I’ve been dealing with a bit of an unusual problem lately: I don’t feel sad. That probably sound strange but it’s an issue for me when I need to write about a certain emotion and happen to feel disconnected at that time from that specific feeling. The protagonist of my novel is dealing with a severe depression brought on by the loss of a loved one and to write her experience the best way I can I’ve been trying to remind myself about how it felt when I was myself suffering from depression. But things are going pretty good in my life right now (not that I’m complaining) and I’ve had to use an old trick to reawaken those feelings and memories: listening to sad music.
Here’s a short list of some of the best sorrowful songs I know:
Pink Water – Indochine
I honestly don’t fully understand the meaning of this song even if I understand the lyrics themselves. Regardless, I find it has a feeling of deep existential sorrow.
Breathe me – Sia
Sia been in a bit of hot water lately (for understandable reasons) but there’s no denying she’s an amazing song writer. Her music has helped me through some tough times and I don’t know of any other songs than ‘Breathe me’ that so well captures that I-don’t-feel-well-and-I-need-someone-to-hold-me sadness.
Daniels jojk – Jon Henrik Fjällgren
This jojk came to the singer after his best friend passed away. A powerful song that really conveys the feeling of heartbreak after losing a loved one.
Mad World – Gary Jules’ cover version
Sometimes the world feels like a strange and foreign place where you just don’t belong.
Colorblind – Counting Crowds
Sometimes depression feels like heart wrenching despair. But a lot of the time it’s more like an emptiness nothing can fill.
Hurt – the Johnny Cash cover version
Johnny Cash took an already amazing song about hopelessness and fighting addiction and turned it into a masterpiece.
Son Of Freya 