I Hate Myself and Want to Die: The 52 Most Depressing Songs You've Ever Heard

I initially purchased this book to read on the bus to work, however since starting it I haven't been able to put it down! It's a light-hearted, witty romp through some of the most tragic songs to assault our airwaves. Of course it is not a comprehensive list, but it is a good selection of genre's & era's This book isn't going to change you life, but it will put a smile on your face & lets face it, that can't be a bad thing. So instead of being tight-fisted & trying to gauge a book from flicking through it in a bookstore, just buy the thing & chuckle your way through the 308 pages. P.S. as a treat, download the 52 songs & listen to them as a companion piece to the book .... doubles the pleasure!

Why do I say "paradoxically"? Well, while the songs profiled in the book live up to the subtitle, the book itself is laugh out loud funny. Reynolds has a gift for stating the obvious in a very amusing way. Nobody needs to be told that "Macarthur Park" is depressing, with that iconic image of the cake melting in the rain, but he goes into enough detail about why it's such a depressing song to make reading about it entertaining. Deadpan humor abounds ("He started working construction for the Johnstown company, but then got laid off because he was living in a Springsteen song"), as do little revelations you probably never stopped to think of because, really, who cares? Take "In the Year 2525" for example...as Reynolds points out, most of those horrific predictions of thousands of years in the future have come true after just 35 years. Of course, any reader is bound to think of many more songs that could have gone into the book, and there are a few unforgiveable omissions. No chapter on teenage car crash songs should ever leave out the Everly Brothers' "Ebony Eyes," even if it is about a plane crash rather than a car crash. Unlike most purveyors of tragedy songs, after all, the Everlys were a serious act and didn't need to stoop to that bizarre novelty to have a hit. On the other hand, Reynolds' prediction of the aftermath of "Tell Laura I Love Her" if Tommy hadn't died is quite possibly the funniest paragraph in the book. He also doesn't spare the occasional good song - notably "Strange Fruit" - from the book. After all, a song can be good and still be depressing. Then there's the problem of choosing the most depressing song by an act that specializes in them, such as The Cure. Fans and detractors alike of those acts will surely want to argue about the choices Reynolds did make, but being able to pick out one song was impressive nonetheless. There is, of course, one question neither Reynolds nor anyone else can answer: just how did all these wretched songs become hits in the first place? Don't try to figure it out, just enjoy the book!

I was a little skeptical when I first saw it, but decided to buy it anyway. I'm glad I did; this book is very, very funny. It's filled with wonderful turns of phrase and is generally all around witty. I don't agree with all of the choices; Love Will Tear Us Apart is depressing, but it's still a great song. Agree or not though, this book was still excellent. I would highly recommend it.

This isn't just a simple countdown of the 52 most depressings songs but every song is neatly grouped into categories like "Teenage Car Crash" or "I'm Telling A Story Nobody Wants To Hear". Each selection is then dissected and broken down (including chart position and the various incarnations) with plenty of interesting information and background on the lyrics, artist(s), and the song itself. The author has a sense of humor, the sarcastic kind I'm fond of, and injects plenty of wit throughout.. I couldn't get through the introduction without cracking up. The accompanying illustrations, enchanting ink drawings by Stacey Earley, are perfectly melancholy and adorable. I think you'll find this an enjoyable read, especially if you're a fan of pop music - and whether or not you agree with all of the song choices.

Someone sent me this book from England and I read it on the plane back to the States -- hilarious! Could not stop laughing out loud at his sarcasm and wit. I agreed with Mr. Reynolds on his take of Carey and Dion's brain concussion modulations. He describes each song and puts it in a category, with details. You can open the book and read any song that interests you. Then, yesterday I heard him on a talk radio show and he's very well versed in all genres of music, not just rock but from the 50's until today. He even mentions Ben Folds' (one of my favorites). This is not a depressing book and I highly recommend it. Makes you think that by listening to lyrics you can dig deeper into the mind of the songwriter/vocalist.