How much depressing music should you listen to?

[lightbulb27]

I just discovered "Alice in Chains". What an incredible song and feel. I've been into emotional "hell" before, not this one, but I know what it's like... and it's a bottomless pit. I got out...

Warning: Sad, negative song...

It took two seconds and looking at this photo and my sense was... this singer would kill himself. So I read the wiki history which affirmed he didn't live so long. There's a huge difference in expression between the two aritsts expressions.

Words are energy... emotion, they reflect on our faces. It can feel good to take in anothers emotion (song), but ya don't want to hang onto it. I immediately turned on some "feel good" music.

Question is... how much negative feeling sound should you take on and can you handle?

People whom are more sensitive, should avoid taking on negative vibes until they learn how not to take them on. I suspect sensitive people or those whom are sad, will want more sad music... because it feels right, or they may want to help those whom are sad.

None

Some

A lot! All I want is negative

[Lliam]

I love certain sad songs. Some about lost love or longing really get to me.
I don't listen to them when I'm sad. I just think they are beautiful. They don't make me feel depressed. They more like watching a scene in a movie that is so touching that it makes you cry.

There are lots and lots of songs of various genres that I could name.

I was friends with a guy named Utah Phillips for about 10 years before he died. That guy could write songs! And some were so poignant that they can make me emotional if I'm in the right mood. Miner's Lullaby is one. I Think of You is another.

Machine Gun by Jimi Hendrix isn't slow and sweet. But it fits the description of depressing while also being incredibly evocative. His portrayal of the horrors of war hits me hard.

Here's one that was arranged and recorded (not written by) the band Uriah Heep.
The lyrics and arrangement rip my guts. Listen to the whole thing and let me know what you think. (Forget about the album cover photo)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/9pJ364IVr7U

[lightbulb27]

I've never heard this song and I remember hearing about Uriah Heap but can't say I heard their songs. I believe that band name has something to do with a smoking device?
I usually "get" a song but this one I don't get so much. What's closing the door and picture book... be a photo of his wife killed in the war?

I remember asking my father "who[m] won the Vietnam war" as I saw the 197x pullout on tv and reporting. he said coldly..."nobody... we all lost". My uncle was in it and told me chilling stories. were lucky we missed big wars in our time.

[lightbulb27]

the song has a great feel to it.
Harry Bellefonte version is also quite touching.

[lightbulb27]

hadn't heard machine gun either... wow...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0gnl8SYkdo

[Lliam]

Come away is about a father who is raising a young daughter. She finds a photo album buried in the ground. It has photos of little girls like her and a beautiful woman. She is fascinated. But when she asks her father who they are, he can't bring himself to talk about it. The woman was his wife and the little girl's mother, and the little girls were her sisters. They were all killed in some war.

It was originally an anti-war folk song written by Fred Hellerman and Fran Minkoff, and first recorded in 1963 by Harry Belafonte.
Check out his version and compare it to the evocative arrangement by Uriah Heep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gcz-vZAz-0

[lightbulb27]

that's the one I found on youtube.
This song most reminds me of WWII Germany. German men could easily lose their wives and daughters, just like in Ukraine now. I guess it could be from viewpoint of vietnamese family or any.
It's something I've not experienced and frankly, I tried to avoid my whole life... losing all my family. that thought set me to an oath to never have a family. Fear is a terrible master.
Quite a reflective song, to have the little girls perspective. It's where we are all at... living on someone elses ashes and tragedy before us.

[Lliam]

And Machine Gun. Nobody ever play a guitar like that before and nobody has since. Jimi showed the world what could be done with a guitar. That's why he is still considered the greatest guitarist by professional musicians.

My God! The way he evoked the senselessness, inhumanity, pain, terror, anguish and chaos of war; bullets, bombs, rockets, explosions, all with the raw emotion of his solo guitar.

[lightbulb27]

Agree, that's frankly... hard to reproduce, he could speak through the guitar.

[Lliam]

And that was live.

[WhiteSteve]

Oh man, saw these guys live a few years back (minus Layne Staley obviously, but the replacement sounds a lot like him). I was in a mosh pit (surprisingly, since the music is kind of slow rather than intense) that actually was pretty violent. Couple of BIG BOYS in there, built like offensive linemen, with BAD intentions. I managed to not get killed by them because I’m decently big, but a couple of skinny kids got literally tossed out of the circle a few times, like they went airborne, luckily landing on grass, at least. Good times, lmao.

Anyway…. probably good to keep the melancholy shit to a reasonable level. I can’t imagine that doesn’t effect someone over time. All the sad sacks I’ve ever known were always mainly into stuff like this. I like grunge music but most of it is so depressing if you actually listen to the lyrics, lmao

[lightbulb27]

mosh pit... nice!!
agree, there's a reason it feels depressing and that seems universal. taking on others emotional pain is not healthy.

[Christsdisciple15]

I listen to sad music when I’m sad because it’s just reflecting how I feel inside but that isn’t the case all the time. I can listen to sad music even while happy but still enjoy the song and the vibe.

side note: I love alice in chains!

[jshm2]

As much as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ud7MALmFld8https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Wt1yEejRbM

But you should always give that adrenaline shot with some Frenchcore after. All to ensure you understand that while it's ok to be down, we are predators at heart. We must always eventually fight back, regardless of what is before us.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/OwcHGm-GF9I

[lightbulb27]

Tornequet... that's some great workout music there...

[Heolurt]

People tend to listen to music that reflects their feelings it's a way of knowing there are others who relate the same way as you, this is why listening to depressing music can be good for someone in a depressed state, it's why forcing yourself to listen to upbeat music when you're depressed isn't always a good idea.

[lightbulb27]

yes, somehow the feelings need to be changed positive, that's challenge. some people like to stay in depressed state.

[AaronKrieger]

I don't listen to sad shit that often, but only ever do when in one of those weird phases or moods. However, I do think it can create a habit of being in that type of state if you listen to it too much, which doesn't help you if you have shit to do.

I've never gotten into Alice In Chains too much, but I always liked the song Nuthsell by them. They make good music.

[FunkyMonkee]

As much as you want! Whatever floats your boat!

[lightbulb27]

or sinks it...

[AngryCarl2]

A lot, but not the majority. Sometimes it just feels good to feel bad. Doom metal ftw.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/IDYXXYxadU8

You can't spell Funeral Doom Metal without "fun"!

[exitseven]

Sometimes I will listen to it when I get depressed

[hiyamotherfers]

probably to much