স্নো-ড্রপস অ্যান্ড ড্যাফোডিলস, বাটারফ্লাইস অ্যান্ড বী; সেইল বোটস অ্যান্ড ফিশারমেন, থিংস অভ দ্যা সী। উইশিং-ওয়েলস, ওয়েডিঙ বেলস, আর্লি মর্নিং ডিউ; অল কাইন্ডস অভ এভরিথিং রিমাইন্ডস মি অভ ইউ!

GLOOMY SUNDAY
the suicide song

Sunday is gloomy,
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with are numberless
Little white flowers
Will never awaken you
Not where the black coach of
Sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thought
Of ever returning you
Would they be angry
If I thought of joining you?
Gloomy Sunday.

Gloomy Sunday - the notorious 'Hungarian Suicide Song' - was written in 1933. Its melody and original lyrics were the creation of Rezső Seress, a self-taught pianist and composer born in Hungary in 1899.

The crushing hopelessness and bitter despair which characterised the two stanza penned by Seress were superseded by the more mournful, melancholic verses of Hungarian poet László Jávor.

When the song came to public attention it quickly earned its reputation as a 'suicide song'. Reports from Hungary alleged individuals had taken their lives after listening to the haunting melody, or that the lyrics had been left with their last letters.

The lyricists Sam M. Lewis and Desmond Carter each penned an English translatation of the song. It was Lewis's version, first recorded by Hal Kemp and his Orchestra, with Bob Allen on vocals (1936), that was to become the most widely covered.

The popularity of Gloomy Sunday increased greatly through its interpretation by Billie Holiday (1941). In an attempt to alleviate the pessemistic tone a third stanza was added to this version, giving the song a dreamy twist, yet still the suicide reputation remained. Gloomy Sunday was banned from the playlists of major radio broadcasters around the world. The B.B.C. deemed it too depressing for the airwaves.

Despite all such bans, Gloomy Sunday continued to be recorded and sold. People continued to buy the recordings; some committed suicide.

Rezső Seress also committed suicide in 1968.

Gloomy Sunday (Original Version) : 1933



Hal Kemp Orchestra - Gloomy Sunday : 1936



Billie Holiday - Gloomy Sunday : 1941