The Saddest, Most Depressing Blues Songs Ever Recorded
In a discussion I've started elsewhere on this site, I offered that one of the biggest misconceptions outsiders have regarding the Blues is people think it to be a "depressing music."
While I was asking, "What is the Single Biggest Misconception People Have Regarding the Blues," three people who have posted have supported this claim.
Doing a search for saddest, most depressing songs, I came across one site which listed 382 songs titles and artists fitting this description. Although there were plenty of country songs, folk songs and even hip-hop numbers, I could not find mention of one Blues song which qualified.
What are the saddest, most depressing Blues songs you know of? I think my library of CDs, vinyl albums, cassette tapes, 45s and 78s, is somewhat limited. In mentally reviewing what I am familiar with, I could not think of many to fit this description.
Can you help?
While I was asking, "What is the Single Biggest Misconception People Have Regarding the Blues," three people who have posted have supported this claim.
Doing a search for saddest, most depressing songs, I came across one site which listed 382 songs titles and artists fitting this description. Although there were plenty of country songs, folk songs and even hip-hop numbers, I could not find mention of one Blues song which qualified.
What are the saddest, most depressing Blues songs you know of? I think my library of CDs, vinyl albums, cassette tapes, 45s and 78s, is somewhat limited. In mentally reviewing what I am familiar with, I could not think of many to fit this description.
Can you help?
Tags: Blues, DepressingSongs, Misconceptions, Music
Views: 3369
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by jim walker on -
good point that noise my kid makes at 2am with his out of tune guitar is very sad,and makes me depressed
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Permalink Reply by Jim Chilson on -
Saddest ...."Strangefruit" by Billie Holliday
Lyrics:
Southern trees bear strange fruit,
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root,
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.
Pastoral scene of the gallant south,
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth,
Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh,
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh.
Here is fruit for the crows to pluck,
For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck,
For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop,
Here is a strange and bitter crop.
paints a vivid portrait of racism in america past - very powerful lyrics
saddest/scariest - "Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground" - Blind Willie Johnson.....it is so eerie it made my hairs stick up while typing this....but it is a beautiful song...
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Permalink Reply by Amyah on
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Now that might be the saddest blues song ever. Hurt my soul to read, but that's the point isn't it?
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Permalink Reply by James Brock on
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Skip James: 'Devil Got My Woman' would be a hot favourite (Robert Johnson's 'Hellhound On My Trail' is similar, probably influenced by the previous number). The miracle of the blues is of course, that it is actually uplifting to hear these songs - why? - I don't know!
James B
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Permalink Reply by ~Seeker on -
In general principle, i agree, however there are a few that i consider to be really depressing, This one by Johnny Cash, certainly qualifies as depressing, at least to me.
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Permalink Reply by jaycee on
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its a song, numerous blues artists have covered, but does it get any more depressing than. st james infirmary!!
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Permalink Reply by Rob Wilkinson on -
Depressing maybe - but very powerful - wow
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Permalink Reply by Amanda Marie Hulon on -
Even though this is not his song, it is still one of my favorites. An amazing cover, and no one could have done it better.
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Permalink Reply by Fitzgerald on -
Son Houses - Death Letter
Another candidate in my mind is BB King's the "Thrill is Gone" the song itself is not so depressing, but people who have lived through that kind of relationship understand.
When I was a boy, there was a lady that lived on my route from school, she sat on her front porach and played that song over and over. I could not understand why a person would do that, but now I do.
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Permalink Reply by James Brock on
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The winner of this contest is 'Hard Times Killing Floor' by Skip James. It is a true fact that Skip was once paid to stop singing this song, as it was making people more miserable than they already were (this all happened during the 1930s depression).
I can't think of any better 'proof' than that. As for Pat Boone - well, that's cheating..
[when do I get the prize?]
JB
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Permalink Reply by Jim Chilson on
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James,
Just by reading this discussion I can see Skip James is a favorite....and I couldn't agree more,...I think I am going to open up the Skip James section in my CD collection tonight...thanks for the inspiration!
Jim
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