Depressong!/Pin-Point

Depressong!

In Nick Hornby's novel "High Fidelity" (as well as in the movie) the main character Rob, who is a music store owner, reflects on life and past relationships after tough a break-up. Being a music junkie, Rob relates to everything through music, and asks himself an important question:

"Do I listen to pop music because I'm miserable, or am I miserable because I listen to pop music?"

I saw the movie prior to reading to book, but when I heard the quote I thought to myself, "that's brilliant!" Music has a huge influence in many people's lives. A lot of the music that touches people is of a so-called "depressing" nature. I don't think that most people listen to this type of music because they're emotional masochists, rather it provides an outlet. Listening to sad music sometimes makes people feel better knowing that that they're "not alone" in the world or with their emotions. Sometimes the music says what we can't, sometimes we need to reflect, and hey let's face it, sometimes we just need to get our emotions out and listening to"depressing" music helps move that process along.

I listen to and enjoy a lot of so-called "depressing" music. I'm generally a pretty happy guy, unicorns and clovers flying out of my eyes and what not. It was a hard list to come up with, and I'll probably change my mind after it's posted. Here are my top ten most "depressing" songs (in no particular order):

**Click on the artist to listen to the songs

Bon Iver - Skinny Love:

Holy fuck, so people generally write about their "experiences right?" Art imitating life and all of that....If that's the case, Bon Iver has been through some intense shit. After listening to this incredible yet heartbreaking song, and really the whole "For Emma, Forever Ago" album, I'm surprised that he's still coherent enough to be able to compose these amazing songs. If it were me, I'd be in a stark white room, furiously rocking back and forth knitting...Knitting what? Who knows?....Just knitting.

Death Cab for Cutie - What Sarah Said:

We're going to get a little serious right now, join the circle...Death is something I don't think anyone can get used to. Losing someone you love, it's a different and entirely painful experience everytime it happens. Even though I've experienced it before, my worst fear is still seeing someone I love die. I don't mean to get all Debbie Downer or Buzz Killington on everyone, but I heard this song just before my grandfather died...Hearing the lyrics, although intense were in a weird way comforting. A bit hard to take at the end of the song when Ben Gibbard belts out, "so who's going to watch you die,?!?!" Jeesh...

The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby:

What do you get when you take melodic and haunting lyrics, add some violins that sound even more melodic and haunting, and throw that into a metaphorical magic bullet with "all the lonely people"? (Press down three times) You get a huge emotional wedgie of helplessness and an ass waxing of sadness. I mean poor Eleanor Rigby "and" Father McKenize. I understand why they couldn't hook up, the whole celibacy thing and what not. When he wrote the song, couldn't Paul McCartney at least find Eleanor Rigby a haggard old bloke to share some bangers and mash or a crumpet with?!? Or find Father McKenzie an altar boy or tw....Um, I mean a few people to fill up the pews? Am I right people? Hallelujah.....Hallelujah!! Amen....Amen!!

Bob Dylan - Girl from North Country:

Ever had your heart broken by a harmonica? Then donkey punched by a harmonica? And then urinated on by a harmonica? (That's crazy you think, harmonica's don't have sexual organs...You're wrong! Bob Dylan's does!) Just listen to any Bob Dylan song...The man knows how to squeeze emotion from people until they're drier than Betty White. He does this not just through his harmonica but through his raspy, desperate and lonely voice. Not only has he appeared to have broken a few hearts (see "It's all over now Baby Blue" & "It aint me babe") but has also gotten his heart broken (see "Don't Think Twice It's Alright"). In "Girl from North Country" it seems as though his heart was broken, by a girl from North Country....Canada perhaps? Perhaps.

Beverly Kenney or Chet Baker- Born to Be Blue:

Off the bat, I will state that I prefer Chet Baker's version of this song (couldn't find it on youtube) His heavy use of the trumpet adds a distinct moodiness to it, like walking down a dark alley, tears hitting the cement, with only empty boxes and rats to see your sadness.. Beverly Kenney sounds a little too optimistic for my liking, however, who can sound really that optimistic singing "I was born to be blue." What's your purpose in life? Person a) "You know, I like to help people, I want to better this world, make some type of difference." Chet Baker/Beverly Kenney "Umm, to be blue." If Chet Baker was, you know, was an actual Baker, and felt this way about his life, and of course still alive, I'd suggest that he throw himself in an oven....R.I.P Chet Baker.

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven:

Would you know my name, if I saw you in heaven? I'm guessing that if I depress you like this song does, you'll probably be like "ummm, sorry, yeah, never see you before....Hey God, this guy's bugging me, do you mind, you know, doing something about this?" In all seriousness, this is a beauitful song. Perhaps the first song that I can remember, other than Mike and the Mechanic's "The Living Years" that actually evoked emotion from me. It's about his 4 year old son who died in a tragic accident. They say that a parents worst fear is for their child to die before them, their "worst" fear. It shows just how deep a parents love really is.

The Smiths - Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me:

The song title itself oozes with self-pity. Imagine that, nobody loving you. So what "has" to happen instead? You "have" to fall alseep, "hope" that a dream takes over, and then "hope" that dream is of somebody loving you....Seriously, this song is too sad, take me away! Make me 8 again, actually allow me to be an 8 year old in animated form, that way I can get onto the "Magic School Bus" and examine a 67 year old's prostate. Hey! It's better than hearing Morrissey go on about how nobody loves him...I do love the Smiths, love the Smiths! But this song would even depress Tony Robbins, and he's a happy happy fucker.


Joy Division - Love Will Tears Us Apart

List of things that will tear us part according to science: Bears, Swamp People, Two day old band-aids and tape respectively (thanks for that one Wonton), Mer-men, Hurricanes, Travis the Chimpanzee's ghost (what?? too soon??), beans, Rob Schneider and Van Damme in "Knock Off", irony, Dr. Ho's massage thingy, Peter Mansbridge and that Spanish guy down the hall who wanted to get naked and help me clean.

List of things that will tear us apart according to Ian Curtis and the rest of Joy Division: Love...Yup, that's pretty fucking "depressing."


Pearl Jam - Last Kiss

If "Tears in Heaven" was one of the first songs I heard that I remember evoking emotion, this is probably the first song that actually made me cry.....What?! It's a sad song (and I'm a fucking sap) Another one about death, this time belted out by Eddie Veeeeeeeeeder (Vedder). Pearl Jam aren't the actual band that wrote this song, it was originally done by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers in 1964. Regardless, it's beautiful story-telling and would make any man, woman, Oprah, Gail or child reach for a kleenex or jump into a vat of comfort food.


Coldplay - The Scientist

Yes, Coldplay had to find a way onto this list. Initially I was going to go with the lesser known "See You Soon" but The Scientist seemed more appropriate. You know how when you're a kid, and there's tension in a classroom, someone would usually make a fart noise to get rid of that tension? This song makes me want to make fart noises all over the place. I love the song, but it's bombarded with tension. What would be better than at the moment that Chris Martin hits his falsetto, you hear a fart noise? Okay, blue-raspberry anything would be better...But other than that, I think the fart noise prevails...


5 honourable mentions by Wonton:

Beatles - Yesterday

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism

Straylight Run - Another Word for Desperate

Damein Rice - Delicate


There are soooo many more songs that I could add, Elvis Costello's "Alison," The Beatles "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away", The Shins "New Slang", Brand New's "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shoe," Stars "Your Ex-Lover Is Dead," Feist's "Lonely Lonely", The Acorn's "Oh Napoleon", Beirut "A Sunday Smile", The Temptations "Just my Imagination," Radiohead's "Thinkin' About You," Billy Bragg feat. Wilco's (originally writted by Woody Guthrie) "One by One," and on and on and on... Fact of the matter is, I'm tired, and now friggin' depressed (well, not really)....I need a shot (well, really)....

Talk to you sooner than soon,

-Samosa



Pin-Point

For close to 15 years now, I have been in a serious relationship. Not with a girl but with music. When I get sad I turn on some music, when I am getting pumped up I turn on some music. When I meet someone I ask her/him what kind of music they like. I can’t imagine my life without music. Anyways I just wanted to pinpoint the moment I fell in love with music and what I listened to that made me have such a love affair with music.

The first album I bought was Dookie by Green Day. When I popped that sucker in I was hooked to guitars and drums and lyrics. The moment the first track lay upon my ear drums I was taken away to Billie’s world. I immediately fell in love with the rock culture. After that I was hooked I saved up my allowance and bought Weezer’s Blue Album right after and to this day it is still one of my favorite albums. I brought that cd everywhere I went and played it till I had to get a new one because it was so scratched up by the end. I love it so much I am going to write a short story using the names of the tracks:

There was once a guy named Jonas and his buddy Holly, they went in the garage to escape house chores. “The world has turned and left me” said Jonas. Holly said “Quit bitching my sweater has come Undone”. “Say it ain’t so” Jonas said smirking. Holly slapped Jonas across the face, rubbing his sore cheek Jonas says “Only in dreams”. As they sit around Holly mumbled “I really need a Holiday”. “I wanna go surfing!” exclaimed Jonas “Surf Wax America!”.

**Worse short story ever!

Over the years my taste in music has broadened but I never forgot the roots. I still pop in these cd’s and experience some well needed nostalgia from time to time. Hollering “SAY IT AIN’T SO!” at the top of my lungs has always been fun while I am driving or walking (people probably think I am a nut).

Over and Out,

Wonton