NationStates Jolt Archive

Anyone have any good, depressing songs that they care to share? My personal favorite has to be Fields of Gold sung by Eva Cassidy. I like the song when Sting sings it and it certainly is much more upbeat with him. But Eva really turns the song on its head and changes it altogether.

Anyone have any good ones to share?

... well, IMHO.... Tennesee Waltz by Connie Francis, Foolish Games by Jewel... Too Bad by Nickelback...

Fly Away, by The Offspring. Also, Black Winter Night, by Dragonforce.

Fairytale Of New York always brings tears to my eyes, but that's really more nostalgia for a good old fashioned family Christmas than depresion. Still my favorite Christmas song after all these years. I don't listen to music to be depressed, so I really don't know any depressing songs.

OOh, another... Life in a Northern Town by Dream Academy...

Operator by Jim Croce, Rain by Yokko Kanno, and... maybe Italian Resteraunt by billy joel.. just the words and not the beat though

How soon is now. Forgot who originally did it. It's the theme from Charmed.
Love Hurts. Nazareth.
And number 1 depressing song of all times: Who wants to live forever. By Freddy Mercury.

Anyone have any good, depressing songs that they care to share? My personal favorite has to be Fields of Gold sung by Eva Cassidy. I like the song when Sting sings it and it certainly is much more upbeat with him. But Eva really turns the song on its head and changes it altogether.

Anyone have any good ones to share?
I hope you are not feeling down? :(

If you are, I can suggest some upbeat songs. :)

"Nobody Loves You" By Garbage. Godawfully gut wrenching, but very touching.

Mr. Lonely by Bobby Vinton.

How soon is now. Forgot who originally did it. It's the theme from Charmed.
Love Hurts. Nazareth.
And number 1 depressing song of all times: Who wants to live forever. By Freddy Mercury.


i had always thought "too much love will kill you" was a more deppresing queen song >_>

i had always thought "too much love will kill you" was a more deppresing queen song >_>
Yeah. Thats a good one too. But it's not by Queen as a whole. It was a solo by Bryan May.

Sylvias Mother by Dr. Hook.
Whats Your Mamas name child, by Tanya tucker.
Empty Garden bry Elton John.

A few others.

Oooh. More good ones.
Take me in your arms - Dean Martin
Dust in the wind - Kansas

'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' - Green Day.

Close to you. can't remember by whom. Goes like this. Why do birds suddenly appear. Everytime you are near.

"Hallowed Be Thy Name" --Iron Maiden
"Amazed" ---The Offspring
Basically every song by My Dying Bride
Quite a few Tiamat songs

(More to come)

I hope you are not feeling down? :(

If you are, I can suggest some upbeat songs. :)

Actually no, I'm feeling pretty good. Its the weekend and my girlfriend is coming over later today to watch football and hopefully see WVU lose.

But I appreciate the gesture.

The Lighthouse's Tale, and House Carpenter, by Nickel Creek- the first was written to settle a bet that the writer couldn't write depressing songs (wow did that guy lose) and the other is a traditional Irish song. The Irish have some very depressing music.

Also, Butterfly by Weezer is somewhat depressing, as is Another Morning Stoner by And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead (beautiful song, amazing band).

But let me say.. The Lighthouse's Tale is probably the most depressing song I've ever heard.

Oh, and there's that other Irish song- There Were Roses. That one makes me cry. Truly.

Forever young - Alphaville

How soon is now. Forgot who originally did it. It's the theme from Charmed.
Love Hurts. Nazareth.
And number 1 depressing song of all times: Who wants to live forever. By Freddy Mercury.

"How Soon Is Now" was originally recorded by The Smiths... and, by the way, their version is hugely superior to the cheesey pseudo-rock version on Charmed.

The Russian teen-girl band t.A.T.u actually recorded a pretty creditable version of "How Soon Is Now", also.

James Taylor's Fire and Rain
REM's Nightswimming
Ben Folds Five's Brick
And if you actually listen to them, damn near everything from Third Eye Blind, especially the eponymous album.

"How Soon Is Now" was originally recorded by The Smiths... and, by the way, their version is hugely superior to the cheesey pseudo-rock version on Charmed.
That may as it be. I just mentioned it cause I figured most people would have heard it at least once that way.

House of the rising sun - The Animals
Sing for absolution - Muse

I can't listen to the Lighthouse song without laughing. I mean, come on....its a lighthouse telling the story! People are jumping off the lighthouse....this isn't funny?

Now that you;'ve got me thinking in terms of depressing songs, I guess I can posit a few which might be depressing.

Dylan has done many songs which are pretty good at being downers, try The Ballad of Hollis Brown or It's A Hard Rain A Gonna Fall. More melancholy than depressing I suggest some Tom Waits:Marthaand San Diego Serenade. Which for some reason puts me mind of Leonard Cohen's Don't Go Home With Your Hard On although the version from "I'm Your Fan" by David McComb is one I prefer for depressing.

The Ballad of Hollis Brown
The Ballad of Chasey Lane - The bloodhound gang

For Granted by Toad the Wet Sprocket....come to think of it, do they even have an upbeat song???

Left me for Dead - Rob Dougan.

That's definitely a depressing song if I've ever heard one...

These may be a little cliche... but they truly are classic 'sad songs':

The Cure: Apart
The Cure: Disintegration
The Cure: Treasure

The Sisters of Mercy: 1959
The Sisters of Mercy: Emma

and why not....:

Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colours
Dolly Parton: Jolene

Nine Inch Nails: Hurt
Nine Inch Nails: Something I Can Never Have

Nick Cave: Loom Of The Land

Actually no, I'm feeling pretty good. Its the weekend and my girlfriend is coming over later today to watch football and hopefully see WVU lose.

But I appreciate the gesture.
Well in that case.....

Streets of Philadelphia by the Boss

Early Morning Rain by Gord Lightfoot

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams

My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion

Gordon Lightfoot....never thought about that but definitely a good pick.

Hello - Lionel Richie

Bonnie Raitt - I Can't Make You Love Me
Blues Traveler - Sweet Pain
James Taylor - Lonesome Road
Sarah McLaughlin - Angel

...Just to name a few

Gordon Lightfoot....never thought about that but definitely a good pick.
Well if you like Gordy, he has lots of depressing songs:

Steel Rail Blues

Ribbon of Darkness

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

Sixteen Miles

The Ballad of Chasey Lane - The bloodhound gang
That's not a depressing song. maybe personally depressing, but I used to find Add It Up by the Viiolent Femmes depressing, when it seemed to be my life story years ago, and that's one of the most upbeat songs out there. That old punk has some nice upbeat potentially personally depressing songs - I recall being told by someone that they thought of me everytime they heard PIL;s Disappointed or Fishing )I can't recall which one).

Ah there's annother one, Morphine's Never.

Memory from the musical Cats
Love is still the only dream I know by John Denver (not sure if thats the title but it is the chorus)
Goodbye again by John Denver
Behind blue eyes (dunno who by)

Behind blue eyes (dunno who by)Behind Blue Eyes, by The Who?

**sorry, I couldn't resist, it was too tempting***

3 songs by Barenaked Ladies: "The Wrong Man was Convictied" "War On Drugs" and "Marathon of Heartbreaking Moments"
also 3rd Eye Blind's " Jumper"
REm's Everybody Hurts is also good for sad days
and lastly almost all of Make Up the Break down is pretty depressing (Hot Hot Heat)

How soon is now. Forgot who originally did it. It's the theme from Charmed.
Love Hurts. Nazareth.
And number 1 depressing song of all times: Who wants to live forever. By Freddy Mercury.
You ROCK! I was gonna type Who wants to live forever ... have you heard the instrumental on the end of the "A Kind Of Magic" disc?
BTW, The Smiths (Morrisey & Co.) did the Charmed song, "How Soon is Now?". Good choice also.

Close to you. can't remember by whom. Goes like this. Why do birds suddenly appear. Everytime you are near.
Carpenters did a version ....

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac.

These may be a little cliche... but they truly are classic 'sad songs':

The Cure: Apart
The Cure: Disintegration
The Cure: Treasure

The Sisters of Mercy: 1959
The Sisters of Mercy: Emma

and why not....:

Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colours
Dolly Parton: Jolene

Nine Inch Nails: Hurt
Nine Inch Nails: Something I Can Never Have

Nick Cave: Loom Of The Land
Many from the Cure ... good Trent choices too.
I submit ....
Ice: Sarah McLachlan
Famous Blue Raincoat: Leonard Cohen
Black: Pearl Jam
Wasted Time: The Eagles (and Skid Row same title diff tune)
Hello: Evanescence
If You Were Here: Poe
Mad World (remake): Tears For Fears

Given, some are contextual but in that criterion then there are probably too many to mention given mine and others' likely attention spans.
I'm sure there are others i may get around to.

The Smiths - Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
The Smiths - Last I Night I dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Pink Floyd - On the Turning Away
Platypus - Gone
Sentenced - Guilt and Regret
Evergrey - I'm Sorry
Devin Townsend - Funeral
Tiamat - The Best Friend Money Can Buy
Depeche Mode - In Your Room
Anathema - Panic
Anathema - Forgotten Hopes
Anathema - Parisienne Moonlight
Katatonia - Deadhouse
Katatonia - Omerta
Rush - Nobody's Hero
Dream Theater - Space Dye Vest
Vanishing Point - The Real You
Buckethead - Watching Boats with My Dad
Buckethead - Ghost

... that ought to be good.

Many from the Cure ... good Trent choices too.
I submit ....
Ice: Sarah McLachlan
Famous Blue Raincoat: Leonard Cohen
Black: Pearl Jam
Wasted Time: The Eagles (and Skid Row same title diff tune)
Hello: Evanescence
If You Were Here: Poe
Mad World (remake): Tears For Fears

Given, some are contextual but in that criterion then there are probably too many to mention given mine and others' likely attention spans.
I'm sure there are others i may get around to.

McLachlan always good, good Pearl Jam choice... My Immortal good Evanescence 'sad' track, if a little over-played...

Cast A Lonesome Shadow (remake by Martin Gore)
Somebody (album vers) : Depeche Mode
Mortal: Front Line Assembly
The Wind That Shakes The Barley (resung by Lisa Gerrard)
Promised Land / Waiting For 22/My Empty Room : Queensryche
Mother : Pink Floyd
The Promise: Tracy Chapman
.....

The Smiths - Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want
The Smiths - Last I Night I dreamt That Somebody Loved Me
Pink Floyd - On the Turning Away
Platypus - Gone
Sentenced - Guilt and Regret
Evergrey - I'm Sorry
Devin Townsend - Funeral
Tiamat - The Best Friend Money Can Buy
Depeche Mode - In Your Room
Anathema - Panic
Anathema - Forgotten Hopes
Anathema - Parisienne Moonlight
Katatonia - Deadhouse
Katatonia - Omerta
Rush - Nobody's Hero
Dream Theater - Space Dye Vest
Vanishing Point - The Real You
Buckethead - Watching Boats with My Dad
Buckethead - Ghost

... that ought to be good.
SpaceDye Vest! You ROCK! *does a poor imitation of Petrucci on guitar*
On The Turning Away rocks too.

McLachlan always good, good Pearl Jam choice... My Immortal good Evanescence 'sad' track, if a little over-played...
Thanks!
I think My Immortal is a very evocative song unless you've heard it too many times ... my fiancee and i play it live often and i've distanced m'self somewhat emotionally from it. On Hello, however, that song really caught my attention on first listen, not just to her choice in vocal tones, but the lyrics i find personally very depressing. Another case of personal experience bias i guess.

do you know otep?

check out bands like katatonia, shape of despair, skepticism, morgion, rapture, and unholy. thats just to name a few.

another good idea is to go to doom-metal.com and look in the bandlist. not all of them are depressing but you'll find a lot of good ones. :(

The Tea Party - Psychopomp "One last kiss before you fade away...."
Story behind the song (http://www.mythology.com/orpheuseurydice.html)

the Doors - The End

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I Could Have Lied

Hurt was mentioned already, but thats a definite top 5 for me.

The Tea Party - Psychopomp "One last kiss before you fade away...."
Story behind the song (http://www.mythology.com/orpheuseurydice.html)

the Doors - The End

Red Hot Chili Peppers - I Could Have Lied

Hurt was mentioned already, but thats a definite top 5 for me.

How did I forget "Could have lied"??? I like "Breaking the Girl" as a 'sad' song, too...

Thanks!
I think My Immortal is a very evocative song unless you've heard it too many times ... my fiancee and i play it live often and i've distanced m'self somewhat emotionally from it. On Hello, however, that song really caught my attention on first listen, not just to her choice in vocal tones, but the lyrics i find personally very depressing. Another case of personal experience bias i guess.

Yeah - that 'hooked by the first listen' thing happened to me on "Tourniquet"... and, in fact, on Marylin's "Tourniquet".... amybe it's something about the name...

You might like the band Tourniquet then. :cool:

"Don't take the girl" (that one country song that I like, only because it's really sad.)
Also, there's a DMB song that makes me cry because of some stuff that's happened with girls in the past, called "Say Goodbye."

You might like the band Tourniquet then. :cool:

I guess I'd better give them a try.... I'm hitting 2 for 2 so far...

Lacrymosa performed by the Kronos Quartet (I don't know the composer)

Lonely Woman by Ornette Coleman, though the Kronos Quartet also perfomed a version.

Symphony No. 2: Resurrection, Primal Light by Uri Caine off Mahler in Toblach

Some ideas:

Micheal Jackson, liberian Girl
Gerry Rafferty, Baker Street
Kim Wilde, Cambodia
Men at work, overkill
Spandau Ballet, True
Andru Donalds, All out of love & Michelle
Cappucchino, Du fehlst mir
Madonna, The power of Goodbye
Tic Tac Toe, Warum?
Die Prinzen, Kein Liebeslied & Nichts
Tasja Archer, Sleeping Satilite
Björk, Joga & Hyperballad & much more
Bruce Stringsteen, Street of Philadelphia
Duran Duran, Ordinary World
Most of 'HIM'
Ladytron, Play Girl

bah, I guess I could simply use my entire playlist for this thread

Radiohead- "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", and "Exit Music For a Film". Both great songs.

Nirvana- "Something in the Way". Actually, a lot of Nirvana is, but not in a traditional way, they're often fast, but if you relate the lyrics to yourself it can be pretty depressing. Oh, and "You Know You're Right" as well.

Alice In Chains- "Bleed the Freak"


the Doors - The End
Good choice. "My only friend, the end.."

Pink Floyd - goodbye blue sky
Pink Floyd - wish you were here
A perfect circle - The outsider
Alkaline trio - Radio, This could be love, (almost any song, as a matter of fact)

Queen - The show must go on
REM - Losing my Religion
Coldplay - The Scientist

Also that "Freak" song (forgot what it's called) by Radiohead.

You ROCK!
Thank you.
I was gonna type Who wants to live forever ... have you heard the instrumental on the end of the "A Kind Of Magic" disc?
Can't say that I did. I'll see if I can find it on Kazaa.

"Love will tear us apart" - Joy Division

I can't believe no-one's mentioned the absolute Master of Depressing Ballads: Leonard Cohen! Listen to his stuff if you want to feel really miserable. Great stuff.

Cohen.... yes, he deserves more mentions

I haven't read all the responses, but "Another Auld Lang Syne" is a lovely Christmas song full of pathos.

A pseudo-depresssing song that I like is Rays Stevens' "Furthermore":

Well, you done me wrong so many times and made me blue
That I don't remember what I ever saw in you
And here you go again
Hurting me
Plain to see
That I'll always be
Sick of all your lying and you're cheating
And the way you'll be
Mistreating me
So let me tell you friend
That you'll never get the chance to break my heart again

And furthermore
Yeah furthermore
On top of that
I don't love you anyway

Well, you told me that you'd always love and treat me fair
But lately baby seems like you don't even care about me anymore
You slam the door on me
Make me mad as I can be
And I'm not gonna take it anymore
And be your fool again like I was before
Cuz baby this is it
I quit
You can just forget
That we ever met

And furthermore
Yeah furthermore
On top of that
I don't love you anyway

No baby
I don't love you anyway
I just realized that fact
As a matter of fact
Today
And anybody who
Would treat me like you do
Don't deserve a tear
Not a frown, not a sigh
Not a single boohoo
Yodel-lady-hooooo!

So get on out of here and go away
And leave me by myself and set me free
I want to be alone
And on my own
So get gone
Don't you even telephone
Hit the trail
Move it out
Adios arrividerci
Ciao ciao
Don't you ever try to come back
Auf wiedersehen
You know what that means?
That's bye bye!

And furthermore
Yeah furthermore
On top of that
*Raspberry*


I love that song! :D

"Love Song for a Vampire" by Annie Lennox.

Beautiful.

3rd Eye Blind's " Jumper"
REm's Everybody Hurts is also good for sad days

Oddly enough, both these songs never fail to make me feel better. I suppose that's their point, or it could just be that "Jumper" is one of the few things that justifies remembering the year 1996 & I'm generally a fan of REM...

The Killer's "Smile like you mean it"
Verve Pipe's "The Freshmen"
Tom Petty's "You Don't Know How It Feels"
Smashmouth's "Nervous in the Alley."

I'm going to restate, from my first list, damn near everything by 3EB. Since "Jumper" has been mentioned specifically, "Motorcycle Drive-by." But, seriously, even if you can get it for free, buy their self-titled album. After a few runs through, you'll agree that the moral support of making it more popular is worth a few bucks.

Bridge over troubled water.
Simon&Garfunkel.

Jingle Bell Rock

..and..

Yarng! (http://dw.com.com/redir?ltype=sclip&siteid=31&edid=3&asId=2841449&astId=12&ptId=&ontid=49&ttag=40124&lop=&orderId=&destURL=http%3A%2F%2Fsg1.allmusic.com%2Fcg%2Fsmp.dll%3Flink%3Dyyeftifep1tfhccvr6wgwyt%26z%3DMP3%26r% 3D20.asx)

I don't know about "depressing," but some of the saddest songs ever recorded are:

Gone for Good--Morphine
Buttercup--Brad
Lazybones--Soul Coughing

and the saddest ever,
Strange Fruit--sung by either Nina Simone OR Billie Holiday (both are haunting in different ways)

Black Hole Sun: Soundgarden (the ultimate depressing song in my opinion.)

It's Been Awhile: Staind
Fray: Staind
Waste: Staind
For You: Staind
The entire Dysfunction album: Staind

I Hate Everything About You: Three Days Grace

45: Shinedown (currently my favorite song!!)

Loser: Three Doors Down

Out There: Sister Hazel

Always: Saliva

Scar Tissue: The Red Hot Chili Peppers

Weak and Powerless: A Perfect Circle

Leader of men: Nickelback

Rexall: Dave Navarro

In the End: Linkin Park

Heavens A Lie: Lacuna Coil

Stairway to Heaven: Led Zeppelin

Into the Darkness: Kittie

One Thing: Finger Eleven

Wasting My Time: Default

Only God Knows Why: Kid Rock

What's This Life For: Creed (Scott Stapp is still an ass though.)

Closure: Chevelle
Send the Pain Below: Chevelle

Stupid Girl: Cold

Like a Stone: Audio Slave

Hemorage (In My Hands): Fuel

Yeah I listen to waaaaaay too much music.

I can't believe some of these songs have not been mentioned.

I'm finding it hard to believe that we've only had three Radiohead songs mentioned...
Exit Music (for a film)
Climbing Up The Walls
Paranoid Android
Subterranean Homesick Alien
Lucky
My Iron Lung
How to Disappear Completely
The Tourist
No Surprises

And then of course, also shockingly neglected, is Jeff Buckley;
Halleluja (a Leonard Cohen cover, absolutely wonderful)
Lover You Should Have Come Over
Corpus Christi Carol
Lilac Wine (another brilliant cover)
Moodswing Whiskey (probably a cover)
Not to suggest Buckley just does loads of covers, but just he does some excellent depressing covers...

And then...
The Cooper Temple Clause:
Safe Enough Distance
Sister Soul
I'll Still Write
Murder Song
The Lake

Eels; Pretty much the whole of the Beautiful Freak album...

Spiritualized;
The Ballad of Richie Lee
All of My Thoughts
Cop Shoot Cop
Broken Heart

And too much more to list....

the Doors - The End


You beat me to it Dalamia!

Not so much depressing as 'out there', and it is definitely the strangest song that I have ever listened to. It also ranks up there as one of my favorite songs by The Doors.

You beat me to it Dalamia!

Not so much depressing as 'out there', and it is definitely the strangest song that I have ever listened to. It also ranks up there as one of my favorite songs by The Doors.
Speaking of strange and The Doors. The song: People are strange.

Another really sad Weezer song is Mykel and Carli.. the song itself isn't as sad on its own, but the story behind it is truly depressing, so once you know that, you're sure to find the song a downer. Nice song though..

Here's the Mykel and Carli tribute page, for those who are curious- http://weezer.com/weezerfans/mandc/