Theme from Shaft.
+2. Amazing song.
Adding Tony by Patty Griffin, which is more of a song about suicide, but it is actually discouraging of suicide and, moreover, I think it discourages sitting back complacently and not reaching out when you see someone in trouble. Heartbreaking song.
It’s been 28 hours since I created this thread. In that time I’ve listened to the radio for about an hour or less, while in my wife’s car. Earlier today I hear REM’s “Everybody Hurts”. BTW when I hear that song I just notice the “Everybody Hurts” lyrics - I don’t pick up on the other lyrics that are supposed to be comforting.
Anyway when I was riding in the car home, “You Get What You Give” started playing! I told my wife that that song was special to me because I heard it while attempting suicide and that song plus “Gamble Everything For Love” made me change my mind.
When listening to the song on the radio I realized that the song had more lyrics than were in the youtube link:
There is a longer version of the song: (40 seconds longer)
The lyrics there aren’t complete. The complete lyrics are here:
When I just heard it on the radio I realized that the following lyrics
were repeated THREE times… (in the shorter Youtube video it was repeated twice)
It’s weird - usually shorter “radio edit” versions play on the radio.
Also I noticed:
I’m not sure what the last lyric was meant to mean. We arrived home before the song ended.
I think “move along” by the all American rejects qualifies: lyrics here
Lucinda Williams’s Sweet Old World, about the simple good things one could have had. I take to also cover the pain of those left behind.
I’m unsure how much it counts, since to some degree the lyrics seem to use “suicide” in a metaphorical sense, but I’d include “Here’s to Life” from the same album:
“Don’t Kick the Chair” by Dia Frampton
Evanescence, “Tourniquet”: girl cuts her wrists, then decides that was a really bad idea.
Three days grace - never too late
Marilyn Manson - the fight song. I don’t know if that was the intent, but that is what I got out of it. Fight back, don’t give in to suicide.
Fireflight - so help me god
Morrissey- Angel, Angel Down We Go Together
Anew Day from Mary Margaret O’Hara’s sole full album, 1988’s Miss America (an album that can truly be described as “a heartbreaking work of staggering genius”):
Suede, “Sleeping Pills”:
I always hear this as a admonition to a lover not to OD.
I doubt it was intended to have anything to do with discouraging suicide rather than just getting over a breakup, but this topic made this Monkees tune go running through my head
I’m gonna pack up all the pain
I’ve been keepin’ in my heart
I’m gonna catch me the fastest train
I’m gonna make me a brand new start
But that’s okay
Tomorrow’s gonna be another day
Hey, hey, hey, hey
And I don’t care what you say
Tomorrow’s gonna be, tomorrow’s gonna be
Tomorrow’s gonna be another day
Phil Collins - Billy Don’t Lose My Number
Billy Joel - Second Wind