# Songs About Mental Illness? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 22, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252 "2019-12-22T20:09:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/81 "2019-12-29T16:42:40Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > One early member of Pink Floyd (Syd Barret) was primarily responsible for two of their early hit singles - “See Emily Play” and “Arnold Layne”. Great songs but extremely bizarre. As I understand it, most people in North America have no knowledge of those singles… I have been aware of them for as long as I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/82 "2019-12-29T17:50:36Z")
Listening to Katrina and the Waves “Walking on Sunshine.” Seems the singer is waiting every day for a person to send a letter that he’s coming to stay. Sounds delusional to me. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/83 "2019-12-29T18:03:13Z")
_Crazy Dan_ - Scratch Acid _Until Lately_ - Dream Syndicate \*How Sweet To Be An Idiot \*- Niel Innes (in title only) _Mama We’re All Crazy Now_ - Slade _Praire Wind_ - Niel Young _Uncle Salty_ - Aerosmith ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2019, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/84 "2019-12-29T18:09:44Z")
Tom Paxton’s [Crazy John](http://www.mydfz.com/Paxton/lyrics/cj.htm) about John Lennon. Crazy and prophetic: Crazy John, why you wanna go back again? Crazy John, talking with the desperate men? You have to be crazy, John, for taking those chances, When you could be lazy, John, just playing for dances. When you wade in the water, the people can’t see the old reflections. When you stand in the road, the people can’t read the old directions. When the people get lost, they start building a cross. Crazy John, I want to be crazy too. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/85 "2020-01-10T14:30:57Z")
No mention of Billy Joel’s You May Be Right? No “maybe” about it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/86 "2020-01-10T14:42:36Z")
Go Crazy-The Teardrop Explodes Christine-Siouxsie & the Banshees [based on a real case history of a woman afflicted by Dissociate Identity Disorder] Madman Across the Water-Elton John ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/87 "2020-01-10T15:47:20Z")
[Like The Weather](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te7bbWBXusk) by 10,000 Maniacs is about dealing with depression, despite the upbeat music ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/88 "2020-01-10T15:59:29Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > One early member of Pink Floyd (Syd Barret) was primarily responsible for two of their early hit singles - “See Emily Play” and “Arnold Layne”. Great songs but extremely bizarre. … > > Syd Barret was also the driving force on “Interstellar Overdrive” which was a very strange song … None of those will hold a strangeness candle to his disturbing [“Jugband Blues”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhjGTUS_Gj0) ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2020, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/89 "2020-01-10T17:18:01Z")
The Offspring’s “Gotta Get Away” would qualify: “I’m paranoid of people and it’s starting to show” … “There’s demons in my head and it’s more than I can take” … “I think I’m being followed, I look around / It’s only my shadow creepin’ on the ground.” ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2020, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/90 "2020-01-12T00:46:43Z")
Colin Hay’s “Overkill” is about anxiety. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/91 "2020-01-12T01:29:39Z")
Judges? A ruling, please?: Down With The Sickness - Disturbed (Not the Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine cover; that one’s fun!) ---
**Author:** ![Caldris\_bal\_Comar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Caldris\_bal\_Comar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldris_bal_Comar)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/92 "2020-01-13T01:19:19Z")
[Anxiety, by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFCrKGL88Uw) ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/93 "2020-01-13T01:25:10Z")
Eminem & Rihanna’s _The Monster_ specifically references his ACD. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/94 "2020-01-13T02:15:20Z")
Alice in Chains “Down in the Hole” ---
**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:** [January 13, 2020, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/95 "2020-01-13T03:37:04Z")
Most of the Counting Crows library is, in no small part, about lead singer Adam Duritz and his battle with a dissociative mental health disorder. He discusses it here: > **[Counting Crows' Adam Duritz Discusses Mental Health and Metaphors](https://www.miaminewtimes.com/music/counting-crows-adam-duritz-discusses-mental-health-and-metaphors-7781223)** > > Music and mental health have a complicated, reciprocal relationship. Songs can simultaneously settle and exaggerate moods, augment intellect, numb pain, recall thoughts good and bad. Many of music's most magnificent figures have grappled with various... ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/96 "2020-01-13T14:42:46Z")
Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days is the tale of a guy living in the past and drinking too much to deal with the problem head on. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/97 "2020-01-13T18:51:49Z")
Boomtown Rats ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oU3SUAS0Yw8/hqdefault.jpg "Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU3SUAS0Yw8) ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/98 "2020-01-13T19:09:09Z")
I submit, for your consideration, “LITHIUM”, by Evanescence: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nklvuocGCAQ/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLB7dL9tT9be5sZXkuAm3x_RBvpEfA "Lithium - Evanescence") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nklvuocGCAQ) ---
**Author:** ![atimnie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atimnie/32/11_2.png) [@atimnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atimnie)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2020, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/99 "2020-01-16T22:42:18Z")
_Like The Weather by 10,000 Maniacs is about dealing with depression, despite the upbeat music_ With a shiver in my bones just thinking about the weather A quiver in my voice as if I might cry What a cold and a rainy day Where on earth is the sun hid away. Laura Nyro seems to have suffered from depression, as best expressed in these lyrics… Going down to Stoney End, I never wanted to go down to Stoney End Mama, let me start all over, cradle, oh mama, cradle me again ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252/100 "2020-01-17T14:45:47Z")
Another Billy Joel on: Big Shot. Both the singer and the subject have their problems. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-mental-illness/845252.md?page=6)