Composing a sad song is one of the greatest
challenges for any composer. Anyone who has experimented with music knows this.
It is so much more than putting few minor chords together and singing with a melancholic
voice. If you do it bad, the composition usually turns out to be a sappy mess
of meaningless emotions put together. In most cases, the greatest sad songs are
from writers who unabashedly express their experiences with pain. The bands listed below show how it is done.
Suicide Note Pt. 1 – Pantera
A drug addict painfully sings this song. This
addiction is built up on fear and drugs are his refuge. However this refuge
doesn’t feel safe for him and he sings about his guilt, his disbelief in this
fake world, reminding himself that this is only a way of cheating his pain, a
mere placebo.
Here are some lyrics from the song to
emphasize on the lyrical genius of this masterful composition.
Would
you look at me now?
Can
you tell I'm a man?
With
these scars on my wrists
To
prove I'll try again
Darkness
Within – Machine Head
This song is like nightfall in the woods.
Beautiful, calming, yet it scares the hell out of you. We all have some
darkness within us. Even the most joyous ones. It somehow finds a way to affect
you at times. We all know this and we
take some measures to heal ourselves from this darkness. The song is about using
music for the same purpose. The lyric is pure poetry.
Como
Estas Amigos – Iron Maiden
When Iron Maiden writes a song about war,
you are bound to be blown away. The song opens with a baritone curtain by Blaze
asking ‘Como Estas Amigos’. The song is about of the Falklands war and the
aftermath. The lyrics inspire hope to move forward from the horrors the war.
When he sings
No
more tears, no more tears
If we
live for a hundred years
Amigos
no more tears
you are left fighting a lump in your
throat.
Wither
- Dream Theater
Wither is about the dejected moments of our
lives. The coldest emotional turmoil we are sometimes subject to. However
strong we maybe, sometimes the sadness is overwhelming and we give in. Instead
of fighting with it, it sometimes does help to just let it all out.
Soldier
of Fortune – Opeth
Originally by Deep Purple, the song is a mercenary’s
narrative. He is battling with the choices he made for his own life, those
which have resulted in losing the love of his life. As he is getting closer to
death he wonders if this was worth at all. Give a dark song to Opeth and they’ll
make it pitch dark, haunting and epic.
Solitude
– Black Sabbath
Probably the most depressing song on this
list. Solitude is about complete isolation. The person is singing about his
worthless life and has absolutely no hope of it getting better, presumably the
aftermath of a separation from his loved one. Ozzy’s melancholic voice draped
over gentle guitars and the downtuned bass spawned one trippy masterpiece.
In This River – Black Label Society
The loss of the Dimebag Darell was one of
the saddest moments in the history of metal. This song is a homage from one of
his closest friends, Zakk Wylde. The beautiful chords on the grand piano and
the lyrics not only reflect the friendship of the two but also make you feel
his loss. It really touches your heart and you can’t help but miss Dime. R.I. P.
Dimebag ‘Diamond’ Darrell.
In
my Darkest Hour – Megadeth
Has darkness ever empowered you? I am
talking about the feeling you get after getting so depressed that you want to
end the damned thing forever; to go against it. I think the song does just
that. It takes you through a sad journey and somehow gets you out of it. Makes
you wonder if that phase was ever required at all. But I guess the phase is
what completes you, allowing you to find your truest self, prepares you, frees
you and most important of all, readies you for any darkness that might be
heading your way.
P.S.
This is my favorite song of all time.
Angel - Judas Priest
This song is a prayer. A prayer calling out
to the angel of retribution to rid the sinner from all the sins he has
committed. The sinner wants peace of mind in a better place and wants the angel
to grant freedom. Trust Rob Halford to sing this gem of a song with all the
sadness; it only leaves you with goose bumps.
Vermilion Pt. 2 – Slipknot
Slipknot has some really good and meaningful
sad songs. I believe it’s their origins that source out such masterpieces. This
song is about the end of a relationship. An aching breakup gives rise to a
duality. The yang of trying to adapt and the yin of the pain; It’s a constant
battle between the two. One moment you want to forget her, and the other moment
you want her back. The lyrics are precise reflection of these thoughts and
emphasize over the difficulty of dealing with this duality. Circa Vol 3: (The Subliminal Verses), Slipknot
was at their darkest finest best.
