Re: Depressing songs

M.B. wrote:

It's not a depressing song, but the mashup of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" always makes me cry. I don't think I've ever been able to get through singing it without choking up. The line, "I see friends shaking hands/Saying 'How do you do?"/They're really saying/ 'I love you'" just knocks me down. I don't know why . . . I guess it's about  how people don't always come right out and say how they really feel, but inside they've got this strong bond of love for one another.

I know what you mean M.B.  As silly as it might sound, I always got a little choked up whenever I heard Alabama's song "Forty Hour Week" (For a livin') and think about the dignity of the hard, honest day's work so many people put in each day.  I think the 1st verse sets the tone of the song:

"There are people in this country who work hard every day
Not for fame or fortune do they strive
But the fruits of their labor are worth more than their pay
And it's time a few of them were recognized"

DE

I want to read my own water, choose my own path, write my own songs

Re: Depressing songs

Estranged by Guns and Roses. About thinking of suicide. The song is depressing but the arrangement is fabulous.  Alice In Chains: The Killer Is Me from their Unplugged Album.

Re: Depressing songs

There's some great stuff here, Eric Bogle is brilliantly depressing, Leaving Nancy and Green Fields of France can be added to Waltzing Matilda but I love Red Dirt Girl by Emmylou but then I love pretty much everything by Emmylou.

Jerry

Live the life you love, love the life you live

Re: Depressing songs

I think 95% of the songs I like to play and sing best are "depressing".  I guess because you can really FEEL the music in a sad song more than in a happy one.  When doing skype jams, I often have to search my songbook for something that at least SOUNDS upbeat, although usually it's still got a sad note to it.  One of my favorites to play/sing is "Killing me Softly"

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

Re: Depressing songs

Thanks for mentioning the Alabama song, D.E. I'm going to look that one up!

Re: Depressing songs

I just came to smell the flowers   in someone's darkest hour. I don't even know the one they laid to rest. But anywhere theres a crowd and anywhere their crying loud. Just seems to be the place I like the best. Put Porter Waggoner's voice to that and you have a depressing song,

When the Power of Love overcomes The Love of Power the world will be a better place.

Re: Depressing songs

I have never cried over a song. I did cry once over a music video. (Temporary Home) Go watch it and you'll know why. Very sweet.

"absolutely epic and really really loud" ~Zurf
                            ^
                      Life right?
Katie tongue

Re: Depressing songs

M.B. wrote:

It's not a depressing song, but the mashup of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World" always makes me cry. I don't think I've ever been able to get through singing it without choking up. The line, "I see friends shaking hands/Saying 'How do you do?"/They're really saying/ 'I love you'" just knocks me down. I don't know why . . . I guess it's about  how people don't always come right out and say how they really feel, but inside they've got this strong bond of love for one another.

MB Rainbow and wonderfull world are two of the greatest songs out there,I do not feel depressed by them at all.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

34 (edited by beamer 2012-05-22 21:18:51)

Re: Depressing songs

M.B. wrote:

Thanks for mentioning the Alabama song, D.E. I'm going to look that one up!

M.B.
Seeing as how you have a definate love of old and poetic music, Do you ever listen to The Doors?

I am going to link 4 of my favorite non-raidio (or not much at all) Doors tunes for you to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VN8JFPSmZs Crystal Ship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C648sopL … re=related Alabama Song / Love me two times w/ one of his poem  inbetween.  (you guys talking about Alabama made me think of all this)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m5kAq1p … re=related moonlight drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq9oR9x171w People are strange.

“Find your own sound.  Dont be a second rateYngwie Malmsteen be a first rate you”

– George Lynch 2013 (Dokken, Lynchmob, KXM, Tooth & Nail etc....)

Re: Depressing songs

Hey Dino48,

I don't really feel depressed by that song . . . I feel . . . emotionally released. It's like there's something in the lyrics or melody that triggers an emotion or an emotional memory. My Mom's the same way. Last year we were watching a documentary on Animal Planet about sharks. And there was a mother shark giving birth to some shark pups, and one got kinda stuck so one of the divers helped by pulling the shark pup out. My mom burst into tears! She said it reminded her of when I was born, because the doctor had to use forceps to deliver me.

Re: Depressing songs

Hi beamer,

Thanks for all the cool song links!!  My big brother listens to the Doors, so I've heard bits and pieces of their songs, but I've never really sat down and listened closely to them. I'm sure they'll be great; I'll let you know how the listening went.

Re: Depressing songs

M.B. wrote:

Hey Dino48,

I don't really feel depressed by that song . . . I feel . . . emotionally released. It's like there's something in the lyrics or melody that triggers an emotion or an emotional memory. My Mom's the same way. Last year we were watching a documentary on Animal Planet about sharks. And there was a mother shark giving birth to some shark pups, and one got kinda stuck so one of the divers helped by pulling the shark pup out. My mom burst into tears! She said it reminded her of when I was born, because the doctor had to use forceps to deliver me.

MB those two songs are extremely moving,If you someone is not getting an emotional tug of the heart from them,then they must be somewhat heartless. One of my sons had too have some help out with forceps at birth,he turned out fine.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Depressing songs

I was pickin' on the back porch yesterday evening and realized how many depressing songs are in my repertoire, and how many were written by Fred Eaglesmith.  Here's a few more of his that I play:

The Rocket
Water in the Fuel
Bailin' Again
White Rose
John Deere B
Old John Deere

Here's a sample  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PivXXj-hJUM

Another depressing song I play is Tecumseh Valley written by Townes Van Zandt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UthqmxQ1jjI

And here's an old classic Don Edwards song that has depressing lyrics but my grandkids like to hear me try to sing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGGEfl8GzK8

DE

I want to read my own water, choose my own path, write my own songs

39 (edited by Guitarpix 2012-05-23 12:47:44)

Re: Depressing songs

I guess I play a lot of depressing tunes....  Or at least songs that most would consider depressing.  However there is only one song that really tears me up everytime I hear or play it. It's the only one that really gets me....   Turns my insides into knots and such, and that's "Wonderful" by Everclear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUfgAbFY4CA&ob=av3e       There's just something about it... I really feel those kids pain. I can see my sister and I sitting on the doorsteps when we were little, me holding her hand telling her they'd quit fighting soon while we cried together thinking we were losing our family....  Not that we had a bad childhood at all, It was actually pretty great, but my parents fussed bad for a couple years when we were young and that was so scary for us as young children....  At that age family is everything... All you know and all that makes you feel safe and part of something in a world so much bigger than you... Seeing/thinking it's all falling apart is so tragic...   I listen to the song pretty often now (at least once a week) and it reminds me how important the little things are to our children and makes me want to be the best parent I can...

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

Re: Depressing songs

My list of depressing tunes I play:

Slowdive - Melon yellow
Team Sleep - Ever
Depeche mode - Somebody
Depeche Mode - Blue Dress
Sade - Room 55
Sade - Mermaid

Dm

"Talent instantly recognizes genius,
but mediocrity knows nothing more than itself."

-Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle

Re: Depressing songs

Guitarpix wrote:

I guess I play a lot of depressing tunes....  Or at least songs that most would consider depressing.  However there is only one song that really tears me up everytime I hear or play it. It's the only one that really gets me....   Turns my insides into knots and such, and that's "Wonderful" by Everclear http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUfgAbFY4CA&ob=av3e       There's just something about it... I really feel those kids pain. I can see my sister and I sitting on the doorsteps when we were little, me holding her hand telling her they'd quit fighting soon while we cried together thinking we were losing our family....  Not that we had a bad childhood at all, It was actually pretty great, but my parents fussed bad for a couple years when we were young and that was so scary for us as young kids....

Oh crud man, I can't even hear that song without getting teary.
I'd forgotten about that one for a while...


=**** [
Dm

"Talent instantly recognizes genius,
but mediocrity knows nothing more than itself."

-Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle

Re: Depressing songs

If you want to talk about personally emotional, then it's the final verse of "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" for me.  "We sang the songs of childhood, hymns of faith that made us strong.  Ones our mother, she had taught us.  Hear the angels sing along."  I can't get it out.  My Momma's been gone since 1996 and I still can't sing that verse. 

(please note regarding the over-use of lyrics in a post rule: Will the Circle Be Unbroken is in public domain and not a copyright risk for reproducing a verse.)

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Depressing songs

I did a gig last year where I was singing this song called "never alone" when this woman walked in and at first I didn't really notice her untill she  burst into tears and watched me finish the song in tears and man was it hard not to start crying myself, I was trying to keep composed through the rest of the song. Sometimes depressing songs are a good thing they reach out to other people. You never know.

Without music life would be a journey through a desert.

I Cor 14:15

Re: Depressing songs

Drunkard's Child.  It's been covered about 10 million times, but I think the version by the Horseflies is particularly poignant.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Depressing songs

A few weeks ago I was heading home from work and was listening to a local college station (91.3 WUNH)  and heard the most depressing series of quasi-folk-blues tunes by singers/bands I had never heard before and hope to never again.  I changed the channel in the middle of the third tune.  It was not only depressing lyrics, but, bad out of tune singing and playing that grated on my nerves.  If it was done for affect, it worked. 

There are a lot of tunes that I like/love that could be considered depressing.  Gordon Lightfoots "Ballad of the Yarmouth Castle", and I love "Don Quixote" for it's symbolism.  But, a lot of folk tunes play on tragedy for poetic reasons.  Judy Collins, "Pretty Polly" being one.

"I don't have pet peeves...I have whole kennels of irritation."  --Whoopi Goldberg

Re: Depressing songs

A delightful spoof of depressing Irish Ballads:  <grin>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_jjRNMOopA

"I don't have pet peeves...I have whole kennels of irritation."  --Whoopi Goldberg

Re: Depressing songs

beamer wrote:
M.B. wrote:

Thanks for mentioning the Alabama song, D.E. I'm going to look that one up!

M.B.
Seeing as how you have a definate love of old and poetic music, Do you ever listen to The Doors?

I am going to link 4 of my favorite non-raidio (or not much at all) Doors tunes for you to see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VN8JFPSmZs Crystal Ship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C648sopL … re=related Alabama Song / Love me two times w/ one of his poem  inbetween.  (you guys talking about Alabama made me think of all this)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m5kAq1p … re=related moonlight drive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq9oR9x171w People are strange.

Excellent songs, beamer! I think my favorite is "Moonlight Drive." Very trippy.

Re: Depressing songs

Sorry to bump a well worn thread but when it comes to depressing songs Dolly Parton has cornered the market - Letter to Heaven, Jeanie's Afraid of the Dark and Little Andy spring to mind.  The song that brings a lump to my throat though is Randy Travis's Promises.

All things good to know are difficult to learn.
Greek Proverb

Re: Depressing songs

There's something about lonesome
music, especially at night when you're up way too late guitar in hand. The dark edge of folk/bluesy stuff is what makes it cool, and there's an array to choose from. I like Dylan's angle of insatiable wander lust, and Cash's "Man in Black" character (carrying the darkness on his back).Some of my fav Iron and Wine songs are about death/dying, and the whole Bon Iver album (the first one) feels a little depressing to me, and yet I like it. It fun to play that kind of minor key stuff on guitar, it makes you feel cool and mysterious lol.

All You Need is Love smile

Re: Depressing songs

The song that brings a lump to my throat is "Pretty Paper" when sung by Willie Nelson. This song is not exactly depressing but is emotional to me.

All the best
Bushy

Not one drop of my self worth depends on your acceptance of me.
"Quincy Jones"