# What is/are the most depressing song(s) you've ever heard? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027 "2000-09-13T15:15:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diesel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Diesel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diesel)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/1 "2000-09-13T15:15:50Z")
Yeah, neutron star, your thread gave me the idea. I’d have to say Natural Blues by Moby and Hurt by nine inch nails. NB just has a very sad melody to it along with it’s African American Gospel sounding voice, and Hurt sounds like someone pleading their case to the world before suicide. ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/2 "2000-09-13T16:35:21Z")
Easy one: “Untitled,” by The Cure. > [@](#): > > Hopelessly drift in the eyes of the ghost again > Down on my knees and my hands in the air again > Pushing my face in the memory of you again > But I never know if it’s real, never know how I wanted to feel > > Never quite said what I wanted to say to you > Never quite managed the words to explain to you > Never quite knew how to make them believable > And now that time has gone, another time undone > > Hopelessly fighting the devil futility > Feeling the monster climb deeper inside of me > Feeling him gnawing my heart away hungrily > I’ll never lose this pain, never dream of you again… ---
**Author:** ![Ivar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ivar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ivar)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/3 "2000-09-13T16:53:59Z")
easily the saddest most depressing song I know is “Dinner with Ivan” by Big Head Todd and the Monsters. It’s on their second album, on their own indie label. ---
**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/4 "2000-09-13T16:54:36Z")
Oh that’s easy: Puff the Magic Dragon, The kid dies, leaving the Dragon all by himself. A real bummer if you ask me. ---
**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:** [September 13, 2000, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/5 "2000-09-13T17:56:17Z")
Tori Amos - Me and a Gun It’s about the time she got raped. No instruments in the song, just her singing. Haunting… ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/6 "2000-09-13T20:03:08Z")
I agree that puff the magic dragon is one of the saddest songs… but i always thought the boy just grew up… leaving the dragon alone in fantasy-world. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/7 "2000-09-13T20:10:02Z")
“The Gunner’s Final Words” by Pink Floyd, off of _The Final Cut_. The dreams and death of an RAF member during World War II. Haunting stuff. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/8 "2000-09-13T20:22:23Z")
“Epitaph”, by King Crimson. Really depressing. It sounds like a funeral march to a slow rock beat. “Tears in Heaven”, by Eric Clapton. It teeters on the edge of schmaltz, but it always makes me tear up when I think about why he wrote it. Anything by Morrisey or his old band, The Smiths ---
**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/9 "2000-09-13T20:42:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by muppetsoup \* > \*\*I agree that puff the magic dragon is one of the saddest songs… but i always thought the boy just grew up… leaving the dragon alone in fantasy-world. \*\* No way man, “Dragons live forever, not so with little boys,” I think it’s pretty implicit the kid kicks off. ---
**Author:** ![Renton\_lvr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@Renton\_lvr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renton_lvr)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/10 "2000-09-13T20:58:51Z")
Asleep by The Smiths ---
**Author:** ![muppetsoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aca169/32.png) [@muppetsoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muppetsoup)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/11 "2000-09-13T21:02:43Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by brandocet \* \*\* > [@](#): > > No way man, “Dragons live forever, not so with little boys,” I think it’s pretty implicit the kid kicks off. \*\* as in he’s no longer a little boy… i admit you might be right and i’m reading too much into it. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/12 "2000-09-13T21:08:12Z")
**Neutron** Yes that is pretty horrifying, first time I heard it I only got part way through before I had to turn it off. Richard Thompson is an expert at this genre, they don’t call him the doomwatcher for nothing. eg Did she fall or was she pushed Withered and died Can’t win ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2000, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/13 "2000-09-13T22:48:11Z")
As I listen to too much folk music, I have hundreds. But here’s a short list. Joan Baez, “San Francisco Mabel Joy” (and indeed, at least half the songs she’s ever sung). Bob Dylan, “The Ballad of Hollis Brown” and “One Too Many Mornings” Daniel Lanois, “Jolie Louise” (Half the lyrics are in French so I don’t even understand it all. I expect it would be an even sadder song if I did.) Jim Malcolm, “Sweet Angela Brown” Phil Ochs, “There But For Fortune” Gram Parsons, “Brass Buttons” Right, I think I’m going to curl up on the floor and cry now. See you later… ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/14 "2000-09-14T02:34:05Z")
Puff was definitely the kicker as a child. But another really depressing one is “Where I went wrong” by the Poppy Family: That’s Where I Went Wrong Poppy Family This old road I don’t know where it leads And I don’t care Cause it’s not hard for me to see That when it ends There’ll be nothing left for me Cause the only thing I care about I’ve got to live without This bus is awful cold We’ve gone so many miles God, please help me go to sleep and forget him for a while I know it’s not his fault I’ve known it all along I was the one that trusted him That’s where I went wrong Ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah, ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah… but maybe that’s just me. [Edited by slythe on 09-17-2000 at 11:16 AM] ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/15 "2000-09-14T02:52:18Z")
Two choices off the top of my head, both by Cowboy Junkies: _The Last Spike_: A woman learns that the small town she lives in is losing its rail line. This means that (a) the town itself is going to close down and (b) her dreams of her husband returning on the train are gone. “Mornings seem so damn sad these days without the call of the 8:15. Looks like this town is finally going to die away, leaving nothing but broken promises where there once was small town dreams. And I’ve watched the flatcars take away our timber. I’ve watched the coalcars steal our rock. And now that we’ve got nothing left to take we’re told that the TV station will be closing, Main Street windows will be boarded – and that this foolish dream must stop.” _Witches_ woman hears the call of the witches to come join them. Doesn’t want to go. Turns to her lover for support and finds him asleep. “But under spell of deep sleep, you moans and turn away; taking your protection and my desire to stay. So I rise to the hills. I ride the night winds. I make love to the darkness and I laugh at man’s sins.” ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/16 "2000-09-14T02:58:52Z")
nothing beats irish folksongs for depression. any of them, top on my list is: she moved through the fair. for american folksongs: the green, green, grass of home. ---
**Author:** ![bugman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@bugman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bugman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/17 "2000-09-14T03:14:19Z")
Something I can never have - Nine Inch Nails ---
**Author:** ![alansmithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@alansmithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alansmithee)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/18 "2000-09-14T03:35:54Z")
“Desperado” The line “and freedom, oh, freedom, well that’s just some people talkin’, you’re prison is walkin’ through this world all alone” is among of the saddest lines I’ve heard in a song. Thankfully, though, the song has a positive and truthful message, i.e., that the “queen of hearts is always your best bet”. ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/19 "2000-09-14T04:40:19Z")
“Down from Dover” by Dolly Parton ---
**Author:** ![MysterEcks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MysterEcks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysterEcks)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2000, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/20 "2000-09-14T06:08:59Z")
**alansmithee** : _Desperado-Reprise_is even more depressing, I think. Other depressing songs: _The Highwayman_by Stevie Nicks. _I Never Cry_by Alice Cooper. _The River_by Bruce Springsteen. And my personal nominee for most depressing song, _Sleep’s Dark And Silent Gate_by Jackson Browne, which includes the lines: _Sometimes I lie awake at night and wonder where the years have gone. They’ve all passed under sleep’s dark and silent gate._ Browne wrote it about his first wife, who committed suicide. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027.md?page=2)