# Songs about or heavily influenced by depression and/or suicide **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790 "2003-11-12T12:00:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/41 "2003-11-14T05:20:08Z")
You HAVE to check out “Electroshock Blues” by Eels. Starts out: “lying on the bathroom floor, kitty licks my face once more and I, I could try but waking up is harder when you wanna die.” Dead of Winter: Standing in the dark outside the house Breathing in the cold and sterile air I was thinking how it must feel to see that little light and watch it as it disappears, and fades into the night So I know you’re going pretty soon Radiation sore throat got your tongue magic markers tattoo you and show it where to aim strangers break their promises “You won’t feel any, won’t feel any pain” Most of the songs are about death, and it’s just haunting and gorgeous, and ends with a very fragile, cautious optimism: P.S. You Rock My World: I was at a funeral the day I realized I wanted to spend my life with you Sitting on the steps at the old post office The flag was flying at half mast and I was thinking about how Everyone was dying And maybe it’s time to live ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/42 "2003-11-14T05:21:35Z")
Oh, and has no one mentioned **Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds** yet? ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/43 "2003-11-14T06:25:27Z")
Although Joy Division has been mentioned before, I think I should add that ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ was basically Ian Curtis’ suicide note to his (estranged) wife. He committed suicide a month before the single was released. Here’s the first verse. And the mood goes downhill after this… When routine bites hard and ambitions are low. And resentment rides high but emotions won’t grow. And we’re changing our ways taking different roads. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/44 "2003-11-14T23:00:15Z")
**Don’t Take Me Alive** by **Steely Dan**. The title pretty much says it all. ---
**Author:** ![InquisitiveIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3ec8ea/32.png) [@InquisitiveIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InquisitiveIdiot)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/45 "2003-11-14T23:28:15Z")
I’ve found Johnny Cash’s version of _Hurt_ to be far more depressing than NIN. NIN sounds like a misanthropic teenager who’s having masochistic tendencies for attention. Johnny Cash sounds like a bitter, broken man who’s been left behind by the world and everone he cares about. Far sadder, IMO. Especially the music video. ---
**Author:** ![threeorange](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@threeorange](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threeorange)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/46 "2003-11-15T12:33:58Z")
I thought of another: **The Letter** by **Macy Gray**. With lyrics like these: _So long everybody_ _Mama don’t be sad for me_ _Life was a heartache_ _And now I am finally free_ It’s probably one of the most optimistic songs about suicide ever written. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/47 "2003-11-15T22:54:53Z")
Rasputina, “A Quitter” “I don’t think I’ll miss my mom and dad, The class I cut, All the friends I never had.” Very upsetting song. ---
**Author:** ![jweb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jweb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jweb)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/48 "2003-11-15T23:53:36Z")
Nine Inch Nails “And All That Could Have Been” (lyric sample) Please… take this… and run far away… far as you can see. I am tainted and happiness, and peace of mind were never meant for me. All these pieces and promises, and left-behinds if only I could see Am I nothing? You meant everything, everything to me. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/49 "2003-11-16T01:46:41Z")
Blue Oyster Cult, “Don’t Fear the Reaper”? A rather obvious one, I would have thought. ---
**Author:** ![gerb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3bc359/32.png) [@gerb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gerb)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/50 "2003-11-16T05:52:44Z")
Candlebox Far Behind ---
**Author:** ![Forty-Six\_Two](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@Forty-Six\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forty-Six_Two)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/51 "2003-11-16T06:21:22Z")
I’ll second “Fade to Black” by Metallica, and most anything by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. I’ll add **Danzig - Tired Of Being Alive** \*No regrets To bring me no tears Never scared of things men fear Never easy Never clean And I’m tired of being alive Spite of the bleeding\* ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/52 "2003-11-16T07:24:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Suburban Plankton \* > \*\*Blue Oyster Cult, “Don’t Fear the Reaper”? > > A rather obvious one, I would have thought. \*\* Yes, so obvious **Spoke-** and **Darkhold** also mentioned it. 😃 ---
**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:** [November 16, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/53 "2003-11-16T07:45:32Z")
How about Billy Joel’s **Tomorrow Is Today**? > [@](#): > > People tell me life is sweeter > But I don’t hear what they say… > > …Too late, too much giving > I’ve seen a lot of life > And I’m damn sick of living it ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/54 "2003-11-16T10:28:19Z")
Visage - Fade To Grey Feel the rain like an English summer Hear the notes from a distant song Stepping out from a back drop poster Wishing life wouldn’t be so long A classic. ---
**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/55 "2003-11-16T21:49:52Z")
The Big Hurt by Miss Toni Fisher ---
**Author:** ![Trom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@Trom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trom)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/56 "2003-11-16T23:17:34Z")
[You Were Right](http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/b/builttospill696/youwereright32592.html) by Built to Spill. Pretty much anything by Bright Eyes, too. ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790/57 "2003-11-17T06:50:30Z")
For a more sadistically up-beat and gratingly disrespectful song on suicide, try Lift Your Head Up High (And Blow Your Brains Out) by the Bloodhound Gang: ‘Cause life is a game that no one wins, But you deserve a headstart the way you’re life’s goin’. So throw in the towel ‘cause your life ain’t sh\*t No, take the towel and hang yourself with it. Life’s short and hard, like a body-building elf, So save the planet and kill yourself. If you’re feelin’ down and out with what your life is all about, Lift your head up high, and blow your brains out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-or-heavily-influenced-by-depression-and-or-suicide/212790.md?page=2)