I’ve been made fun of more than once for loving depressing music. Based on some of the music I listen to, you’d think I spend my days curled up in the fetal position crying. Okay, it is true. Coldplay, David Gray, Damien Rice, Aqualung, and most of my other favorites, well, they sound depressing even when they’re singing about how happy they are. And, if I was a singer-songwriter, I’d probably sound the same. But, just because I listen to depressing music does not mean I’m depressed.
I listen to depressing music, because it moves me. It’s introspective. It changes the way I think about things. It makes me feel deeper. It reaches me. And, it has this magical way of elevating the normal events of my life and giving them more meaning.
The difference a good soundtrack makes to a movie is the same difference moving music makes to a life.
This is not to say that moving music has to be depressing. That’s just my preference. It takes different music to reach us all.
I love the way that music can alter your mood, or even take you to a different place. You know I hate the idea of waiting to be inspired; in my opinion, that’s the recipe for never finishing anything. But, when I was working on my novel, I sometimes found it difficult to get myself into the place I needed to be in order to write a specific scene. For instance, I had to write a really emotional, heartbreaking scene at a time when I was feeling pretty happy and content. I got myself there by listening to a loop of the most depressing song ever: Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Okay, maybe it’s not the most depressing song ever (maybe this one wins), but “you can’t make your heart feel something it won’t?” Way to break my heart, Bonnie!
This weekend, I discovered the amazing ability that depressing music has to push me out of indifference and apathy. When I feel sad, I listen to depressing music. When I feel nothing, I listen to depressing music. And, when I feel happy, I listen to slightly more hopeful depressing music, though I must admit that there will always be a small place in my heart for cheesy pop music.
Here are some of my old and new favorite depressing (I mean, introspective) songs. I welcome recommendations.
- David Gray, “Gathering Dust”
- Coldplay, “See You Soon”
- Semisonic, “Act Naturally”
- Bruce Springsteen, “The Ghost of Tom Joad”
- Sia, “Breathe Me”
- Damien Rice, “9 Crimes”
- Brendan James, “Hero’s Song“
- Semisonic, “I Wish”
- Coldplay, “Careful Where You Stand”
- Springsteen, “Streets of Philadelphia”
- Aqualung, “Strange & Beautiful”
- Switchfoot, “You”
- Bonnie Raitt, “I Can’t Make You Love Me”
- Coldplay, “Sparks”
- Blue October, “Congratulations”
- David Gray, “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye”
- Semisonic, “Gone to the Movies”
- Damien Rice, “Cannonball”
- Dashboard Confessional, “The Best Deceptions”
- David Gray, “What am I Doing Wrong?”
- Jack Johnson, “All at Once”
- James Taylor, “Another Grey Morning”
- Simon and Garfunkel, “The Sound of Silence”
- Josh Groban, “Remember When it Rained?”
- Aqualung, “Another Little Hole”
- Death Cab for Cutie, “I Will Follow You Into the Dark”
- Dido, “Here With Me”
- James Taylor, “Fire and Rain”
- Josh Groban, “February Song”
- Keane, “We Might as well Be Strangers”
- Moby, “Natural Blues”
- R.E.M., “Everybody Hurts”
- Simon and Garfunkel, “Bridge Over Trouble Waters”
- Travis, “Walking Down the Hill”
- U2, “Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own”
- Vertical Horizon, “Best I Ever Had”
- Jewel, “Foolish Games”
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve always loved Uninvited by Alanis. I know there’s more, but none spring to mind at the moment.
Same! Listen to Bright Eyes. You might like it, or Rilo Kiley or The Postal Service. I love all of ‘O’ by Damien Rice AND Death Cab AND Simon & Garfunkel.
we’ve previously discussed our very similar opinions on this topic, so i’m just going to say that your list is awesome!
sia, david gray, coldplay, damian rice, death cab, keane, travis, U2. i could go on forever.
i’ll post a blog soon with some suggestions you may or may not like.
I LOVE “Canonball”, such a great song.
Lifehouse, “Everything”
Goo Goo Dolls, “Iris”
The Fray, “Look After You”
Copeland, “Coffee”
The Feverfew, “Goodbye, Blue Monday”
Five for Fighting, “100 Years”
Good Charlotte, “We Believe”
OneRepublic, “All We Are”
Matchbox 20, “Bed of Lies”, “If You’re Gone”
Michael Buble, “Home”
Oasis, “Stop Crying Your Heart Out”
Rob Thomas, “When the Heartache Ends”
Trespassers William, “Lie in the Sound”
WOW- I really took your invitation for recommendations and ran with it! (Sorry.)
What I like about “depressing” songs is their ability to so eloquently capture the verisimilitude that often eludes more lighthearted songs. These songs actually have substance and, like you said, can move you.
Best I ever had and sound of silence. It definitely conjures out an image of someone I used to love. These sad songs just bring out that artistic side of us (or maybe it’s less artistic, more existential?)
My favorite are the tragic love songs.
You guys really came through with the recommendations. Thanks so much! I’m going to check them all out.
Breathing – Lifehouse
Amazing – Blue October
Colorblind – the Counting Crows
Try those :)
i totally agree.
some of these are a bit obscure but:
laura marling ‘ghosts’
rachael yamantaga ‘elephants’
adele ‘hometown glory’
dixie chicks ‘not ready to make nice’ (has gotten me through every break up since the song came out)
leona naess ‘ballerina’
imogen heap ‘hide and seek’ and ‘speeding cars’
damien rice ‘the blowers daughter’
james blunt ‘goodbye my lover’ (brings me to tears in an instant, in a good way)
blue merle ‘part of your history’
david gray ‘slow motion’
mat kearney ‘undeniable’
patt green ‘three days’
snow patrol ‘chasing cars’
third eye blind ‘motorcycle drive by’
ok, i’m done. but i could go on and on.
and i just love it when a song captures what i wish i could say, much better than i could ever say it.
p.s. this has been super fun going back through old playlists to find those tracks and reintroducing myself to old friends from your list (ie. ’9 crimes’, dang)
Hey! I like depressing music too. haha. I also wanted to say that I hope you don’t mind that I quoted you on my blog. I used your “My liberal politics are not separate from my Christian faith; they are motivated by my Christian faith.” Don’t worry, I gave you credit for it. I like reading your posts!
Thanks again for the recommendations!!
Ashley: Of course I don’t mind. I’m flattered.
Thanks again for the recommendations!!
Ashley: Of course I don’t mind. I’m flattered.
“Oh Comely” by Neutral Milk Hotel … check it out immediately.
your blog is … scrumtruelescent.
As Liz said above me, try listening to Bright Eyes.
The cds “Fevers & Mirrors”, and “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning”
Brand New is also an amazingly depressing, yet moving band. Their cd “The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me” is incredible.
Also, if you don’t feel like downloading those cds (I used G2P.org to find all the zipped cds), you can try using Pandora Internet Radio!
You type in a band or song you like, and it brings up other artists and songs with similar sound qualities.
Great for discovering new music, or if you are on a depressing music trip, it will pull some great songs for you.
:]
Low – Things We Lost in the Fire (2001)
Galaxie 500 – Today (1989)
Gregor Samsa – Rest (2008)
You really need to listen to “Closer” by Kings of Leon and “Black Tables” by Other Lives. I love depressing music too!!
hi.we barely know each other.
anyways I think you need to check these bands out. the following is a list,compromising a mixture of different genres which I hope you like.
Porcupine Tree
Explosions in The Sky
GY!BE
Mono
65daysofstatic
Isis
Sigur Ros
Eric Clapton
Camel
Bark Psychosis
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony [the entire thing! I love the 2nd and the 4th movement,almost had an eargasm]
J.S. Bach’s six Cello Suites
I’ve included post rock/classical because sometimes I prefer the lack of lyrics that enables me to lift my mood, being able to interpret the sound and relate to it without having either cheesy words or words that don’t quite fit how you are feeling.
hope you like them. :)
and if you’d like,I’ll compile a list.
cheers.
I have few you might be interested in:
Various Evanescence songs – Immortal, Hello, Everybody’s fool, etc.
Coldplay – Fix you, The scientist
James Blunt – No Bravery
Avril Lavigne – My happy ending, Nobody’s home
Natalie Merchant – My skin
Kelly Rowland – Stole
Shakespears sister – Stay
Johnny Cash – Hurt
Ashley, I would like to thank you for your thoughts. The beautiful thing about the internet is that you can find someone who has the words you are searching for… To create meaning and ultimately understanding of your own world.
Thank you