Music To Die To: Gloomy Sunday

Halloween week seemed liked the best time to kick off a new series (yeah, I know I do a lot of those...). I can be a bit morbid at times. Often when I am listening to a song I'll think in terms of stories and scenes for film and how I might utilize the song for a death scene. So I thought, why not present you with music and in my way, an appropriate way to die set to the music. Now without further ado...

Song:
Gloomy Sunday (1941)

Performed By: 
Billie Holiday

It seems only appropriate that in a column about about death inspired by music that I start with one of the most famous examples. Amongst music and urban legend fans, Gloomy Sunday is known by another title: The Hungarian Suicide Song. The original music, composed by Rezső Seress, over the years has earned the reputation of driving people to kill themselves. Some stories suggest the possibility that thousands of Hungarians have killed themselves after hearing the song. While it's just myth, Rezső himself did eventually commit suicide. As did Billy Mackenzie of the Associates, who did a cover of the song. Personally I've never felt an urge to off myself while listening to the song. But of course, I'm not Hungarian.

Chosen Way To Die:
Given the nature of the song, it seems only appropriate that it be set to suicide. I'm thinking a bathtub, some candles, a tear stained letter, and the scene is set. Nothing more but to let Billie do her work.

Now let's listen to that song:

Bit of a downer, isn't she?