Ahh, the monthly surge of hormones, and propensity for moments of quiet depression has led me to make many a depression playlist. Here’s the top ten songs that truly throw me into a melancholic funk.
1. The Cure – Pictures of You
“If only I’d thought of the right words, I could have held on to your heart. If only I’d thought of the right words, I wouldn’t be breaking apart… all my pictures of you” This song never fails to get me and brought tears to my eyes at The Cure concert like a deranged Michael Jackson fan.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8UR2TFUp8w]
2. Carly Simon – Coming Round Again
“So don’t mind if I fall apart, there’s more room in a broken heart” Mostly extending from the movie “Heartburn”, this song is poignant, hopeful, realistic and sad all at the same time. Points for including a souffle mention.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0A7jAVDPJU]
3. Fleetwood Mac – Storms
“Every night you do not come, your softness fades away. Did I ever really care that much? Is there anything left to say?” Stevie Nicks is my soul in lyrics, she makes the unprettiest confessions with pretty words. She also has a magnificent way with scarves.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7g3EwYZbFMU]
4. Aimee Mann – Today’s The Day
“And baby isn’t this your chance, to make a break with circumstance? And isn’t it enough to prove today’s the day?” This song reminds me of a break-up, and wondering about your true motives about any sort of ending really. At some point, this song becomes rhetorical.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcTv1hhYoyE]
5. Bruce Springsteen – Secret Garden
“She’s got a secret garden, where everything you want, where everything you need, will always stay a million miles away” Minus the Jerry Maguire associations (which was a great movie), this song makes me feel uncomfortable because there’s always a part of myself that I irrationally hold back. I am aware it’s irrational. It’s probably not even that important, like my recipe for keylime cupcakes, or something.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtMhtMc1GW8]
6. Coldplay – The Scientist
“Nobody said it was easy. No one ever said it would be this hard” I don’t know how people can hate on Coldplay when this song exists. This song is perfection from beginning to end, and so is the video. (It’s ok to hate Coldplay if you really hate Gwyneth Paltrow though)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWLpTKBFcU]
7. David Gray – This Year’s Love
“But when you hold me like you do, it feels so right. I start to forget how my heart gets torn” This song is like a jump rope of emotions – in between hope and pain. Unfortunately, this song has been used in 2 Kirsten Dunst movies.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo-tp0JZvUA]
8. Don Henley – Heart of the Matter
“What are these voices outside love’s open door, make us throw off our contentment, and beg for something more?” This song is sadness from the first riff to the last and the words in the middle, are pure poetry about temptation, mistakes, regrets and forgiveness. I thought it would be overkill to post the entire song’s lyrics here but they are so beautiful. “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I thought I figured out, I have to learn again”
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xezg3z5IE8I]
9. Eagles – Desperado
“Don’t you draw the queen of diamonds boy, she’ll beat you if she’s able. You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet” I quoted this song in an essay when I was 15. 15. I should have known my life wasn’t going to be “normal”. I do love my Don Henley. Little wonder that he was with my beloved Stevie Nicks.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE-U5e78WHc]
10. Radiohead – No Surprises
“I’ll take the quiet life, a handshake of carbon monoxide, no alarms and no surprises” Lyrics aside, this song has one of the most melancholic melodies ever. It once made my little niece break out into silent sobs. Maybe it was just Thom Yorke.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CVsCnxyXg]