10 Most Depressing Songs Of All Time

2. Hurt - NIN/Johnny Cash

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o22eIJDtKho "And you could have it all, my empire of dirt. I will let you down, I will make you hurt" Taken from the Nine Inch Nails album - The Downward Spiral, Hurt lost out on a Grammy in 1996 by Alanis Morissettes' You Oughta Know. The overall meaning of the song is disputed. Some believe it is a suicide note by the singer and others believe it is an affirmation to keep on living despite being 'hurt'. The lyrics clearly point to heroin abuse and self harm but the song has been covered by people as benign and banal as Leona Lewis! The song was passed into legend by Johnny Cash's version in 2002. Trent Reznor admits that he thought the idea of Cash covering the song was a bit 'gimmicky' but the version blew him away. I think that his craggy vocals and years of hardship with addiction express the lyrics and the sentiment of the song beautifully. It is also pared down to the basics - Johnny with a guitar which makes it even more affecting. It was also a sad farewell from Cash as the video for his version of Hurt shows him looking very ill and frail, and indeed, Cash passed away the next year. A terrific depressing song for drowning your sorrows, hating people, hating the world and just basically to wallow in misery to.
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My first film watched was Carrie aged 2 on my dad's knee. Educated at The University of St Andrews and Trinity College Dublin. Fan of Arthouse, Exploitation, Horror, Euro Trash, Giallo, New French Extremism. Weaned at the bosom of a Russ Meyer starlet. The bleaker, artier or sleazier the better!