The emo song: THE HUNGARIAN SUICIDE SONG

Urban legend claims after listening to the song it gives you motivation for suicide.
The song is composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933. Lyrics written by  László Jávor. The song was written in Hungarian in 1935.

The song was connected to many suicides in Hungary. Up to eighteen suicide linked in some way to the song. Reports of people killed themselves after listening to the song, or who were said to have been found dead with references to the song's lyrics in their suicide notes. Some found to have sheet of music in their hands or plying the song on gramophones during the time of their suicide.

The song was banned after it was linked in many suicides. After that, the song gained some interest by the American musicians and singers, they jumped at the chance to record instrumental and translate versions of the song, by the end of 1936 several recordings were available to American audiences. One of this is probably the most famous version, the Billi Holiday's version. The BBC banned Billie Holiday's version of the song from airing, as being detrimental to wartime morale, although they allowed performances of instrumental versions. The BBC's ban was only lifted last 2002.

So what could be the motivation of their suicide? Listening to the instrumental version of the song, the song have hits of many minor notes, creating a deep feeling. In comparison to a major notes, the notes is somewhat warm or pleasant to hear, and the minor notes creates a deep feeling of frustrations or despairs. Well that would be my interpretations in music, and it varies to other individuals.
The lyrics may have also gave the motives  for suicide since there are reported events that claimed to have the music sheet in their hands during the time of their suicide. For those who are curious whats in that song i searched the web for versions and translations of The Gloomy Sunday.

Rezső Seress lyrics - in Hungarian

Ősz van és peregnek a sárgult levelek
Meghalt a földön az emberi szeretet
Bánatos könnyekkel zokog az öszi szél
Szívem már új tavaszt nem vár és nem remél
Hiába sírok és hiába szenvedek
Szívtelen rosszak és kapzsik az emberek...

Meghalt a szeretet!

Vége a világnak, vége a reménynek
Városok pusztulnak, srapnelek zenélnek
Emberek vérétől piros a tarka rét
Halottak fekszenek az úton szerteszét
Még egyszer elmondom csendben az imámat:
Uram, az emberek gyarlók és hibáznak...

Vége a világnak!

Rezső Seress lyrics - Literal English Translation

It is autumn and the leaves are falling
All love has died on earth
The wind is weeping with sorrowful tears
My heart will never hope for a new spring again
My tears and my sorrows are all in vain
People are heartless, greedy and wicked...

Love has died!

The world has come to its end, hope has ceased to have a meaning
Cities are being wiped out, shrapnel is making music
Meadows are coloured red with human blood
There are dead people on the streets everywhere
I will say another quiet prayer:
People are sinners, Lord, they make mistakes...

The world has ended!


László Jávor lyrics -Hungarian

Szomorú vasárnap száz fehér virággal
Vártalak kedvesem templomi imával
Álmokat kergető vasárnap délelőtt
Bánatom hintaja nélküled visszajött
Azóta szomorú mindig a vasárnap
Könny csak az italom kenyerem a bánat...

Szomorú vasárnap

Utolsó vasárnap kedvesem gyere el
Pap is lesz, koporsó, ravatal, gyászlepel
Akkor is virág vár, virág és - koporsó
Virágos fák alatt utam az utolsó
Nyitva lesz szemem hogy még egyszer lássalak
Ne félj a szememtől holtan is áldalak...

Utolsó vasárnap


László Jávor lyrics - Literal English Transltion

Gloomy Sunday with a hundred white flowers
I was waiting for you my dearest with a prayer
A Sunday morning, chasing after my dreams
The carriage of my sorrow returned to me without you
It is since then that my Sundays have been forever sad
Tears my only drink, the sorrow my bread...

Gloomy Sunday

This last Sunday, my darling please come to me
There'll be a priest, a coffin, a catafalque and a winding-sheet
There'll be flowers for you, flowers and a coffin
Under the blossoming trees it will be my last journey
My eyes will be open, so that I could see you for a last time
Don't be afraid of my eyes, I'm blessing you even in my death...

The last Sunday

Billie Holiday's version -

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

Gloomy is Sunday,
With shadows I spend it all
My heart and I
Have decided to end it all
Soon there'll be candles
And prayers that are said I know
Let them not weep
Let them know that I'm glad to go
Death is no dream
For in death I'm caressin' you
With the last breath of my soul
I'll be blessin' 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 tellin' you
How much I wanted you
Gloomy Sunday

László Jávor wrote lyrics of the song for a former girlfriend, shortly after the release she committed suicide and left behind a note saying simply "Gloomy Sunday." 35 years after writing the song the pianist and composer Rezső Seress indeed to committed suicide. In January 1968 he jumped out of a window in Budapest, he did survived the fall, but later in the hospital he choked himself to death with a wire.

Rezső Seress