unplugged) - Alice in Chains Gone - Jerry Cantrell Epiphany - Staind Here Comes the Flood - Peter Gabriel I also second the Pearl Jam suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![deb2world](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@deb2world](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deb2world)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/27 "2003-04-18T02:22:23Z")
I just went to my uncles funeral this weekend. And I have to say THE saddest song is… _TAPS_ ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/28 "2003-04-18T03:22:54Z")
I’ve said this before: Al Green’s cover of “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?” Also, “To Love is to Bury” by the Cowboy Junkies and “Tunnel of Love” by Bruce Springsteen. ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/29 "2003-04-18T03:37:34Z")
The most depressing song ever is “Goodbye Cruel World” by Pink Floyd. Well, that and every other song on **The Wall**. I’m convinced **The Wall** is the most depressing piece of music ever recorded. And it is a double CD, so it has twice the depression. Make sure you don’t have access to firearms. Or a bridge. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/30 "2003-04-18T03:41:43Z")
_Wildfire_ made me cry when I was a kid (the one about the horse getting lost?). And I don’t think _Everybody Hurts_ is a sad song at all. You all should listen to the lyrics a little more closely. It _sounds_ a bit depressing, perhaps, but it’s supposed to be uplifting. You know, “you’re not alone 'cause everybody cries” etc. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/31 "2003-04-18T04:02:42Z")
I agree about _Everybody Hurts_ not being particularly depressing (although Michael Stipe once said that, given his voice, he could make _You Are My Sunshine_ sound depressing). If you want a good tearjerker R.E.M. song, go for _Find the River_ or _Try Not To Breathe_, or, for general nostalgia, _Nightswimming_. ---
**Author:** ![Super\_Gnat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Super\_Gnat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Super_Gnat)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/32 "2003-04-18T04:15:18Z")
_Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay_, Otis Redding. That song Sarah McLachan did for Toy Story 2: _When She Loved Me_ or something like that. Always makes me tear up. Can’t think of any more right now. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/33 "2003-04-18T04:27:47Z")
**Offspring:** Gone Away - Ixnay on the Hombre The Kids Aren’t Alright - Americana **Garbage:** Milk - 1st CD You Look So Fine - Version 2.0 Cup Of Coffee - Beautiful Drive You Home - Beautiful Nobody Loves You - Beautiful So Like A Rose - Beautiful **ENYA:** (Very moving, emotional, and powerful songs) (\* = I told my wife that these songs are to be played at my funeral - whenever that is…) China Roses - Memory of Trees \*Hope Has A Place - Memory of Trees (Definite funeral song) \*La Sonadora - Memory of Trees (In spanish, but music is and voice is very haunting) On My Way Home - Memory of Trees \*How Can I Keep From Singing - Shepard Moons (An old Shaker Hymn beautifully sung) Evacuee - Shepard Moons (For a mother who lost a daughter, or vice-versa) \*[Smaointe](http://www.pathname.com/enya/shepherd_moons.html#smaointe) - Shepard Moons (I had this played at my grandfathers funeral - Its sung in Gaelic, but it is a remembrance song for grandparents - grandpa was 100% Irish and he would have loved the tune!) Only Time - A Day Without Rain (Most people remember this song was played when pictures were shown of the 9/11 Tragedy) Pilgrim - A Day Without Rain \*On Your Shore - Watermark \*Exile - Watermark \*Evening Falls - Watermark I May Not Awaken - (single) ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/34 "2003-04-18T04:30:20Z")
“Denny” Pansy Division ---
**Author:** ![Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/35 "2003-04-18T04:41:51Z")
Elliott Smith is a good break-up artist. Beck’s entire Sea Change album. John Mayer - Comfortable Modest Mouse - Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds Counting Crows - Raining in Baltimore Coldplay - Amsterdam Elvis Costello - I Want You ---
**Author:** ![Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ersatz_Shmoe)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/36 "2003-04-18T04:54:48Z")
**The Cure** - “A Letter to Elise” **R.E.M.** - “Nightswimming” **Counting Crows** - pretty much every song on their first album, but especially “Raining in Baltimore” ---
**Author:** ![Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@Ersatz\_Shmoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ersatz_Shmoe)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/37 "2003-04-18T05:03:57Z")
Great minds think alike, I guess. ---
**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 18, 2003, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/38 "2003-04-18T09:51:22Z")
Exit Music (For a Film) - Radiohead Teardrop - Massive Attack Fade to Black - Metallica Porcelina of the Vast Oceans - Smashing Pumpkins You can probably add some Portishead or Bjork into the mix as well. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/39 "2003-04-18T11:06:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yeticus Rex \* > \*\ ***Garbage:** > > Cup Of Coffee - Beautiful > \*\* Finally! I have been plugging that masterpiece for over a year now, and it’s the first time I see someone else bring it up! ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415/40 "2003-04-18T12:49:25Z")
It doesn’t matter to me that the lyrics of _Everybody Hurts_ are actually quite uplifting. It’s the tone of the music and the sound of Stipe’s voice that do it for me. a few more: _I’m So Tired of Being Alone_ - Al Green _Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair_ - Nina Simone _Crying_ - Roy Orbison [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sad-depressing-songs/169415.md?page=3)