Most Depressing Song
 

I was just wondering what song everyone finds the most depressing. I'm trying to make a CD of all depressing songs for whatever reason. Anyway, I would have to say the most depressing song for me is the Johnny Cash cover of "Hurt".

Edit: Sorry if this thread has already been started, but since the search function is down I had no way of knowing.

I think it has been, but I doubt anyone is worried :)

I'll second "Hurt".

I think Gary Jules' cover of "Mad World" (Originally by Tears for Fears) from the end of Donnie Darko is a pretty depressing song.

I agree with "Hurt" being up there on the depressing song list

How To Disappear Completely - Radiohead

Dave Matthews - "Grave Digger"

"Idiot Wind" by Bob Dylan. The first time I heard this song it just blew me away, all the pain in the words and stuff. Also, "You're a Big Girl Now" by Dylan is another one that you can feel the emotion in the song.

"And So It Goes" by Billy Joel, just about cried the first time i heard it.

"Hurt" is also a great choice

I'll have to 4th or 5th or whatever Hurt. Especially the Johnny Cash version of the song. It didn't mean a whole lot in my opinion when NiN sang it, but when Cash did it sounded real.

Most Ben Folds songs are depressing when you listen to the lyrics.

vast - lady of my dreams is really depressing and its an instrumental. it's actually moved me to tears before.

but i'm a sap :P

also, i think "me and a gun" by tori amos is depressing bcos its very real and raw and a'capella. singing about her rape.

mad world is a good one too

Evanescence - My Immortal
Lisa Gerrard - Sanvean (I Am Your Shadow)
Johnny Cash - I See A Darkness Or I Hung My Head (much, much better songs than Hurt) R.I.P.
Tom Waits - Take It With Me
Spiritualized - Broken Heart
The Get Up Kids - I'll Catch You
Warren Zevon - Let Us Not Get Sick R.I.P.

Sorry, went a little overboard but those are just a few of my favorites

The Wanderer by Johnny Cash.
Old City Bar by Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Yes. And it fits so well with whats going on in the movie.

My vote goes for "Wild Rose" by Nick Cave.
Very beautiful song. Very haunting.

Nine inch nails - A Warm place

I'll say no more.

I agree with Gary Jules - Mad World

Any linkin Park or nickleback...(personally) to think a band could be that rubbish is depressing...

seriously though, Radiohead, yeah. Opeth can also be pretty upsetting...

Downface - Alone (acoustic)
Saliva - Always
Seether - Fade Away
Radiohead - True love waits (acoustic/live)
Sensefield - Save yourself

radiohead is right. especially street spirit or exit music, at least for me. also some of rjd2's stuff, like rain or june.

Pantera - Hollow


What's left inside him?
Don't he remember us?
Can't he believe me?
We seemed like bothers
Talked for hours last month
About what we wanna be
I sit now with his hand in mine
But I know he can't feel...

(chorus) No one knows
What's done is done
It's as if he were dead

I'm close with his mother
And she cries endlessly
Lord how we miss him
At least what's remembered
It's so important to make best friends in life
But it's hard when my friend sits with blank expressions

(chorus) No one knows
What's done is done
It's as if he were dead

He as hollow as I alone now

He as hollow as I alone
A shell of my friend
Just flesh and bone
There's no soul
He sees no love
I shake my fists at skies above
Mad at God

He as hollow as I converse
I wish he'd waken from this curse
Hear my words before it's through
I want to come in after you
My best friend

He as hollow as I alone

A Day at the Fair - Beautiful Double Edged Sword
A Day at the Fair - Grasshopper of Waywayonda
A Day at the Fair - Jersey-California Life
A Day at the Fair - Neoteny
A Day at the Fair - So Much for Nostalgia
A Perfect Circle - 3 Libras
A Perfect Circle - Orestes
American Hi-Fi - Another Perfect Day
Ben Harper - Another Lonely Day
Ben Harper - Forever
blink-182 - Adam's Song
blink-182 - Going Away to College
Brand New - Play Crack the Sky
Bush - Inflatable
Counting Crows - Colorblind
Counting Crows - Round Here
Dashboard Confessional - A Plain Morning
Dashboard Confessional - The Brilliant Dance
Dashboard Confessional - This Ruined Puzzle
Dave Matthews Band - #41
Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
Hootie & the Blowfish - Goodbye
Inspection 12 - Intentions Never Waive
Keepsake - Sweet White Lies
Keepsake - The Alcohol Diary
Keepsake - The Art of Collapsing
No Motiv - Broken and Burned
No Motiv - Empty
No Use for a Name - Feels Like Home
No Use for a Name - Let It Slide
nothing to lose - If Dreams Were Real
Pearl Jam - Black
Plain White T's - A Lonely September
Saves the Day - Freakish
Saves the Day - Nightingale
Something Corporate - Ben Franklin's Kite
Stereophonics - Is Yesterday Tomorrow Today
The Ataris - Between You and Me
The Beatles - Yesterday
The Cranberries - Empty
The Cranberries - I Still Do
The Cranberries - Linger
The Cranberries - Not Sorry
The Cranberries - Twenty One
The Damnwells - For My Own Good
The Damnwells - Sleepsinging
The Dandy Warhols - Sleep
The Get Up Kids - I'll Catch You
The Get Up Kids - Newfound Mass [2000]
The Juliana Theory - As It Stands
The Juliana Theory - Constellation
The Juliana Theory - Don't Push Love Away
The Juliana Theory - Into the Dark
The Juliana Theory - Is Patience Still Waiting
The New Amsterdams - Goodbye
The New Amsterdams - Idaho
The New Amsterdams - Lonely Hearts
The New Amsterdams - Picture in the Paper
The New Amsterdams - Stay on the Phone
The New Amsterdams - That Side of Me

Seen some good suggestions in this thread; I'll definitely have to check them out.

Itchy93

Hey Itchy, along with those 3 Dashboard songs, add "This Bitter Pill" Chris Carrabba (their singer) stopped playing that song live because he couldn't get through it. I guess he played it at a few shows their last tour but unfornatly not at the one I went to. I was really hoping he would.

I think that my vote would go to:

Alone again, naturally.

Averett

Yeah, you can definitely feel the emotion in his voice when he screams. Actually, I don't why that's not in my playlist. Thanks!

Itchy93

Counting Crows - Raining in Baltimore
Counting Crows - Goodnight Elisabeth
Red House Painters - Have You Forgotten

Spinning Plates- Radiohead.
Suicidal Dreams- Silverchair.
Toi et Moi- Indochine.
Perfect Drug/The Great Below/Ruiner- NIN.
...different random soundtracks too.

also, Five For Fighting - Superman.

Since my friend Adam killed himself two years ago, I can't even listen to Blink 182's "Adam's Song."

Alice in Chains - Down in a Hole
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Beck - Guess I'm Doing Fine

really, there's nothing more gloriously derpressing than the whole "Dirt" album though

Perfect Drug is a good pick too

Dust in the wind, by any one of the many people who cover it. It reminds me of when a good friend of mine passed away and I cant listen to it without getting teary eyed.

i'll have to agree with Hurt and Mad World
also Jimmy Eat World - Hear You Me is another

Bruce Springsteen's Streets of Philadelphia was almost designed to be depressing.

Hands down, the most depressing song I can think of is The Eternal by Joy Divison. Actually, Closer has got to be the most depressing album I can think of. Great stuff though.

I, personally, would say that Neil Young's song (from the same movie as Bruce's) "Philadelphia" is much more "depressing". Still, both are great, great songs.

I just heard this old country song I think called "the hardest thing I'll ever have to do(is holding her, and loving you)" I have no idea who sings it, but it's about this guy that's cheating on his wife, and how it sucks that he's cheating, it sucks that he has to tell the woman he's cheating with that he can't see her anymore, and it sucks to go back to his wife but still think about his mistress. The whole song is depressing, and I bet a good thing for anyone that's ever thought of cheating to hear. Or you can just remember what the drunk married doctor told me he thinks of when he sees the cute nurses-
"A ten second muscle spasm isn't worth half your net worth!"

Nine Inch Nails - A warm place
Nine Inch Nials - Something I can never have

Obvious, yet true : Everybody Hurts / REM

Runner-up : 'Washing of the Water' by Peter Gabriel. Haunting.

2nd runner up : 'Shape of my Heart' by Sting.

"Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

If anyone has seen this live or the music video the emotion Karen O puts out is amazing. Especially in contrast to their other songs.

That Jimmy one always gets me.

" Tears in Heaven" Eric Clapton
" Wish you were here" Pink Floyd
"Color Blind" Counting Crows
"Dreaming Tree" Dave Matthews Band
"This Love" Craig Armstrong feat. Elizabeth Fraser

I would have to say the country song Go rest high on that mountain by Vince Gill.

Thanks for all the input guys and girls! I've got a lot of new songs to go check out now.

Nobody Home - Pink Floyd

Just curious as to why you find that song depressing? I might be missing something but my interpritation of it was always a positive one.

Forever

Not talkin' 'bout a year
No not three or four
I don't want that kind of forever
In my life anymore
Forever always seems
to be around when it begins
but forever never seems
to be around when it ends
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do From you

People spend so much time
Every single day
Runnin' 'round all over town
Givin' their forever away
But no not me
I won't let my forever roam
and now I hope I can find
my forever a home
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you

Like a handless clock with numbers
An infinite of time
No not the forever found
Only in the mind
Forever always seems
to be around when things begin
but forever never seems
to be around when things end
So give me your forever
Please your forever
Not a day less will do
From you

Dot Allison - Tomorrow never comes
Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
Matthew Good Band - Running For Home
Love Spirals Downwards - Depresion Glass
Low - Halflife
Cold Play - We Never Change
U2 - Kite

"sinners & their repentances" - bob mould

i don't know that he's ever written a happy song, but this one's a (beautiful) total drag.

anything by the Doors after Jim died

postal service - the district sleeps alone tonight

Staind - Its been awhile
REM - Country Feedback

I think either

Philedelphia - Bruce Springsteen

or

Flowers for the Dead - Cuban Link

Anything by the Cowboy Junkies.

What a sweet sad voice their lead singer has.

Gloomy Sunday (the notorius suicide song :\)
Radiohead songs

sherpahigh

I guess it's just 'cause I'm so damned lonely... I didn't bother to edit out some songs in there that just have personal meaning, which I should have.

Itchy93

I suppose a lot of credit should be given to the original artists who compose the song (however obscure they may be), but I think DJ Shadow's "Midnight in a Perfect World" is pretty depressing.

Last Kiss -- Pearl Jam

That has to be the saddest song ever.

The saddest song ever written is "You Are My Sunshine"

sk

Runnin' By Tupac-Biggie.. Produced by Eminem.. Definately a sad song. :(

Hurt is pretty depressing

i listen to
unwritten law - st,
the used - st,
boxcar racer - st,
silverchair - neon ballroom,
sum 41 - does this look infected,
finch - what it is to burn

and strangelly a lot of reel big fish


give them a go

Thanks for the explination. We're using that song for our first dance at our wedding so I was a little suprised to hear it mentioned here.

Sorry to hear it has negative meanings to you.

Gollum's Song is pretty goddamn depressing. It's just so....hopeless.

Barber's Adagio for Strings always gets me teary-eyed.

A few.

Stone Temple Pilots - Atlanta
Beatles - For No One
Dismemberment Plan - The City

Mojave 3 - Beautiful

i think Perfect Day by Lou Reed is pretty depressing.

"Falling" Julee Cruise from Twin Peaks or simply just the "Twin Peaks Theme"

don't think this one has been said yet but damn it's sad

The Scientist - Coldplay

the Eels "Elizabeth on the Bathroom Floor"
"The Medication is Wearing Off"
Joy Division "Love Will Tear Us Apart"

....off the top of my head...i'll try and think of more

"Fade into you" - Mazzy Star

"Don't Follow" by Alice in Chains, "Crestfallen" and "To Forgive" by the Smashing Pumpkins, "I Know it's Over" by the Smiths, and quite a few songs by Leonard Cohen. ("Chelsea Hotel," "Famous Blue Raincoat," "Suzanne")

A lot of good music listed in this thread.

Dream Theater - Space Dye Vest

Falling through pages of Martens on angels
feeling my heart pull west
I saw the future dressed as a stranger
love in a space dye vest

Love is an act of blood and I'm bleeding
a pool in the shape of a heart
Beauty projection in the reflection
always the worst way to start

Now that you're gone I'm trying to take it
learning to swallow the rage
Found a new girl I think we can make it
as long as she stays on the page

This is not how I want it to end
and I'll never be open again
There's no one to take my blame
if they wanted to
Nothing to keep me sane
and its all the same to you
There's nowhere to set my aim
so I'm everywhere
Never come near me again
do you really think I need you

And I'll smile and I'll learn to pretend
And I'll never be open again
And I'll have no more dreams to defend
And I'll never be open again

something by Bright Eyes

maybe 'No Lies, Just Love'
or 'Waste Of Paint'
or 'A New Arrangement'

or Young People's 'Death Dont Have No Mercy'
or Mirah's 'Cold Cold Water'

and ditto to what everyone has said about Radiohead.

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven (did a ballet solo to it, dedicated it to my mom)
Ben Folds Five - Brick
Dashboard Confessional - Screaming Infidelities

ya most bright eyes is depressing. my personal favs are "a perfect sonnet", "sunrise, sunset", "drunk kid catholic", n "arienette" just to name a few. saddly on a personally level is all the other even more depressing things done with listening to these songs and more...just dont know sometimes

nine inch nails - hurt

rem - shiny happy people

come on has noone heard of

tears in heaven by eric clapton

this is one of the only songs that came from the heart

Hurt is a depressing song, yes. But I think NIN's most depressing song is off the first album: Something I can never have. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds have an array of depressing stuff to chose from. Top of the list I think is 'Do you love me?' the 2nd version.

Good list here, I agree on Springsteins' 'Philadelphia' and also Billy Joel's 'And so it goes'.

Cranberries - Dreams

now that's depressing

Joy Division - The Eternal (or anything off Closer for that matter)

I thought of another one: Richard Harris - MacArthur Park :(

Staind - Epiphany

i think i'll chime in with one that i dont think i've seen yet.

radiohead - fake plastic trees (acoustic version)


thought of another few

goo goo dolls - iris
goo goo dolls - name
collective soul - the world i know
fiona apple - i know
fiona apple - never is a promise

Eagles - Desperado

Our Lady Peace - Not Enough

goodone
goodone

Cat Stevens - Cats in the Cradle

LYRICS

Sarah Mclachlan - In the Arms of an Angel

Hal Ketchum - I miss my Mary

George Jones - He Stopped Loving Her Today

Jewel - Angel Standing By

Willie Nelson & Waylon Jennings - A Whiter Shade Of Pale

Counting Crows - `Round Here
Diamond Rio - One More Day
most of the second disk from the RENT soundtrack, but especially I'll Cover You - Reprise

Gilbert O'Sullivan - Alone Again (just sad)
Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun (suicidal sad)

I would have to say goo goo dolls - iris

Someone mentioned Tears For Fears - Mad World a while ago... I'll second that.

Yeah, I loved that movie. I almost cried at the end during that song..:(

I didn't understand that movie at all, but the cover of Mad World is a depressing song..

The original "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails is pretty depressing too, not that I didn't like Cash's version, but.. Reznor did it first.

Good point. The stripped down version on the "Still" album is beautiful..

Hurt - Johnny Cash
Something In The Way - Nirvana
Cut Up Angels - The Used

Depeche Mode - Deaths Door

The Downward Spiral - NiN
Sleep - Stabbing Westward

Cat Power


Names

His name was Perry
He had a learning difficulty
His father was a very mean man
His father burned his skin
His father send him to his death
He was ten years old
He was ten years old
He was ten years old

Her name was Naomi
Beautiful round face, so ashamed
Told me how to please a man
After school in the back of a bus
She was doing it every day
She was eleven years old
She was eleven years old
She was eleven years old

Her name was Sheryl
Black hair, like an electric space
She would pretty paint my face
She was a very good friend
Her father would come to her in the night
She was twelve years old
She was twelve years old
She was twelve years old

His name was Donovan
He was a very good friend
The cards were stacked against him
He was selling cocaine
The last time I saw him
He was thirteen years old
He was thirteen years old
He was thirteen years old

His name was Charles
He said he was in love with me
We were both fourteen
Then I had to move away
Then he begin to smoke crack
Then he had to sell ass
I don't know where he is
I don't know where they are

creepy... my names in that song...

mad world by gary jules
lots of radiohead songs, such as prove yourself, how to dissapear completely, street spirit etc...

Coldplay - The Scientist
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss

My non-repeated (personally makes me depressed due to a girl *roll*)

Our Lady Peace - Story About a Girl :(

David Bowie - Thursday's Child
David Bowie - I Can't Read
Peter Gabriel - We Do As We're Told
Prince - Sometimes It Snows In April
Annie Lennox - Cold

Tea Party - Requiem
Tea Party - Emerald
Tea Party - Psychopomp (live)
REM - Everybody Hurts
A Perfect Circle - Three Libras (acoustic)
Opeth - To bid you farewell
Radiohead - Exit Music
Radiohead - Creep (acoustic)
Radiohead - Karma Police
Smashing Pumpkins - Try, Try, Try
Zwan - Of a broken heart