# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/81 "2000-09-18T20:36:19Z")
[topic diversion] **brandocet** - I never said the song wasn’t depressing or painful. It never was one of my favorites, but was a big part of the standard elementary music repertoire. Unfortunately, too many of the parents and kids were under the impression that the kid died, one misguided parent even announcing that ‘fact’ loudly to her child and everyone else in earshot. Seeing young children traumatized by an implied death in a song is not a fun situation. Trying to sing over their bawling and sniffles was worse. Thus, the necessity of a small lecture on growing up and changing values prior to performances. [Adjusting/adapting the song to the level of the audience is, at times, necessary. Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Titwillow” will garner uproarious laughter and snide remarks from junior high students, less so (hopefully) from more mature (hopefully) high school students. Some cannot even be adapted without missing the entire point of the song: several of the standard folksongs (far too many to list and I can’t find my memo) were banned by one of my principals because they involved death, anarchy or other ‘not nice topics’. {I will not start a censorship thread here, and my head hurts thinking about it}] The idea of little Jackie “being a jerk” was a commentary more influenced by Ny-Quil® and lack of sleep rather than rational thought. Such (‘jerkiness’) was never implied during class or concert. My apologies if I had not made myself clear. Puff’s alive, Jackie’s alive, and I’ll have the song running through my brain for the rest of the day. \ [/topic diversion] **PillEaster** - Red Sovine. Thank you; I could not remember the name! :Note to self: avoid Red Sovine recordings: ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/82 "2000-09-18T20:57:45Z")
Fire and Rain - James Taylor Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler Mama - Boyz 2 Men from the Soul Food soundtrack [getting out razor blades] ---
**Author:** ![DigitalMuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@DigitalMuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalMuse)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/83 "2000-09-19T01:48:45Z")
“Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton “Ana’s Song” by Silverchair “Everything I Touch” by Stabbing Westward “39” by The Cure (have the sudden urge to slit my wrists) ---
**Author:** ![DigitalMuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecccb3/32.png) [@DigitalMuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalMuse)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/84 "2000-09-19T02:06:55Z")
Oh Oh and I forgot “H” and “Sober” by Tool (still looking for something sharp) ---
**Author:** ![darkcool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@darkcool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darkcool)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/85 "2000-09-19T02:29:35Z")
First let me say there seems to be two camps here. The ‘sad word’ group and the ‘sad music’ folks. I tend to fall into 2nd category. Check out “Nostagie” off of the ‘Cirque du Soleil’ “O” CD. I don’t even know what language that is, much less what’s being said, but something sad has GOT to be going on in that song. Hauntingly beautiful. (Eterenally grateful for translation!) Also, “Over the waves” (I think, I no longer have the CD) by Willy Nelson off of ‘Red-headed Stranger’ . If I ever commit suicide, It will be to that song! No words. And, unless I missed it, no one has mentioned 'Mazzy Star"!!! Check out “Wasted” on ‘So that I Might See’. Finally, coincidentally, I heard “Ol’ Rivers” by Walter Brennen the other day. Anyone remember THAT one?! ---
**Author:** ![darkcool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@darkcool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darkcool)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/86 "2000-09-19T02:34:50Z")
One more thing, regarding PTMD I always though Puff was a toy. A toy with painted wings that ‘flew’ and Jackie out grew it. ---
**Author:** ![TripleAnt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@TripleAnt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TripleAnt)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/87 "2000-09-19T03:46:11Z")
I always felt that “Yesterday” by The Beatles was kind of sad. But I still like the song all the same. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/88 "2000-09-19T04:09:14Z")
Here are a few… **"Crucify"** by the woman who seems to have been appointed the Dysthymia Queen on this thread - **Tori Amos.** > [@](#): > > Every finger in the room is pointing at me > Want to spit in their faces but I’m afraid of what that could bring > Got a bowling ball in my stomach > Got a desert in my mouth > Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now > I’ve been looking for a saviour in these dirty streets > Looking for a saviour underneath these dirty sheets > I’ve been raising up my hands, drive another nail in > Just what God needs - one more victim > > And why do we crucify ourselves? > Every day I crucify myself > And nothing I do is good enough for you (crucify myself) > Every day I crucify myself > My heart is sick of being in chains **"Being Boring" by the Pet Shop Boys.** > [@](#): > > Now I sit with different faces > In rented rooms and far-off places > All the people I was kissing > Some are here and some are missing > In the nineteen-nineties > I never dreamt that I would get to be > The creature that I always meant to be > But I thought in spite of dreams > You’d be sitting somewhere here with me > > Cos we were never being boring > We had too much time to find for ourselves > And we were never being boring > We dressed up and fought, and thought make amends > And we were never holding back, worried that > Time would come to an end > We were always hoping that, looking back, > You could always rely on a friend > And we were never being boring - we were never being bored… That song saved my best friend of mine from suicide… listening to musical pain keeps the silent variety from festering. **Another Pet Shop one: "Dreaming of the Queen"** > [@](#): > > Dreaming of the Queen > Visiting for tea > You and her and I > and Lady Di > The Queen said, I’m aghast > Love never seems to last > However hard you try > And Di replied > That there are no more lovers left alive > No one has survived > And there are no more lovers left alive > And that’s why love has died I can’t tell whether it’s about a breakup or AIDS or both. (It was written before Diana died, so so much for that possibility.) **Pulp’s "Common People"** > [@](#): > > Rent a flat above a shop > Cut your hair and get a job > Smoke some fags and play some pool > Pretend you never went to school > Still you’ll never get it right > Cause when you’re laying in bed at night > Watching roaches climb the wall > If you called your dad he could stop it all, yeah > > You’ll never live like common people > You’ll never do whatever common people do > Never fail like the common people > Never watch your life slide out of view > And then dance and drink and screw > Because there’s nothing else to do **Mylène Farmer, “Désenchantée”** (the only depressing disco song I know) > [@](#): > > Si la mort est un mystère > La vie n’a rien de tendre > Si le ciel a un enfer > Le ciel peut bien m’attendre > Dis-moi, dans ces vents contraires comment s’y prendre? > Plus rien n’a de sens, plus rien ne va > > Tout est chaos à côté > Tous mes idéaux, des mots abîmés > Je cherche une âme qui pourra m’aider > Je suis d’une génération désenchantée \*\*Mylène Farmer, “Beyond my control” > [@](#): > > Je ne comprends plus pourquoi > J’ai du sang sur mes doigts > Dors en paix, je t’assure > Je veillerai ta sépulture, mon amour > C’était plus fort que moi > Même si je sentait l’éffroi > Envahir tout mon être > Je te rejoindrai peut-être > > Lâche (it’s beyond my control) > C’est plus fort que toi > Toujours en cavale (it’s beyond my control) > Tu dis j’ai besoin de tes bras > Oh lâche (it’s beyond my control) > C’est plus fort que toi > Tu nous fais mal (it’s beyond my control) > Ne t’eloigne pas de mes bras ---
**Author:** ![Lawmill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lawmill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lawmill)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/89 "2000-09-19T05:02:33Z")
> [@](#): > > that new one from Everlast, “Wonderful”, made me cry the first, second, and third times hearing it! Anyone from a divorced family will probably agree w/me I’m pretty sure you’re thinking of Everclear. Everlast’s hit was _What It’s Like_, which is a pretty depressing song in it’s own right. Everclear’s _Father of Mine, Amphetamine, I Will Buy You a New Life_, and _Heartspark Doolarsign_ are all pretty depressing too. Random Depression: Castles Made of Sand-Jimi Hendrix Dear Mama-Tupac Baby Don’t Cry-Tupac I Ain’t Mad At Cha-Tupac Sitting on the Dock of the Bay-Otis Redding ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/90 "2000-09-19T05:10:22Z")
“Might as Well Be on Mars”-Alice Cooper “Porceline”-Moby “Yesterday”-The Beatles ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/91 "2000-09-19T07:13:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Falcon \* > \*\*Kyla - > > I _love_ Christine Lavin! Which album is that song off of, do you know? Because I’d never heard it before. Her song about driving past the hotel where Lennon was killed was pretty depressing too. \*\* Falcon schmoopie, it’s off of “One Wild Night in Concert” which you can buy from the link I pasted. Or you can go down to your local record store and look it up. I think I’m gonna have to go get it - I have only heard it the once on the radio, but it really stuck with me. I’m sure I’ll like the rest of the album, she’s so cool! On a not-depressing note, have you heard/seen the [lyrics](http://www.christinelavin.com/00090114harrisonford.html) to her song about her run-in with Harrison Ford? Ohmigod, it’s hysterical. _Yes, I love Harrison Ford. He’s my own personal tender tough guy. And I know you women love him. And I know you guys admire him too and would probably like to do a woodworking project with him in the garage, because you know he used to be a carpenter before he was an actor, I’m talking about a real carpenter, not like Bob Villa, that fake carpenter on television. You know I heard a rumor that Bob Villa’s going out with Martha Stewart. I Hope they don’t have children! Do you know who would spend the whole day with Bob Villa and Martha Stewart? Nobody!_ Sorry for hijacking the thread. ---
**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/92 "2000-09-19T12:24:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by darkcool \* > \*\*One more thing, regarding PTMD I always though Puff was a toy. A toy with painted wings that ‘flew’ and Jackie out grew it. \*\* …‘bing’ :major epiphany: :speechless: :for once: You are brilliant. That makes a lot more sense. Thank you. My teachers always said the kid was dead. I thought Puff was an imaginary friend. An abandoned toy. I like it (the idea, not the toy). Why did you not speak up years ago when I was teaching? At least the kid is not dead. Still a depressing song. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/93 "2000-09-19T13:07:57Z")
I forgot a country song called Roses For Momma. Its about a boy who goes to a florist tio buy roses for his momma’s birthday. He doesn’t have quite enough money, so the guy (the singer) in there also gives him the extra money, then goes to follow the boy. Turns out the boy is going to the graveyard to put the flowers on his momma’s grave. ---
**Author:** ![echidnasarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e99b99/32.png) [@echidnasarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echidnasarf)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/94 "2000-09-19T15:40:44Z")
**The End** by The Doors **The Road to Hell** by Chris Rea. (When this thing first came out, I thought it was the greatest… sat and listened to it over and over… ended up crying to myself for anhour after I stopped playing it…) ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/95 "2000-09-20T15:37:30Z")
Well…i’ll just make a list… 1.NIN-hurt, the great below 2.rammstein-seeman…hehe, wilder wein 3.E.N.-sand(yes i know it’s a cover) 4.Depeche Mode- blasphemous rumors, shake the disease and Litlle 15 5.VnV Nation- Distant(rubicon 2), rubicon, and forsaken(vocal version) 6.Pink floyd- The Wall( the whole shabang) 7.Skinny Puppy- Addiction, Worlock, and…the killing game 8.doubting thomas- father don’t cry 9.Wolfshiem- Once in a Lifetime 10.Beborn Beton- another world 11.Enya- china roses 12.the Cure- untitled and the love song 13. joy divison- every damn song I think that’s about it, enough songs to keep you in a dark mood for quite some time… ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/96 "2000-09-20T15:38:49Z")
forgot to include ma nifty sig. ---
**Author:** ![egkelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/db5fbb/32.png) [@egkelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/egkelly)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/97 "2000-09-20T16:44:17Z")
…by John Cougar Melonhead. This song accurately describes small-town angst shared by two horny teenagers. Jack realizes that he will never be a “football star”, so he assuages his dread by knocking up Diane. “Two American kids, doin the best they can” sums up the realization that these two will never be anybody. Jack and Diane should have blown eachother’s heads off! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/98 "2000-09-20T17:09:57Z")
“Locked in the Trunk of a Car” by the Tragically Hip is a song sung from the persective of a serial killer. No kidding. It was a huge hit in Canada. The chorus goes: Well, I’ve found a place, it’s dark and it’s rotted It’s a cool, sweet kinda place where the copters won’t spot it And I’ve destroyed the map, I even thought I’d forgot it But every day, I’m dumping the body Better for us if you don’t understand Better for us if you don’t understand Describing a murder takes it for me. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/99 "2000-09-20T17:27:02Z")
Gee, how could I forget another Tragically Hip wrist-slasher, “38 Years Old”: Twelve men broke loose in '73 From Millhaven Maximum Security Twelve pictures lined up, across the front page Seems the Mounties had a summertime war to wage Well, the Chief told the people they had nothing to fear Said “The last thing they wanna do is hang around here” Well, most of them came from towns with long French names But one of the dozen was a hometown shame Same pattern on the table, same clock on the wall Been one seat empty eighteen years in all Freeze in slow time away from the world He’s thirty-eight years old and never kissed a girl Sitting 'round the table, heard the telephone ring Father said he’d tell him if he saw anything Heard a tap on the window in the middle of the night Held back the curtains for my older brother Mike See, my sister got raped, so a man got killed Local boy went to prison, man’s buried on the hill Folks went back to normal when they closed the case But they still stare at their shoes when they pass our place My mother cried, “The horror has finally ceased!” He whispered, “Yeah, for the time being at least” Over her shoulder, on the squad car megaphone Said, “Let’s go Michael, son, we’re taking you home” Same pattern on the table, same clock on the wall Been one seat empty, eighteen years in all Freezing slow time, away from the world He’s thirty-eight years old, never kissed a girl Folks, if “He’s 38 years old, never kissed a girl” isn’t the saddest line I’ve ever heard, I don’t know what is. Other Hip song topics that makes you want to cut off your own head include: Fiddler’s Green, about a mother whose son dies at sea Fifty Mission Cap, about a hockey player who disappeared after winning the Stanley Cup and then they found his rotting remains eleven years later Yawning or Snarling, a song written about a photograph of a dead man Courage, about suicide in general The Luxury, which is about a guy who gets out of prison and has nothing left to do except sit in cheap motel rooms with ugly whores Wheat Kings, about a guy who went to prison for a murder he didn’t commit Many songs about alcoholism Scared, which is about being scared Grace, Too, which is about a guy in love with a prostitute Nautical Disaster, which is about a nautical disaster Inevitability of Death, which is about the inevitability of death ---
**Author:** ![OrcaChow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@OrcaChow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrcaChow)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2000, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027/100 "2000-09-20T19:09:45Z")
“Amused Itself to Death,” by Roger Waters. Alien archaeologists discover the ancient remains of human civilization and conclude that we had so much fun we couldn’t take any more. This, after we hear the grieved reminiscings of an old Doughboy who carried a dying friend through a WWI night. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-are-the-most-depressing-song-s-youve-ever-heard/33027.md?page=6)