This is the first in a series called “Mental Illness in Music,” in which I will explore human emotion and mental disorders through song lyrics. In this piece, I reveal “the saddest song of all time,” a lyrical representation of sadness, heartbreak, and depression.
Throughout history, humans have used music to portray emotions. The tempo, rhythm, melody, and harmony of a musical piece can all be used to create a certain emotional mood. However, this post focuses on lyrics, which can evoke powerful emotional responses. Lyrics can stir up strong emotions, form a bond between strangers, transport us to a different place, or they can trigger personal memories or associations.
The “saddest song of all time” is a compilation of lyrics from different songs, spanning the decades from 1950 to 2000. I removed slang and edited the lyrics to be in first-person tense, so that the song would be a personal reflection on pain, rather than a description of the pain of others. The result is a haunting and emotionally raw composition that captures the pain of heartbreak, loss, and loneliness, i.e., the saddest song of all time.
Trigger warning: This post contains references to suicide and may be triggering for some people. If you are feeling suicidal or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out for help. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. You can find additional resources for suicide prevention and recovery here on this site. You are not alone.
Mental Illness in Music Series (Part 1): The Saddest Song of All Time
Hello, darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
I have nothing here to sell you
Just some things that I will tell you
Some things I know will chill you to the bone
I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees
And misty memories of days gone by
But we could never see tomorrow…
No one told us about the sorrow
The grass in the valley is starting to die
And out in the darkness the whippoorwills cry
I can’t spell away this hurt
That’s dripping down my cheek
My pouring tears
Are running wild
All I hear is the sound of rain falling on the ground
I sit and watch as tears go by
It’s plain to see
The sun won’t shine today
But [I’m not] in the mood
For sunshine anyway
Now the clouds have covered o’er
And the wind is blowing cold
I don’t need anybody
Because I learned to be alone.
…
I can’t remember anything
Can’t tell if this is true or dream
Deep down inside I feel the scream
This terrible silence stops me
Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in…
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
I’m not half the man I used to be
There’s a shadow hanging over me
Oh, yesterday came suddenly
You remember the faces, the places, the names
You know it’s never over, it’s relentless as the rain
In the town of broken dreams
The streets are filled with regret
I’ve only sad stories to tell this town
My dreams have withered and died
Now those memories come back to haunt me
They haunt me like a curse
Is a dream a lie if it [doesn’t] come true
Or is it something worse?
I fall to pieces
Time only adds to the flame
And goodnight to the street sweepers
The night watchmen flame keepers
That hollow place where martyrs weep
And angels play with sin.
…
So, you think you can tell Heaven from Hell
Blue skies from pain?
I don’t build up illusion till it makes me sick
[I’m not] afraid of confusion, no matter how thick
Why does the sun go on shining?
Why does the sea rush to shore?
And the sunlight shining through the crack in the window pane
Numbs my brain, oh Lord
Life is but a memory
Happened long ago
Theatre full of sadness
For a long forgotten show
Time has a way of taking time
Loneliness is not only felt by fools
Alone, I call to ease the pain,
“Hello emptiness, I feel like I could die”
Emptiness
Is a place you’re in
With nothing to lose
But no more to win
Emptiness is filling me to the point of agony
Growing darkness taking dawn
I was me, but now he’s gone
No, I can’t forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door, I must have it painted black
Accidentally like a martyr
The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder.
…
[I’ve] used up all [my] coupons except the one…
Written on [my] wrist
Along with several thousand dreams
I’m sinking in the quicksand of my thought
And I [don’t have] the power anymore
I’m so hard to handle
I’m selfish and I’m sad
I’m beat, I’m torn
Shattered and tossed and worn
I could live a little better with the myths and the lies
When the darkness broke in
I just broke down and cried
I wear this crown of shit
Upon my liar’s chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
No one knows what it’s like
To be hated
To be fated to telling only lies
And there’s a taste in my mouth
As desperation takes hold
Above me a bird slowly crawls across the sky
Why is there nothing now to do but die?
I tried and failed and I’m tired and weary
Everything I ever [did] was wrong
And I feel like going home
I was shivering inside…
I was swallowing my pain
I said, Mother I’m frightened
The thunder and the lightning
I’ll never come through this alone
Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head
Ice frozen six feet deep
How long does it take?
Now in darkness, world stops turning.
The Saddest Song of All Time Song List
The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel (1964) | Songwriter(s): Paul Simon Hello, darkness, my old friend I've come to talk with you again The Grand Tour - George Jones (1975) | Songwriter(s): Norro Wilson, Carmol Taylor, & George Richey I have nothing here to sell you Just some things that I will tell you Some things I know will chill you to the bone How Can You Mend a Broken Heart - Al Green (1972) | Songwriter(s): Barry & Robin Gibb I can still feel the breeze that rustles through the trees And misty memories of days gone by But we could never see tomorrow… No one told us about the sorrow Alone and Forsaken - Hank Williams (1952) | Songwriter(s): Hank Williams The grass in the valley is starting to die And out in the darkness the whippoorwills cry D.I.V.O.R.C.E. - Tammy Wynette (1968) | Songwriter(s): Bobby Braddock & Curly Putman I can't spell away this hurt That's dripping down my cheek Drown in My Own Tears - Ray Charles (1957) | Songwriter(s): Henry Glover My pouring tears Are running wild As Tears Go By - The Rolling Stones (1965) | Songwriter(s): Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, & Andrew Loog Oldham All I hear is the sound of rain falling on the ground I sit and watch as tears go by Kathleen - Townes Van Zandt (1969) | Songwriter(s): Townes Van Zandt It's plain to see The sun won't shine today But [I’m not] in the mood For sunshine anyway Anywhere I Lay My Head - Tom Waits (1985) | Songwriter(s): Tom Waits Now the clouds have covered o'er And the wind is blowing cold I don't need anybody Because I learned to be alone. One - Metallica (1988) | Songwriter(s): James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich I can't remember anything Can't tell if this is true or dream Deep down inside I feel the scream This terrible silence stops me Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode (1990) | Songwriter(s): Martin Gore Words like violence Break the silence Come crashing in... Painful to me Pierce right through me Yesterday - The Beatles (1965) | Songwriter(s): John Lennon & Paul McCartney I'm not half the man I used to be There's a shadow hanging over me Oh, yesterday came suddenly Adam Raised a Cain - Bruce Springsteen (1986) | Songwriter(s): Bruce Springsteen You remember the faces, the places, the names You know it's never over, it's relentless as the rain Lonesome Town - Ricky Nelson (1959) | Songwriter(s): Baker Knight In the town of broken dreams The streets are filled with regret Withered and Died - Richard & Linda Thompson (1974) | Songwriter(s): Richard Thompson I've only sad stories to tell this town My dreams have withered and died The River - Bruce Springsteen (1980) | Songwriter(s): Bruce Springsteen Now those memories come back to haunt me They haunt me like a curse Is a dream a lie if it [doesn’t] come true Or is it something worse? I Fall to Pieces - Patsy Cline (1961) | Songwriter(s): Hank Cochran & Harlan Howard I fall to pieces Time only adds to the flame Tom Traubert’s Blues - Tom Waits (1976) | Songwriter(s): Tom Waits And goodnight to the street sweepers The night watchmen flame keepers Dirge - Bob Dylan (1974) | Songwriter(s): Bob Dylan That hollow place where martyrs weep And angels play with sin. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd (1975) | Songwriter(s): David Gilmour & Roger Waters So, you think you can tell Heaven from Hell Blue skies from pain? Most of the Time - Bob Dylan (1989) | Songwriter(s): Bob Dylan I don’t build up illusion till it makes me sick [I’m not] afraid of confusion no matter how thick The End of the World - Skeeter Davis (1962) | Songwriter(s): Arthur Kent & Sylvia Dee Why does the sun go on shining? Why does the sea rush to shore? T.B. Sheets - Van Morrison (1967) | Songwriter(s): Van Morrison And the sunlight shining through the crack in the window pane Numbs my brain, oh Lord Fruit Tree - Nick Drake (1969) | Songwriter(s): Nick Drake Life is but a memory Happened long ago Theatre full of sadness For a long forgotten show In My Darkest Hour - Megadeath (1988) | Songwriter(s): Dave Mustaine & David Ellefson Time has a way of taking time Loneliness is not only felt by fools Alone, I call to ease the pain, Bye-Bye Love - The Everly Brothers (1958) | Songwriter(s): Felice & Boudleaux Bryant “Hello emptiness, I feel like I could die” The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore - The Walker Brothers (1966) | Songwriter(s): Bob Crewe & Bob Gaudio Emptiness Is a place you're in With nothing to lose But no more to win Fade to Black - Metallica (1984) | Songwriter(s): Cliff Burton, James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, & Kirk Hammett Emptiness is filling me to the point of agony Growing darkness taking dawn I was me, but now he's gone Without You - Harry Nilsson (1971) | Songwriter(s): Pete Ham & Tom Evans No, I can't forget tomorrow When I think of all my sorrow Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones (1966) | Songwriter(s): Mick Jagger & Keith Richards I look inside myself and see my heart is black I see my red door, I must have it painted black Accidentally Like a Martyr - Warren Zevon (1978) | Songwriter(s): Warren Zevon Accidentally like a martyr The hurt gets worse and the heart gets harder. Dress Rehearsal Rag - Leonard Cohen (1971) | Songwriter(s): Leonard Cohen [I’ve] used up all [my] coupons except the one… Written on [my] wrist Along with several thousand dreams Quicksand - David Bowie (1971) | Songwriter(s): David Bowie I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought And I [don’t have] the power anymore River - Joni Mitchell (1971) | Songwriter(s): Joni Mitchell I'm so hard to handle I'm selfish and I'm sad Trouble - Cat Stevens (1970) | Songwriter(s): Cat Stevens I'm beat, I'm torn Shattered and tossed and worn She’s Lost Control - Joy Division (1979) | Songwriter(s): Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, & Ian Curtis I could live a little better with the myths and the lies When the darkness broke in I just broke down and cried Hurt - Nine Inch Nails (1994) | Songwriter(s): Trent Reznor I wear this crown of shit Upon my liar's chair Full of broken thoughts I cannot repair Behind Blue Eyes - The Who (1971) | Songwriter(s): Pete Townshend No one knows what it's like To be hated To be fated to telling only lies Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division (1980) | Songwriter(s): Ian Curtis, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris, & Bernard Sumner And there's a taste in my mouth As desperation takes hold The Shortest Story - Harry Chapin (1976) | Songwriter(s): Harry Chapin Above me a bird slowly crawls across the sky Why is there nothing now to do but die? I Feel Like Going Home - Charlie Rich (1960) | Songwriter(s): Charlie Rich I tried and failed and I'm tired and weary Everything I ever [did] was wrong And I feel like going home Jealous Guy - John Lennon (1971) | Songwriter(s): John Lennon I was shivering inside… I was swallowing my pain Night Comes On - Leonard Cohen (1984) | Songwriter(s): Leonard Cohen I said, Mother I'm frightened The thunder and the lightning I'll never come through this alone I Know It’s Over - The Smiths (1986) | Songwriter(s): Morrissey & Johnny Marr Oh Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head Borrowed Tune - Neil Young (1975) | Songwriter(s): Neil Young Ice frozen six feet deep How long does it take? War Pigs - Black Sabbath (1970) | Songwriter(s): Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, & Bill Ward Now in darkness, world stops turning.
Do you have a lyric that you think would be perfect for the series Mental Illness in Music? If so, please submit your lyric using the Contact form by October 1, 2023.
References
- Gabrielsson, A., & Juslin, P. N. (2003). Emotions in music. In P. N. Juslin & J. A. Sloboda (Eds.), Handbook of music and emotion: Theory, research, applications (pp. 59-92). Oxford University Press.
- Juslin, P. N., & Laukka, L. (2003). Expression and communication of emotions in music. In P. N. Juslin & J. A. Sloboda (Eds.), Handbook of music and emotion: Theory, research, applications (pp. 73-104). Oxford University Press.
- Krumhansl, C. L. (2002). Music and emotion: Theory and research. Annual Review of Psychology, 53(1), 625-660.
- This Day in Music History (musicthisday.com)
- Thompson, W. F., & Balkwill, L. J. (2007). Music and emotion: A cross-cultural perspective. Cognition and Emotion, 21(4), 767-786.
- Wikipedia contributors. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
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