BILLIE HOLIDAY - GLOOMY SUNDAY

GLOOMY SUNDAY

BILLIE HALIDAY

SONGWRITERS: REZSŐ SERESS & László Jávor

TRANSELATION: SAM M. LEWIS & DESMOND CARTER

ORIGINAL: SZOMORÚ VASARNÁP

COUNTRY: U.S.A/HUNGARY

ALBUM: BRILHANTES

LABEL: VERVE RECORDS

GENRE: JAZZ

YEAR: 2000

"Gloomy Sunday", also known as the "Hungarian Suicide Song", is a popular song composed by Hungarian pianist and composer Rezső Seress and published in 1933.

The original lyrics were titled Vége a világnak (The world is ending) and were about despair caused by war, ending in a quiet prayer about people's sins. Poet László Jávor wrote his own lyrics to the song, titled Szomorú vasárnap (Sad Sunday), in which the protagonist wants to commit suicide following his lover's death. The latter lyrics ended up becoming more popular while the former were essentially forgotten. The song was first recorded in Hungarian by Pál Kalmár in 1935.

"Gloomy Sunday" was first recorded in English by Hal Kemp in 1936, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis, and was recorded the same year by Paul Robeson, with lyrics by Desmond Carter. It became well-known throughout much of the English-speaking world after the release of a version by Billie Holiday in 1941. Lewis's lyrics referred to suicide, and the record label described it as the "Hungarian Suicide Song". There is a recurring urban legend which claims that many people have committed suicide while listening to this song.

It is autumn and the leaves are falling

All love has died on earth

The wind is weeping with sorrowful tears

My heart will never hope for a new spring again

My tears and my sorrows are all in vain

People are heartless, greedy and wicked...

Love has died!

The world has come to its end, hope has ceased to have a meaning

Cities are being wiped out, shrapnel is making music

Meadows are coloured red with human blood

There are dead people on the streets everywhere

I will say another quiet prayer:

People are sinners, Lord, they make mistakes...

The world has ended!