Melancholic, depressive, miserablist, misanthropist singer songwriters

Joni isn't always the cheeriest soul. "Unlucky in love" would be a regular theme through her early work. Don't know if I would go so far as "misanthrope", though.

Matthew Ryan "Comfort"

I was sitting in hell's kitchen

Contemplating murder

Contemplating murder

Contemplating the great escape
When you walked in

Looking like crap but satisfied

I swear that you looked satisfied

And I hated you for that

Well, someone once said

If you never look back

Then you'll never regret, nothing

Oh, but nothing

Has got a way of sneakin' up
Well, I know you did not ask

But I've got some comfort to offer

Nothing very good or bad ever lasts

Well, the bum that slipped underneath the fridge

Like a phantom card, we call him happiness

And all that happiness is a miserable son of a bitch
Now the kitchen's getting crowded

And the band is really loud

And there's a fat man saying he's my friend

Well, hey, man, if you're my friend

Will you spot me a drink?

And the couple in the corner

They're the reason why I hate rock and roll'

Cause rock and roll is dead, is dead, is dead
Well, I know you did not ask

But I've got some comfort to offer

Nothing very good or bad ever lasts

Michael stipe

I dunno about that one.

Robert Johnson: 

Me And The Devil Blues lyrics

 

Early this morning
When you knocked upon my door
Early this morning, oooo
When you knocked upon my door
And I said hello Satan
I believe it's time to go

Me and the Devil
Was walkin' side by side
Me and the Devil, woooo
Was walking side by side
And I'm going to beat my woman
'Til I get satisfied

She said you don't see why
That she would dog me 'round
(Spoken: Now baby you know you ain't doin' me right don'tcha
She say you don't see why, whoooo
That she would dog me 'round
It must-a be that old evil spirit
So deep down in the ground
You may bury my body
Down by the highway side
(Spoken: Baby, I don't care where you bury my body when I'm dead and gone
You may bury my body, woooo
Down by the highway side
So my old evil spirit
Can get a Greyhound bus and ride

Originally Posted by tonaimbutafew:

Michael stipe

I dunno about that one.

I think that's who Tony was referring to up above when he said:

"That bloke from everybody hurts-please shoot me-what's his face-something stype."

I’m incredibly bored with the word “millennium”
I’m with the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Millions now earmarked will later be wasted
Her Majesty, marvellous, Mother – The Musical
The fireworks lighting up the Houses of Parliament
Death in Trafalgar Square, death in the armchair
Of cliched old spinsters who’ve never been loved
Every day is Australia day
“Sons and Daughters” and “Home and Away”
And then the news comes on and the sound goes down
‘Cos she can’t be bothered with all them politicians
They’re all just a bunch of flaming drongos

She died with her telly on, eighty-seven and confused
With not enough hospital beds ‘cos all the money’s been used
On the end of the century party preparations
And they reckon that the last thing she saw in her life was
Sting, singing on the roof of the Barbican
Sting, singing on the roof of the Barbican

Perhaps our greatest fear is that we shall spend our last moments unable to move with Sting or Phil C or some rapper blaring out ... let's hope such a fate never bestows us, as I can think of no voices I'd less rather hear ... above is an extract form the saddest song ever written. 

Sorry guys this is off post. 

Hi Kevin.

I am in London on  Fri 8 March & over the weekend- got tickets to see

Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo @ Hoxton Hall. Have arranged to meet up with DenisA. The details of the gig are in the Your 2013 Concerts thread if you are interested, Could you drop me an email as I have not got your email details. I will also email Steve.

Mark Everett of Eels has written some consistently melancholy stuff.

Bruce

Will do G.

K

You Brits really do seem to gravitate a bit more to the melancholy it seems, by very passive observation and surely unfair generalization.  A few of the bands consistently recommended (Half Man Half Biscuit, Porcupine Tree . . . ) upon initial listen really are a bit too melancholy for me (and she; we listen to a lot of music together so consensus is usually needed)!

But alas, a fate that culminates with Sting or Phil C would indeed be bleak.  If that be my fate . . . please keep it a secret until "the end."

I love a bit of Melancholy music, especially some early Radiohead, like the below -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EKyhpKTAm0

But whereas a lot of people find it 'depressing' and 'Suicidal' I find it extremely beautiful and uplifting, music you can really get lost in, I wonder what that says about me and the people who find it 'Depressing'.

If there was an award/Oscar for the title of this thread

This album would take it hands down..

It's a brilliant album though.

Lovely SQ vinyl box set.

Stu.

What about Lawrence, of Felt and the brilliant Denim?

So sad it's almost invisible

Sort of the same idea exploited by Schubert 200 years prior. Winterreise: A collection of depressing tunes one after another. More painful to listen to because the composer knew his death was near.

Welcome back Stu; not quite been the same without you. A superb recommendation, music so fundamentally grumpy I'm surprised that author Ian Rankin didn't incorporate it into his character Inspector Rebus's playlist.

Try listening to some songs by The Swans - in particular "Failure" and some others. Very depressing. If you are remotely suicidal, suggest you stay away from this band.

Great band. Have you heard their last album "The Seer"? Superb...

Ah yes, E from the Eels.

Mark Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon/The Red House Painters tend towards melancholy. To say the least.

True,

But its done in such a wonderful way that one gets up lifted while listening.

I love Marks Work.

Stu.

Richard,

I took a punt on a special offer cheap deal of the vinyl box set when it came out a couple of years ago having never heard it,

I am so glad i did because its wonderful.

I to this day still wonder every time i listen to it how anyone can go into a studio and record such a deep down miserable  album and make it sound so good on purpose?

It always makes me think of I.T.The owner of Linn when i listen to it for some reason.

Stu.

Oh yeah. Me too. He is an absolute genius.