(no subject)
Gloomy Sunday" is a song written by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezsö Seress in 1933, which allegedly inspired numerous suicides and thus quickly earned a reputation as the "Hungarian suicide song".
The crushing hopelessness and bitter despair of the original lyrics by Seress were quickly replaced by the melancholic verses of Hungarian poet László Jávor.
Sam M. Lewis and Desmond Carter each penned an English translation. Sam Lewis's version was performed from 1936 on by Hal Kemp and his Orchestra, later Artie Shaw and Billie Holiday. The popularity of "Gloomy Sunday" increased greatly after its interpretation by Billie Holiday in 1941. Her performance all but guaranteed that Lewis' version would become the standard among interpreters.
Paul Robeson (1936) and Diamanda Galás (1992) used Carter's lyrics in their respective versions of the song.
De s m o n d c a r t e r l y r i c s
Sadly one Sunday I waited and waited
With flowers in my arms for the dream I'd created
I waited 'til dreams, like my heart, were all broken
The flowers were all dead and the words were unspoken
The grief that I knew was beyond all consoling
The beat of my heart was a bell that was tolling
Saddest of Sundays
Then came a Sunday when you came to find me
They bore me to church and I left you behind me
My eyes could not see one I wanted to love me
The earth and the flowers are forever above me
The bell tolled for me and the wind whispered, "Never!"
But you I have loved and I bless you forever
Last of all Sundays
recording artists include:
Paul Robeson
Diamanda Galás
The crushing hopelessness and bitter despair of the original lyrics by Seress were quickly replaced by the melancholic verses of Hungarian poet László Jávor.
Sam M. Lewis and Desmond Carter each penned an English translation. Sam Lewis's version was performed from 1936 on by Hal Kemp and his Orchestra, later Artie Shaw and Billie Holiday. The popularity of "Gloomy Sunday" increased greatly after its interpretation by Billie Holiday in 1941. Her performance all but guaranteed that Lewis' version would become the standard among interpreters.
Paul Robeson (1936) and Diamanda Galás (1992) used Carter's lyrics in their respective versions of the song.
De s m o n d c a r t e r l y r i c s
Sadly one Sunday I waited and waited
With flowers in my arms for the dream I'd created
I waited 'til dreams, like my heart, were all broken
The flowers were all dead and the words were unspoken
The grief that I knew was beyond all consoling
The beat of my heart was a bell that was tolling
Saddest of Sundays
Then came a Sunday when you came to find me
They bore me to church and I left you behind me
My eyes could not see one I wanted to love me
The earth and the flowers are forever above me
The bell tolled for me and the wind whispered, "Never!"
But you I have loved and I bless you forever
Last of all Sundays
recording artists include:
Paul Robeson
Diamanda Galás