Szomorú Vasárnap, or Gloomy Sunday in English, is a hit song written in 1933 by Hungarian composer Rezső Seress. It’s more commonly known as the Hungarian Suicide song because of hundreds (if not thousands) of suicides that had been inspired by listening to it. The song itself has been has been covered several times, most famously by Billie Holiday, and for the most part is considered an urban legend and a brilliant marketing campaign.
The version that reached radio waves, however, is not the version that was originally written. Rezső Seress originally wrote the song in order to woo his girlfriend, who had recently left him. The song succeeded in bringing them back together for a short time, before she jumped from his apartment window. Rezső had been out at the time. His girlfriend left a note for him—”Szomorú Vasárnap.” The song was changed before release. Rezső Seress himself committed suicide in 1969, jumping out of his window in very much the same manner his girlfriend did.
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UGH! I HATE Sunday. I can’t place my finger on why, but there is a distinct feeling of dreariness I get from that day.
that’s really interesting. I’m going to look it up right now. I’ll try not to kill myself. there’s nothing my husband hates more than having to clean up my messes!
Wasn’t there a black and white short film/episode about a song that, if heard in entirety, would cause listeners to kill themselves? In it they have a man memorize the song— in parts so he won’t die— then they rupture his eardrums so he can’t hear, and he plays it on a piano to a group of people in chairs and they start killing themselves right there. I don’t remember where I saw it but it was set up like a documentary. Any ideas? Only 1 person I know remembers seeing it but they can’t remember the name either.
I listened it was a good song …. definitely makes you want to commit suicide…. in a good way
Emilie Autumn has a song called Gloomy Sunday. I think it might be a cover. I don’t know. But it’s understandable when people say it makes you want to commit suicide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLg1MOOJFOyaHZ0zJNvp58Wa0z8DhLbIXy&feature=player_detailpage&v=k8EcFfZ2VkI
yeah, it’s a cover. the original (or yknow, supposedly RE-DONE) original is on youtube as well… not really that hard to find, and not a bad song regardless. there IS something kind of… OFF about it though, if you listen.
You have to realize- the reason so many people died because of this song was because, during the time it was written, Hungary was suffering from a terrible economic collapse. Most people were poor and suffering. What is a bad mental state to begin with is aggravated by such a depressing song. Even more to the point is that the song proclaims the joys of dying, so that the man can meet his girl in the afterlife. This probably spoke to the people, causing them to seek ‘peace’.
How long? How long must we read this pasta?
Sunday, Gloomy Sunday! Sunday, Gloomy Sundayyyy! *sings*
that wasn’t even a story…
just a long ass statement.
Here is the song:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0
It’s not so much people are killing themselves over this song, but rather the population who is drawn to listen to this song. The subject matter of this song is death of a love one and the singer’s/writer’s desire of joining the person who passed. So, really, who do you think is listening to this song over and over?
Billie Holiday’s version of this song is particularly haunting due to the poor quality of recording from that time which gives the song that scratchy, slightly static, and incredibly old school feel to it – like you dug up this vinyl from grandma’s attic, covered with dust and cobweb, the label’s faded so you don’t know what it is, and when you play it, this is what comes out. Creepy, no?
Meh, suicidal people tend to listen to the same music. It’s more correlation than causation. I think if we did a cross-sample with suicides and Morrissey we’d find a similar pattern.
nobody seems to realize that this is the song from the movie Halloween 2
Imagine if this were true. The amount of power this song would have would be astonishing if it could inspire people to commit suicide just by listening to it. It would be the next weapon that could be used. Instead of carrying guns, biochemical, or even nuclear, we would just have to carry a song player system and some earplugs (for self protection, of course).
Good song, awful pasta.
Szomoru Vasarnap is probably one of my favourite songs. I’ve memorized it in Hungarian and in English. <3
dunno if this might be your work. i saw a movie (kovaks box, or trap or something like that) where this dude implanted all the peopple on the plain with little hcips that made them suicidal when they hear gloomy sunay song.
@ #7 Mookster:
Absolutely right! I like venetian snares a lot.
i find this hard to believe. i mean, he and his girlfriend did both commit suicide, as did many others. but if you think about it this song was written in the depression and people were killing themselves for other reasons. people lost their jobs and it was damn near impossible to get another one, their families might not have had food. i don’t think i need to explain what the depression was. it makes sense someone would listen to a sad song during sad times, whether they realize it or not.
try harder next time, annon.
AWWWWWWWW, that’s sad.
Funny enough, the local discotech had a techno-remix of that song.
Kinda catchy really.
hey i’ve read in another article that his girl commited suicide by poison not jumpin out of a window……. and i’ve heard the song n i didnt die
wooo massive suicide party YEAH !!! :D
i committed suicide after hearing that song
@29 damn!
next time im on ths streets, i’ll hum that song!
i listend to this song a few hours ago but nothing happend i just kinda feel like i need to do something like idk … end something :(
lol @ 29
The image is dissettling to look at. But other than that the song is quite normal. I don’t feel any bad vibes other than the way he is staring at me.
This is a true story. I’m not sure where or when this happened, but I’m told it’s true:
A man was walking down the street and heard a beggar humming Gloomy Sunday. He immediately gave the begger all of his possessions and jumped off a bridge to his death.
http://www.freewebs.com/qitranscripts/405.htm
Hollaback Girl has this same effect.
@Horst- The music at the beginning of that video freaked me out more than the actual song.
Artie Shaw’s got the best version of the song.
BEWARE! After listening to this song you will DIE…within 50 years or so, give or take.
This sort of reminds me of a similar scene in A Clockwork Orange.
A very timely Sunday post.
If you’re in the mood for cheering up, a bunch of versions can be found here, including the one by Billie Holiday:
http://thetorturegarden.blogspot.com/2007/07/gloomy-sunday.html
well…that was bloody morbid =\
I have this song on my i-pod. Really.
I’ve never felt like committing suicide over it, but I still like the myths behind the song!
>.>; *yawn*
It was alright, but I find it hard to believe that a song could drive thousands to suicide.
The one thing that bugs me is the last sentence. How many different ways can you jump from a window?
The author meant to say that he died in the same exact way as his girlfriend, which was jumping out a window.
Here’s the song that makes you commit suicide
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edaJP3Lp0Gg
I remember reading about this online a few weeks ago
this ones also nice:)
The song is creepy, but I’ve yet to kill myself from listening to it! I like the Bjork version.
This story actually DOES have some grain(s) of truth to it. See the Wikipedia article; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloomy_Sunday
True story yoh. Sheet music can be obtained online.
I should have included the English link.. Just in case any of you are like me and are curious to know what its saying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hRRIsMNlEY
The song makes me sad.. But not suicidal.
Oh lookie here! The lyrics are translated to English! :
Sunday is gloomy
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with are numberless
Little white flowers
Will never awaken you
Not where the black coach
Of sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thought
Of ever returning you
Would they be angry
If I thought of joining you
Gloomy Sunday
Sunday is gloomy
With shadows I spend it all
My heart and I have decided
To end it all
Soon there’ll be flowers and prayers
That are said I know
But let them not weep
Let them know
That I’m glad to go
Death is no dream
For in death I’m caressing you
With the last breath of my soul
I’ll be blessing you
Gloomy Sunday
Dreaming
I was only dreaming
I wake and I find you asleep
In the deep of my heart dear
Darling I hope
That my dream never haunted you
My heart is telling you
How much I wanted you
Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy Sunday
I’m still alive after hearing it
SUNDAYROLLED!
It’s an awesome piece of music. I have the Diamanda Galas version (the creepy one, lolz) on my iPod.
Very well known urban legend, been around for ages now. Whether there is any truth behind it or not it is a very sad song
IMO this is the best version of it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QAqJAfBjN8
This is why we should all be listening to wholesome, Christian music, like Norma Jean.
I think it was all just because of the depression during that time, not the song. The song only provoked it.
Sunday, Gloomy Sunday.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Qaa4GDBr0k&feature=related
I guess that’s the song the pasta means. (Starts at 1:20)
aha
I don’t get it
This is a very famous story. Gloomy sunday is a real song and many people have died after hearing it. However, during the time period in which this song was at its height of popularity, there were many socioeconomic problems that would account for the suicides. Because of that, no one can agree on whether or not the song is really cursed.
dude that sucks