Hungarians have a tendency to describe themselves and their culture with the phrase "tearful celebration," and in fact Hungary has one of the highest suicide rates in Europe, except former Soviet Republics (Wikipedia). So it's hardly surprising how a sad and depressive tune from that country became the center of numerous urban legends regarding suicide, particularly after even its composer killed himself.
In any case, Szomorú Vasárnap (Gloomy Sunday), by Rezső Seress is alleged to be the song that has provoked more suicides than any other in history. Since such a claim is really hard to substantiate, I'm not even going to attempt to separate fact from fiction. Instead, I'd like to introduce this song to those who are not familiar with it, summarizing what Wikipedia says about it.
Conceived out of Gloom and Despair
In 1932 a struggling songwriter sat down at the piano and came up with a melancholic tune. He called it "Vége a Világnak" which can be translated as the world is ending, or the world has ended, or simply the end of the world.
The original lyrics have to do with war, which by that time had been over for more than a decade, and the next one was not even on the horizon. However, having been punished for WWI, plagued by financial and political collapses, and eventually by the Great Depression and the rise of fascism, Hungary was by no means a happy place at that time. Though, even if it had been, Hungarian pessimism has its way of turning things sour.
The Song Becomes a Hit
At first Seress' composition didn't receive much attention. One publisher refused it, saying that "there is a sort of terrible compelling despair about it." Only a year later, however it started to gain popularity, after poet Jávor Lászlo rewrote its lyrics. Not that he'd made it any happier, by any means. Being inspired by his fiancée breaking up her engagement with him, his version deals with the death of a loved one, as well as oneself.
It was this new version that was recorded, first by Pál Kalmár in Hungarian in 1935, then in English, at first by Hal Kemp in 1936, then by numerous artists, before Billie Holiday recorded its most defining version in 1941, which made it truly world famous. Since then it has been covered by many musicians up to the present, including such artists as Sarah McLachlan or Portishead.
Inspiring Suicides
Throughout the years there have been numerous anecdotes about people committing suicide after listening to this song. They were found clutching the sheet music, mentioned its lyrics in their farewell letters, or left the gramophone on repeat playing this song, while their lifeless body dangled from the ceiling. Was it the song that drove these people to end their lives? Or is it just a perfect opportunity to hype up and exploit a situation, as this following clip does it:
To give further support to these urban legends, the composer Rezső Seress also committed suicide, however only 35 years after writing the infamous song. Another thing that makes this song seem more dangerous than it probably is, was the fact that certain networks banned it for being too gloomy. Most famously, the BBC restricted the lyrical Billie Holiday version (though not the instrumental one) from the airwaves, because of the negative effect it may have on the wartime morale. Probably ignored and forgotten, it stayed banned until 2002.
A Strong Legacy
Admittedly, Gloomy Sunday is not alone among songs that may have inspired suicides. Just think of the numerous splatter platters from the 1950's, for example: Pop hits, dealing with the theme of suicide, which occasionally led to some copycats to imitate it. As a result the song got more famous, received more airplay, until concerned authorities banned it from the radio.
Gloomy Sunday has also inspired movies, among others The Kowak Box, or the German film Gloomy Sunday – A Song of Love and Death, which actually is on YouTube in its entirety:
Enjoy the various versions of Gloomy Sunday, but please be warned: it's incredibly sad, and several people are said to have killed themselves from it!
Please Visit my Previous Posts in my Music Monday Series:
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Songs of the Mexican Revolution: La Adelita
Accordion-Rock You May Not Know (But Really Should) - Los Tabascos
Beyond the Boundries of Styles and Genres - King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
No Prophets in Their Own Land - Rodrigo y Gabriela
The First Hip-Hop I Actually Liked - Things Fall Apart by The Roots
The Harder Sound of the Middle Ages - Corvus Corax
Party Like There's No Tomorrow, Cry Like Everything Is Lost - Hungarian Gypsy Music
Classic Canadiana: Stan Rogers
Floating Into the Night by Julee Cruise
Obligatory Line-Dance at Mexican Parties - El Payaso de Rodeo
The Sound of the Hungarian Zither
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