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25 most miserable songs ever.

metirish Jun 10 2005 01:23 PM

thought this was a good list, kinda fun and the number 1 song gets my vote, enjoy http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/fridayreview/story/0,12102,1502655,00.html

cooby Jun 10 2005 01:31 PM

I remember the song "Honey" (1968) I was eight years old and my seven year old cousin asked me to explain it to her because her mother wouldn't.

cooby Jun 10 2005 01:45 PM

You know, I just remembered "Honey" was followed up by an absolutely horrible song which I think was called "Honey's Song" which was some screeching broad singing back to her husband, presumably from Heaven. THAT should be number one on the list, even as a child I thought it was awful.

metirish Jun 10 2005 01:49 PM

obviously those songs had a deep impact on you Cooby :P , the Christmas shoes song is the pits though..

cooby Jun 10 2005 01:54 PM

Oh absolutely! I mean, it was almost forty years ago, and I'm STILL afraid to plant a tree

Edgy DC Jun 10 2005 02:09 PM

]every girl in Springsteen's songs is called Mary Now come on! And the cultural phenomenon that is Celine stinketh much, but that's a little harsh an assessment. Not one, but two Nazi metaphors, one comparing her to how we attacked Nazi attacks and another suggesting how we should have used her to attack them more. And besides, her vocal histrionics may be awful, but that doesn't mean the song is more miserable than another song. The list again makes the mistake most of these lists -- both positive and negative ones -- make of being indifferent to the distinction between performer and composer. Bette Midler certainly didn't write "The Rose." Amanda McBroom did. And it being too shallow and juvenile for the author's taste, or being associated with a movie with an unhappy ending, or being another over-the-top arrangement really make it a miserable song in and of itself. Kenny Rogers does still sing "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" (this guy needs to capitalize song titles), but in a sing-songy way that pisses off the Vietnam vets genuinely moved by and appreciative of the original recording. ]Strange Fruit is outfitted with grotesque lyrics ("bulging eyes", "twisted mouth", "burning flesh") which exploit the horrors of lynching more than they condemn it. Really? I'll say this about a lot of songs about heroin lamentations, but certainly not about this. ]Featuring four superfluous key changes... It's callled modulation. It's not like most showtunes and all Barry Manilow/Celine Dion ballads don't have it. Is this about miserable songs or sucky songs or overplayed ones? I guess suckly overplayed songs make him miserable, but it kind of interferes with his list of songs that are actually about miserable subjects that make you miserable.

Willets Point Jun 10 2005 02:36 PM

C'mon, even I was able to figure out that "Brick" was about an abortion and I'm usually clueless on lyrics interpretation.

KC Jun 10 2005 03:55 PM

I ain't all that familiar with some of those songs. To label "people who died" and "comfortably numb" as miserable ... I don't know. Losing a lot of friends to city nuttyness (sp?) is kinda miserable but the song kicks ass. Numb is part of a story, a kick butt movie and album, and can't be considered out of that context. Maybe the guy oughta hit the bong and watch The Wall. "Seasons in the Sun" is why WCBS-FM recently changed their format.

MFS62 Jun 10 2005 04:19 PM

HEY! I liked "Total Eclipse of the Heart". It was the inspiration for one of my parodies. Remember? Later ****************************************************************************** TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE ART Turnaround, every now and then I get a little depressed as the Mets are losing ground Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit tired of hearing “this is one of those years” Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit jealous of the teams that pass us by Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit anxious when you don’t give rookies a try Turnaround dull eyes, it seems like every day they fall apart Turnaround dull eyes, Every now and then I blame Art Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit restless as they lose in a new way wild Turnaround, Every now and then I feel a little bit helpless when in the post game you seem to act so mild Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit frustrated when I see the look in your eyes Turnaround dull eyes, it seems like every day they fall apart Turnaround dull eyes, Every now and then I blame Art And I feel that way each night And it seems to go on forever And if he weren’t so up tight This could be a season we could treasure And if Wilpon could make it right Then his contract he would sever The fans are feeling that they’re at the end of the line Your decisions are like a shadow on me all of the time You don't know what to do, like you’re always in the dark The team is looking moribund, why can’t you give it a spark? I really need you gone tonight Tomorrow’s gotta’ start tonight Tomorrow’s gotta’ start tonight Once upon a time they were a team that I loved But now that team is falling apart There's nothing I can do We’ve seen a total eclipse of the Art Once upon a time the team brought light to my life But now I sit here sad, in the dark Its all because Of a total eclipse of the Art Turnaround dull eyes Turnaround dull eyes Turnaround, every now and then I think Of the leader that you once showed you can be Turnaround, every now and then I’m sure you're not able to decide what a major league lineup should be Turnaround, every now and then I know the magic in Oakland can not be any way credited to you Turnaround, every now and then I know the team’s not getting better and you look like you haven’t a clue Turnaround dull eyes, it seems like every day they fall apart Turnaround dull eyes, Every now and then I blame Art So, we need a change tonight And I feel that more than ever You’re getting more and more up tight It seems to be going on forever And only Fred can make it right Well, at least Fred and Jim together We need someone who can make the right moves, and at the right time. Unlike the Captain of a fighting ship who knows where to point the bow Mets fans have a leader who reeks of “I don’t know Howe” Fred really needs to set it right Why can’t a new guy start tonight? Why can’t a new guy start tonight? Once upon a time they were a team that I loved But now that team is falling apart There's nothing I can do We’ve seen a total eclipse of the Art Once upon a time the team brought light to my life But now I sit here sad, in the dark Its all because Of a total eclipse of the Art

TheOldMole Jun 11 2005 08:46 AM

A list that doesn't have "He Stopped Loving Her Today" as number one, let alone on it at all, has some serious explaining to do.

TheOldMole Jun 11 2005 08:48 AM

It seems the whole world dies Whenever a teenager cries...

Johnny Dickshot Jun 11 2005 10:36 AM

I was impressed he included "Sam Stone" at least. What a downer that one is. Chicks in Springsteen songs that I know Bobby Jean (Bobby Jean) Candy (Candy's Room) Cherry (Meeting Across the River) Dirty Annie (You can look but...) Gloria (Gloria's Eyes) Jackie (NYC Serenade) Jane (Incident on 57th Street) Janey (twice: Spirit in the Night AND Spare Parts) Little Angel (the E Street Shuffle) Little Dolly (Ramrod) Mary (thrice: Queen of Arkansas AND 'The River' AND Thunder Road) Mary Lou (Does this Bus Stop) Sandy (4th of July) Sherry (Sherry Darlin) Terry (Backstreets) Wendy (Born to Run)

Edgy DC Jun 11 2005 09:37 PM

Yup. I'll also add Cynthia ("Cynthia") Kate ("My Hometown") Kitty ("Kitty's Back") Jeannie ("Jeannie Needs a Shooter") Maria ("Highway Patrolman"; also "Maria's Bed" from the new record) Another Mary ("Mary's House") Mary Dove ("Rockaway the Days") Rosafreakin'lita ("Rosalita") And, of course, Early-Pearly ("Blinded by the Light") I'm sure there's more. The dope's that there's still hope.

mlbaseballtalk Jun 17 2005 06:26 PM

="Johnny Dickshot" Bobby Jean (Bobby Jean) I think Bobby Jean was meant to be a guy and you forgot the most famous, Rosilita! Yeah the point that Bruce uses the name "Mary" often is an errouneous one Other than Thunder Road and and The River I don't think Mary appears in any of Bruce's "Greatest Hits" Steve