Sunday, March 21, 2010

March Sadness


So that whole National Championship thing isn't going to pan out after all. As one commenter pointed out, with the loss of my beloved Jayhawks, the death of Sparklehorse frontman Mark Linkous and the baffling Google Ad problems, it's been a shitty couple weeks in terms of things that generally make me happy. While this should probably serve as a lesson in putting too much faith in things beyond my control, come next November, I will again be screaming passionately at my television at nineteen-year-olds with assured NBA futures.

That said, not all is lost - Here in DC the weather is gorgeous, the Cherry Blossoms are blooming, Health Care is going to pass and I'm seeing my favorite comedian, Marc Maron tonight at the Black Cat. I will survive but that doesn't mean I can't wallow in my self-pity for just a bit longer. Here now, in no particular order, the 5 most depressing songs I know (or could think of at the moment).

Joy Division - "Atrocity Exhibition"
To be honest I have no idea what this song is even about but it sounds like a haunted demon singing from the most tortured place in Hell.






Dismemberment Plan - "The Face of the Earth"
Don't let the beat fool you. This song is about loss coming in the form of one incredibly sad and confusing anxiety attack.





Jeff Buckley - "Hallelujah" Bold
Leonard Cohen wrote it but Buckley owned it. This kind of emotion cannot be faked and sadly it took it's toll on Buckley who ended up drowning himself in a river.





Mountain Goats - "No Children"
Because sometimes bitterness can lead you to that place where you just say fuck absolutely everything. And sometimes that feels great.





The Smiths - "I Know it's Over"
Because really, there's no better person to turn to when you're feeling down then the Pope of Mope.



11 comments:

  1. If I may say one thing about Jeff Buckley, he was so much more than Hallelujah. His first album "Grace" made me a completely different person. I have studied much of his work and I just want to say that it's sad that he's only known for "Hallelujah". His band was gifted as well and some of the most haunting, soulful cries ever heard on his records were his dual telecasters, crystal quiet and raging cacophony, along with Jeff hitting you in your gut with his pain from a broken heart or rage from a drunken fight with his lover...I think there should be more introspection to Jeff Buckley than just one song...That's all, and no offense Trav.

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  2. The weather in D.C. sucks right now. :) Just thought I would add some salt to that wound.

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  3. Yep, the weather does suck now. No offense taken Casey. I couldn't agree with you more. I love Jeff Buckley for all the reasons you stated above. "So Real" and "Last Goodbye" are both better songs than "Hallelujah" to be sure and his band was incredible. My argument was only that "Hallelujah" is depressing as hell and what Buckley did to Cohen's song was probably the best cover since Aretha remade Otis Redding's "Respect." You clearly have to already be an amazing talent to pull something like that off.

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  4. Anonymous22/3/10 18:29

    May the comedian make you laugh again and may the cherry blossoms make you sneeze.

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  5. I think I agree with you 100% Travis, for once, a stereotype does ring true, "Great minds do think alike"... is that a stereotype? or just a statement?

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  6. As a great mind, I'll say it's a little of both. :)

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  7. Anonymous23/3/10 08:35

    It's not a stereotype or a statement...it's a falsity. :)

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  8. Ouch! Unmask yourself anonymous person!

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  9. Anonymous23/3/10 17:06

    Rufus Wainright did a good version of halleluyah also.
    (this is a different anonymous person by the way, I just don't know how to post a comment with my name...could you post instruction/help by any chance?)
    who are you rooting for now that Kansas is out?

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  10. That's a good idea, I will post directions - as soon as I figure out what they are myself. Blogger makes commenting unnecessarily hard. Haven't heard the Wainright version but I'll definitely check it out.

    Who am I rooting for? Mass Chaos. If my bracket/team is done then everyone else's should be too! I want to see a Final Four of UNI, Cornell, Baylor and Saint Mary. If I can win then screw everyone else! Yes, I'm petty like that.

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  11. i have '!', 'is terrified' and 'emergency and i' but never got 'change.' that will be rectified as soon as possible.

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