Gloomy Sunday

While watching another fine cable program ( I can't recall the name of it.) we came across the legend of "Gloomy Sunday".  It is a song, written in 1933 by Reszo Seress (music) and Laszlo Javor (lyrics).  In 1936 the song became connected with eighteen suicides.  They found sheet music on some people, and the song was playing on the record player on some others.  This was a really hard time period for the people of Hungary, between WW2 and the economic depression of the country there were bound to be a lot of desperate people.  The show was trying to decide if the actual notes of the music could have influenced these folks, and it pretty much came up with the theory of a perfect storm of musical notes, lyrics, and the times.

The song was actually banned in Hungary and dubbed "The Suicide Song", but it was picked up here in the U.S. and remade by Billie Holiday.  I have yet to listen to that version, but heard a bit of the original last Sat night.  I don't know if I can retell this to be as funny as it actually was, it might be one of those "you had to be there" moments, and I wish you actually had been.  My performance was of high caliber!

So there we sit on the couch, puppy at our feet.  The show warns that it is going to play part of the song, and wont be held responsible for anything that happens to you if you choose to listen to it.  Big enough buildup that I'm considering plugging my ears.  "Cover your ears puppy, you're too young to listen to this!"

The first cords play and I do not miss a beat.  HONEST it is the opening chords to the song "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor.  I spread my arm in a wide gesture and belt it out "First I was afraid, I was petrified" and then erupted into gales of laughter.  When we finished laughing it was pointed out that " I Will Survive" is the opposite of "The Suicide Song" and we erupted into laughter again.  I must check out the Billie Holiday version to see if it's the same thing. (Just did, and it doesn't)

I suppose I should put my own disclaimer on this.  If you choose to listen to "Gloomy Sunday" do so at your own risk. Music can be very powerful thing.

P.S. I usually could give a rat's behind, but in case I've offended anyone, yes... I know that suicide is no laughing matter.  I've dealt with some of the consequences of it personally, so yeah, I get it.  This is just a funny story. :)