Sunday Under The Ground - Gloomy Sunday
-
Artist:
-
Track:
As a parent of a 2 and 4 year old, I must admit that sometimes the only time I get to actually read is in the bathroom. So is it any wonder that lately one of my main reads is Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Music. Needless to say my trivia mined brain is thoroughly entertained by all that I've learned from it. This post relies heavily on the above mentioned for both information and source.
The song "Gloomy Sunday" by Hungarian songwritter Reszo Seress. As an unpublished songwritter, he wrote this song about his so far unsucessful music career and being dumped by his girlfriend. Like all great artists, he channeled his heart break into song and with the help of a lyricist named Laszlo Javor they wrote the song "Szomorü Vasårdnap" ("Gloomy Sunday" in English).
It took Seress two years to finally get someone to publish (due to publisher's not wanting to publish such a dark song) and it became a bit of a hit. Many Urban Legends surround the song's dark lyrics and mournful tune, claiming it was responsible for many suicides. It eventually was banned from being played by bands in Hungary, and was banned by the BBC until about 2002.
Seress himself was not immune to suiciadal tendencies though, as he ended his own life by jumping out his apartment window in 1968.
Many, many artists have covered this song, and I offer you a few in this playlist. But here is a list quoted from the wikipedia article about the song:
- 1935: Pal Kalmar (this is by many considered the original and "the granddaddy of them all"[who?])
- 1935: (UK): Paul Robeson (released in the US in 1936; Desmond Carter lyrics)
- 1935: Pyotr Leschenko (in Russian, under title "Mratschnoje Woskresenje")
- 1936: Damia (in French, under the title "Sombre Dimanche", recorded on February 28, lyrics by Jean Marèze and François-Eugène Gonda, music by RezsÅ‘ Seress)
- 1936: Hal Kemp
- 1936: Paul Whiteman
- 1936: Noriko Awaya (in Japanese, under title "Kurai NichiyÅbi")
- 1936: Taro Shoji (in Japanese, under title "Kurai NichiyÅbi")
- 1940: Artie Shaw, 3 March. Pauline Byrne vocal.
- 1941: Billie Holiday
- 1954: Laszlo Von Weimerth
- 1957: Josh White
- 1958: Mel Tormé
- 1958: Ricky Nelson (released posthumously)
- 1959: Eila Pellinen (in Finnish as "Surullinen sunnuntai")
- 1959: Orkesteri
- 1961: Sarah Vaughan
- 1961: Inger Qvick (in Swedish as "Sista Söndag")
- 1962: Lou Rawls
- 1967: Carmen McRae
- 1968: Genesis (U.S. band unrelated to the well-known British band)
- 1969: Ray Charles
- 1972: Viktor Klimenko (in Russian as "Ona pred ikonoi")
- 1972: Kai Hyttinen (in Finnish as "Surullinen sunnuntai")
- 1972: Kuoro (in Finnish as "Surullinen sunnuntai")
- 1977: Fredi (in Finnish as "Surullinen sunnuntai")
- 1978: Erik Cronwall
- 1979: Lydia Lunch (Queen of Siam)
- 1981: Elvis Costello & the Attractions (Trust)
- 1982: Associates (Sulk)
- 1983: Marc and the Mambas
- 1983: Swans Way
- 1983: Jacques Calonne (Ténor Mondain) (in French, under the title "Sombre Dimanche", lyrics credited to László Jávor, but probably the ones by Jean Marèze and François-Eugène Gonda)
- 1984: Peter Wolf (Lights Out)
- 1985: Harri Marstio (in Finnish under title "Surullinen sunnuntai")
- 1986: Christian Death
- 1988: Serge Gainsbourg (Le Zénith de Gainsbourg) (in French)
- 1991: Vlado Kreslin (Bela nedelja, in Slovene)
- 1991: The Singing Loins (Songs For The Organ)
- 1992: Diamanda Galás (The Singer) (Desmond Carter lyrics)
- 1992: Sinéad O'Connor (Am I Not Your Girl?)
- 1995: Gitane Demone
- 1996: Sarah McLachlan (Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff)
- 1996: Mystic (The Funeral soundtrack)
- 1998: Marianne Faithfull
- 1998: Satan's Sadists (On the compilation Their Sympathetic Majesties Request)
- 1999: The Smithereens (God Save the Smithereens)
- 1999: Björk
- 1999: Leena Calas (in Finnish as "Surullinen sunnuntai")
- 2000: Kronos Quartet
- 2000: Sarah Brightman
- 2001: Iva Bittová (The Man Who Cried)
- 2001: Heather Nova (South)
- 2002: Rob Coffinshaker (Live at the Cemetery) 7" EP
- 2003: Edvin Marton
- 2003: Hot Jazz Band
- 2003: Priscilla Chan (with changed lyrics, pop, Cantonese, titled "Gloomy Sunday")
- 2004: Branford Marsalis (Eternal)
- 2005: Yellow Spots (Psychobilly)
- 2005: Eminemmylou featuring Legs MC (raps added, turned into anti-suicide anthem)
- 2005: Venetian Snares (Rossz csillag alatt született - a remix of Billie Holiday's version)
- 2006: Emilie Autumn
- 2006: Tsukimono (on Famousfor15mb.com)
- 2006: Angéla Póka (live) (performing Szomorú Vasárnap live during Megasztár)
- 2006: Red Sky Mourning
- 2006: Lucía Jiménez (for the movie the Kovak Box inspired by the song)
- 2006: Zaorany kytky [1](band from Czech republic)
- 2007: Candie Payne
- 2007: The Unbending Trees (live)
- 2008: Ivana Wong
- 2008: The Unbending Trees UK only bonus track on their album.
- 2008: Paris Jones Canadian Singer
- 2008: Saori Yano Tokyo saxophonist, Billie Holiday tribute CD.
- 2008: Laïka Fatien French jazz singer on Album Misery; a tribute to Billie Holiday
- 2009 Aliyah Hussain
- Marc Almond
- Mickey Baker
- Anton LaVey - from "htmpl productions & pcl link dump - Christianity vs satanism" compilation
- 2009: Emilie Autumn
- 2009: Blackmailers
- 2009: Chance Calaway Trinidain Rap Artist - First ever Hip Hop edition of Gloomy Sunday
Locating MOG account...
Comments (2)
I guess, like George Castanza's book that he tried to return, Uncle John's has been tagged as having been in the washroom. There's no returning it, so it's good you enjoyed it.
Great story, Tyler -- fascinating that a bloke so down on his luck could turn it into a song that was covered so many times. From your playlist I love Sinead's version, but I would say that, wouldn't I.