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Depressing sounding songs
- Thread starter Don CT
- Start date
Yeah, but still.
Also, I'm getting increasingly concerned that the avatar might be a photo instead of a drawing.
Interestingly, many "depressing songs" have cheerful melodies, arrangements and instrumentation. Songwriting (melody and words) is a remarkable expression of humanity.
Past couple of days I have considered lyricists who occasionally or regularly do not use rhyme. Other lyricists nearly always use rhyme.
Songwriting talent comes in many forms. Bono has a distinctive way with words. Dylan is amazing. Joni Mitchell is so good with words. Those are just three examples of those who have touched us with their lyrics. And lyrics are not always in character with the image of a music genre. You can be surprised by the depth of lyrics in a genre you might think would never go there.
It's subjective. Consider Tom Petty's lyrics. Are they brilliant, or insipid and vapid?
Past couple of days I have considered lyricists who occasionally or regularly do not use rhyme. Other lyricists nearly always use rhyme.
Songwriting talent comes in many forms. Bono has a distinctive way with words. Dylan is amazing. Joni Mitchell is so good with words. Those are just three examples of those who have touched us with their lyrics. And lyrics are not always in character with the image of a music genre. You can be surprised by the depth of lyrics in a genre you might think would never go there.
It's subjective. Consider Tom Petty's lyrics. Are they brilliant, or insipid and vapid?
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Jakob Dylan has his fathers writing chops in The Wallflowers.
I would think there are quite a few songs in that vein that are at least uptempo. Right off the bat, “Blue Moon” and “Denise” come to mind. However, I trust that you easily counter with numerous songs that fit your premise.
Trent Reznor's composition "Hurt" as performed by Johnny Cash (produced by Rick Rubin) is an example of a song you might not appreciate being played over and over, heard through a hotel wall.
Not sure if anyone else had said it, but most anything by Adele. Horrible.
And Nirvana. The '90s were defined by the most depressing rock act in history, as well as its leader's suicide.
Adele has a nice voice, but she definitely is a self-loathing downer, at least as far as her act goes. Hopefully she's not that way "off the clock."
Most Doo Wop are not depressing. Far from it.
Depressing songs chart well a lot of the time, so they have an audience. I know I dont always feel ecstatic.
"Go Rest High on That Mountain" is hauntingly beautiful. It is also such a sad song, that I have never seen a rendition of it sung live, without at least some of the ensemble, including Vince Gill, choking up. That's a tearjerker.
Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen probably wrote more sad songs than any other pop composers. ( maybe, except for Adele). "Desolation Row" is perfect acoustic arrangement, with wonderful work by guitarist Charlie McCoy, but wow, it's a downer, in my mind. JMO -- Daryl
Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen probably wrote more sad songs than any other pop composers. ( maybe, except for Adele). "Desolation Row" is perfect acoustic arrangement, with wonderful work by guitarist Charlie McCoy, but wow, it's a downer, in my mind. JMO -- Daryl
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We had a long discussion thread, about 300 posts, about "Honey", and other songs. The thread eventually was locked because it became too contentious..........
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Difficult to find a title sadder than "Eve of Destruction" written by Phil Sloan, sung by Barry McGuire, who is actually a very nice, upbeat singer. A fun memory of mine was hanging out backstage with Barry at the Troubadour on Santa Monica Blvd. Barry has always been so kind to all his fans.
Yes, 'Hazard' by Richard Marx - a depressing song, yet well-written and it went to #1 on the Adult Contemporary charts, #9 on the Hot 100 in 1992. This song has gone unknown in the past 15-20 years on most radio stations...unlike "Right Here Waiting" which is still a classic hits/adult contemporary staple.
The 1940 Artie Shaw release Gloomy Sunday, sung by Pauline Byrne, was said to have been banned from some stations or networks because it was said to be a suicide song. I think it was at least a minor hit.
Billie Holiday's 1941 version was banned by the BBC until 2002.
If you listen to Artie Shaw's version you can hear why the song was deemed to be so depressing. The music is well done, though, as most of Artie Shaw's music was excellent.
Billie Holiday's 1941 version was banned by the BBC until 2002.
If you listen to Artie Shaw's version you can hear why the song was deemed to be so depressing. The music is well done, though, as most of Artie Shaw's music was excellent.
Vince Gill wrote "Tryin' to Get Over You" because he lamented that there weren't enough Country songs about death since that one. It became a #1 Country hit in 1994.
The one thing it succeeded in killing was his career, because it was his last #1 hit.
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