# What are some of the most depressing songs you've ever heard? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032 "2007-04-21T03:09:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Havik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Havik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Havik)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/1 "2007-04-21T03:09:07Z")
C’mon. Everyone’s heard some songs in their life that has hit them in a “HOLY CRAP I’m Sad” Kinda way. For me, I’d have to say that I’ve heard a lot of sad songs, but a couple stand out. 1. “Suicide Note” By Johnette Napolitano 2. “The Face That Launched 1000 Shits” by Death Cab For Cutie 3. “Gloomy Sunday” By Portishead So c’mon, show your fellow dopers that you _do_ have feelings! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/2 "2007-04-21T03:15:57Z")
“Gloomy Sunday” (originally a Hungarian poem, I think) as covered by Diamanda Galas is 1000 times more depressing than by Portishead. Ditto for her cover of “My World Is Empty Without You”. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/3 "2007-04-21T03:20:15Z")
Moved from IMHO to CS. Where the hell does my finger keep catching on this laptop keyboard? Moved from IMHO to CS. Moved from IMHO to CS. Moved from IMHO to CS. Moved from IM Ah, on the J. Thank you for your patience. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/4 "2007-04-21T03:23:24Z")
Gilbert O’Sullivan’s [Alone Again, Naturally](http://users.cis.net/sammy/alonea.htm) is mighty depressing, despite its rather sprightly tune. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@Clockwork\_And\_Candy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_And_Candy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/5 "2007-04-21T03:25:00Z")
_Hide and Seek_ by Imogen Heap and _All Is Full of Love_ by Björk both leave me feeling very empty. Ditto for _Poor Leno_ and _What Else Is There?_ by Röyksopp. And I think Heather Nova’s version of _Gloomy Sunday_ is the saddest sounding one I’ve heard. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/6 "2007-04-21T03:27:29Z")
_The River_ by Bruce Springsteen. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/7 "2007-04-21T03:33:44Z")
Ah, I see I’m the first this time around to mention “Willie McBride (No Man’s Land)”, most famously done by the Pogues. Also, a number called “Kilkelly, Ireland”, a collection of letters from the family back in Ireland to an emmigrant to the New World, repeatedly asking him when he’s going to come home. ---
**Author:** ![Subterraneanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Subterraneanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Subterraneanus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/8 "2007-04-21T03:34:01Z")
“End of the Rainbow” — Richard and Linda Thompson ---
**Author:** ![Havik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Havik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Havik)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/9 "2007-04-21T03:35:23Z")
[QUOTE=Clockwork And Candy] _Hide and Seek_ by Imogen Heap and _All Is Full of Love_ by Björk both leave me feeling very empty. Ditto for _Poor Leno_ and _What Else Is There?_ by Röyksopp. And I think Heather Nova’s version of _Gloomy Sunday_ is the saddest sounding one I’ve heard. [/QUOTE] Hide and Seek _is_ sad. I like the cryptic kinda language used in it. It makes you think. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/10 "2007-04-21T03:38:26Z")
This comes up pretty often, search for sad songs. “Something I Can Never Have” - NIN “Lying Eyes” - The Eagles “I Know You’re Married” - Patty Loveless, tons of other country/bluegrass performers “Every Rose Has its Thorn” - Poison “Hurt” - NIN, Johnny Cash “My Immortal” - Evanescence “Whiskey Lullaby” - Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/11 "2007-04-21T03:39:50Z")
Much of the work by Harry Chapin, including the famous “Cat’s in the Cradle” - but by no means limited to that one. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/12 "2007-04-21T03:44:20Z")
Picture by Sheryl Crow an Kid Rock. I love the song but it is a real downer. (kid rock) livin my life in a slow hell Different girl every night at the hotel I aint seen the sun shine in 3 damn days Been fuelin up on cocaine and whisky Wish I had a good girl to miss me Lord I wonder if Ill ever change my ways I put your picture away Sat down and cried the day I cant look at you, Im lyin next to her I put your picture away, sat down and cried today I cant look at you Im lyin next to her ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/13 "2007-04-21T03:49:49Z")
[QUOTE=Civil Guy] Much of the work by Harry Chapin, including the famous “Cat’s in the Cradle” - but by no means limited to that one. [/QUOTE] I’d have to say “Mr Tanner”, “They Call Her Easy”, and the saddest “A Better Place to Be”. “Mr. Tanner” made me bawl the first time I heard it. “The Rock” just makes my skin crawl. But it’s a different sad. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/14 "2007-04-21T03:53:04Z")
> [@](#): > > All Is Full of Love by Björk both leave me feeling very empty Why does this song make you feel empty? This precise song has brought me much comfort when I needed it badly. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/15 "2007-04-21T03:57:55Z")
Waltzing Matilda - Lou Reed Every song on Lou Reed’s Berlin album, “The Kids” features actual children weeping, kind of hard to dance to. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/16 "2007-04-21T04:01:25Z")
[QUOTE=Clockwork And Candy] And I think Heather Nova’s version of _Gloomy Sunday_ is the saddest sounding one I’ve heard. [/QUOTE] Right on. I love that version. _Gloomy Sunday_, a.k.a. _The Hungarian Suicide Song_ has been covered by dozens of artists since it was first recorded in 1933. The original composer did, indeed, live up to the name of his most famous creation by jumping from his apartment window to a premature death. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/17 "2007-04-21T04:03:50Z")
[QUOTE=control-z] \ “Hurt” - NIN, Johnny Cash \ [/QUOTE] Yes, I was going to mention this, especially the Cash cover, being so timely… ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/18 "2007-04-21T04:13:40Z")
A friend used to say of Cowboy Junkies’ music “music to slit your wrist to”. ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/19 "2007-04-21T04:16:10Z")
“When She Loved Me” from Toy Story 2. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2007, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032/20 "2007-04-21T04:18:14Z")
[QUOTE=DfrntBreign] A friend used to say of Cowboy Junkies’ music “music to slit your wrist to”. [/QUOTE] I was coming in here to say that the Cowboy Junkies’ cover of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” is the saddest song in the world. James Taylor’s “Long Ago and Far Away” isn’t far behind. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-of-the-most-depressing-songs-youve-ever-heard/401032.md?page=2)