Talk:List of songs about suicide

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[edit] The Day The Whole World Went Away

The Day The Whole World Went Away by Nine Inch Nails is about the death of Trents grandmother. He refers to her death as the day the whole world went away.

[edit] Spring!

Spring by Rammstein is not really about suicide. It's about a man who gets up on a bridge to see the view, but a crowd gathers because they think he is going to jump. They start to shout "jump, jump!" and the man gets scared and tries to get down. Someone gets up behind him and kicks him in the back, causing him to fall off the bridge and to his death..:Stirb Nicht Vor Mir:. 13:01, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Everything Ends

Wait, what? Everything Ends (by Slipknot) is not about suicide. Who came up with THAT? (Although I think Corey did ATTEMPT suicide after he broke up with his girlfriend...).:Stirb Nicht Vor Mir:. 12:57, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Change - September 1, 2005

I moved "The Night Will Only Know" by Garth Brooks to songs mentioninc suicide, as it is not about suicide at all, and merely mentions seeing someone murdered, whose death is ruled a suicide.

[edit] The Burning Red

Who removed Machine Head's "The Burning Red"? That song is completely about suicide, especially untimely suicide,someone put it back up.

[edit] Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody

Do you think Bohemian Rhapsody might be about suicide of the "narrator" of the song? I think so but as far as I know Freddy Mercury never explaned the meaning of the song...Maybe you know something. He sings among others: "Mama, life had just begun But now I've gone and thrown it all away" --ullika

edit: sorry, I looked across this entry above...why do you think it sounds like capital punishment?

[edit] A Day in the Life?

A Day in the Life by the Beatles?.. I don't think so. Where is anything about suicide in this song? "He blew his mind out in a car" simply because he didn't notice that the lights have changed. I'd definitely remove it from here Pibwl 17:49, 15 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Yes I interpreted that lyric as a guy inadvertantly running a red light and fatally colliding into the side of another vehicle. But, maybe there is a less intuitive intended meaning. — FREAK OF NURxTURE (TALK) 09:07, Jun 6, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] If It Be Your Will?

"If It Be Your Will"? How is this about suicide? Dreyfus 21:20, 19 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] dreamin' man

if somebody can hypothesize a different interpretation of this lyric...

"...in the meadow dusk, I parked my Aerostar,
with a loaded gun and sweet dreams of you..."

...I'm all ears. Personally I think it sounds beautiful, even being about suicide. --— FREAK OF NURxTURE (TALK) 08:16, Jun 14, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] LIST REFORMAT PROPOSAL

I think the current format could be improved by having a single list where the titles of the current "main theme" songs would be bolded, so as to clearly mark their difference with the "only mentionned" songs. This would allow to find more easily if a song is already present in the list (opinions can vary about which section a song belong to, so you currently have to lookup in the two lists to be sure). It would also allow to subsection it alphabetically, for direct access and section editing.

In practice, this change would thus be performed with this 4-step program:

  1. Bolding the titles of all "Main theme" songs.
  2. Merging the two lists as one.
  3. Breaking it up into 27 sections ("0-9", "A".."Z") after a {{compactTOC2}}
  4. Updating the lead section infos accordingly.

Do you have pros and cons for such a reformat? Other format suggestions BTW? The list is still short enough for such changes to be done relatively painlessly, but I think its format should be thought-out before it becomes longer.

Without justified opposition to this, I'll probably carry this out sometime from now – unless someone else wants to do it ;-)

←#6  talk 13:46, 18 Jun 2005 (UTC) – Amended 19:13, 18 Jun 2005 (UTC)

(The answer below refers to an earlier version of the proposal.)

1. Bolding the titles of all "Main theme" songs.

Amend: do this only for songs where the title itself contains an overt reference to suicide.

2. Merging the two lists as one.

Strongly Oppose: There is a difference between songs that are about suicide and songs that merely mention suicide.
Example: "Richard Manuel is Dead" the singer (Adam Duritz) mentions reading about Manuel's suicide in the first verse. This is probably the mildest song here in terms of suicide content. It should not be in the same section as Bloodhound Gang's "Lift Your Head Up High (and Blow Your Brains Out)" which continously (though arguably as a joke) encourages the listener to kill his/herself throughout the entire song.

3. Breaking it up into 27 sections ("0-9", "A".."Z") after a {{compactTOC2}}

Support as is.

4. Updating the lead section infos accordingly.

Support as is.

— FREAK OF NURxTURE (TALK) 18:21, Jun 18, 2005 (UTC)

— Hi. I'm not sure if this was clear enough with my numbered list, since your main point of opposition was IMO fully addressed by the bolded titles thing. Just in case, to be clear: it's an all-or-nothing change proposal, in 4 steps – not 4 separate suggestions. The whole point of bolding the titles of songs fully about suicide was to make them clearly stand apart from those that merely mention it in the proposed single mixed list, so there wouldn't be the confusion you want to avoid. I'm rewriting the intro to my proposal to make this more clear for others. Sorry if it wasn't clear enough. ←#6  talk 19:13, 18 Jun 2005 (UTC)


I dont see a reason for opposing bolding the titles of songs whose main themes are about suicide to differentiate those that merely mention it... there may be some controversy but for the most part the songs will be obvious, Adam's Song (Blink 182), Dirt (Alice n Chains), Fade to Black (Metallica) et al are all good starting points.... --GNU4Eva 15:08, 4 August 2005 (UTC)


Why don't we follow the trend with longer lists (e.g. List of songs about homosexuality), and group them accordingly?:

  1. Songs where the primary topic is suicide
  3. Songs where there is a strong indication the topic is suicide
  4. Songs which mention suicide
  5. Songs which mention or allude to famous suicides

I mean, there is a fair amount of euphemism used in songs about both topics, and it makes sense to group them similarly. Also, it'll be easier to maintain as the list grows longer.--Artiste-extraordinaire 10:21, 30 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Motion Picture Soundtrack

I do not believe that this Radiohead installment is really about suicide, I always thought it was about dieing but not suicide.

Mixing alcohol and sleeping pills is a suicide method. --Tothebarricades 07:06, August 24, 2005 (UTC)


[edit] Hoax?

I deleted "Minimalist Family Reunion" by BODMAS, which was entered on January 4, 2005. This appears to be a hoax, as the BODMAS and BODMAS! articles indicate. This entry has been here for several months but went unnoticed, apparently. John Barleycorn 17:52, July 14, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Are You Sure?

Hi there, I'm pretty sure the following songs on the list aren't about suicide: 1) Concrete Bonde--Tomorrow, Wendy (Pretty sure this is about a girl dying from AIDS)

2) Elliott Smith--A Fond Farewell (Recovering from herion addiction. The "friend" is herion, I believe.)

3) Ani DiFranco--Swan Dive (I think the suicide-sounding references are metaphores for either leaving, or risking it all to try or find something new.)

I could be wrong, but I just thought I'd mention it.

Also, I see that you don't have "Imitating Angels" by The Nymphs on this list. It's a bit hard to find, but a beautiful (albeit sad) song.

Feel free to edit anything you feel is wrong, or add anything you'd like. :) --Tothebarricades 07:07, August 24, 2005 (UTC)

I was going to just add a comment about "Tomorrow, Wendy" sung by Concrete Blonde, besides hearing a live version of this song, here's what the Wikipedia page about the band and it said EXACTLY this....

"Tomorrow, Wendy," a cover of an Andy Prieboy song. It has the chorus "Tomorrow Wendy is going to die ... ". In concert Johnette was known to introduce "Tomorrow, Wendy" as a song "about a woman with AIDS."

[edit] Lost Rivers of London is imagery for meditation/contemplation, not suicide

If you read the text carefully (see lyrics link next to the song title), you'll realize that it describes something like walking through city, some sort of daydreaming or more precisely realization of being, existence. The 'lost rivers of London', in my opinion, is very vivid imagery for rivers of thoughts that come 'almost untouched' through your mind (i.e. writer's mind), while you being only an observer - the thoughts that are normally filtered by your consciousness (or, in another words, lost). In similar sense like Carlos Castaneda's "no-doing" or Zen's zazen or kinhin (sitting, resp. walking meditation).

[edit] Pink Floyd - Goodbye Cruel World

I'm fairly certain this particular song has little to do with a physical suicide. When placed in context with the rest of the album (The Wall), the song has more to do with the completion of a wall that surrounds the main character, Pink, and thus acts as a final farewell to the world without as the wall is completed.

In fact, when taken in context with the live performances of this album, the visual accompaniment shows "Pink" placing the last brick in his wall just after the song finishes. Addditionally, the remainder of the album indicates that Pink is still alive up to the very end of the album.

I am very much aware that all songs are open to interpretation from many angles, and that "Goodbye Cruel World" presents what seems to be a textbook example of a suicide note, but I feel that when taken in context with the entire album, the range of interpretation is too limited to include a physical suicide taking place.

[edit] Goodbye Cruel World contd

The 'official' explanation for this song is that it is indeed intended to portray Pink's alienation. It is preceeded on the album by the completion of the wall (Another Brick in the Wall Part 3). The fact that most people have chosen to interpret it as a reference to suicide is rather amusing, but also somewhat scary.

This song describes how Pink finally places the final brick in the wall which blocks him off from the rest of the world.

[edit] I can understand about Motion Picture Soundtrack...

but Creep!?!

[edit] Needle In The Hay by Elliot Smith

I removed the song "Needle in the Hay" from the Alleged Suicide Songs list because although the song may have been used during the attempted suicide scene in the Wes Anderson movie The Royal Tenenbaums, the song itself is obviously about drug addiction and IV needle usage.

[edit] She's Lost Control and Dock of a Bay

I took out these two songs (by Joy Division and Otis Redding, respectively). She's Lost Control is widely accepted to be about an epileptic seizure, even if it is described rather apocolyptically. And there's nothing suicide related in Dock of a Bay. Although the narrator describes having nothing to live for, it doesn't realy suggest he's at the Dock to kill himself, just because he can't think of anything to do other than watch the tide roll away.

[edit] Disputed Songs

  1. Bohemian Rhapsody: more likely to be about capital punishment, if about literal death at all
  3. Creep: About depression, clearly, but is there any clear reference to suicide?
  4. You're Only Human: Is there a clearer line than "Sometimes you want to just lay down and die, that emotion can be so strong"? If not, then it's about being discouraged and depressed, but not acutally about suicide. Certainly not as it's main theme, meaning it should be moved to the 2nd section at very least. --68.239.196.248 07:09, 8 November 2005 (UTC) I have a tape of the Billy Joel video for this song: Billy Joel is an angel talking a young man out of suicide. This should definitely be in the second (anti-suicide) section -- how does one footnote a video? UnSpace 22:34, 16 September 2006 (UTC)
  5. Some of the new Elliott Smith additions (king's crossing, last hour, and divisions).

VAN HALEN'S "JUMP" about suicide?? User:200.41.122.55, 17:02, 27 December 2005

  • I found the words on a website (one of many). I think it's too vague to be sure. Wahkeenah 19:51, 27 December 2005 (UTC)

I get up, and nothin' gets me down You got it tough, I've seen the toughest around And I know, baby, just how you feel You got to roll with the punches and get to what's real Ah, can't ya see me standin' here I got my back against the record machine I ain't the worst that you've seen Ah, can't ya see what I mean? Ah, might as well jump. Jump! Might as well jump Go ahead an' jump. Jump! Go ahead and jump Ow-oh! Hey, you! Who said that? Baby, how you been? You say you don't know, you won't know until you begin So can't ya see me standing here I got my back against the record machine I ain't the worst that you've seen Ah, can't ya see what I mean? Ah, might as well jump. Jump! Go ahead and jump Might as well jump. Jump! Go ahead and jump Jump! (Guitar Solo) Might as well jump. Jump! Go ahead and jump Get it in, jump. Jump! Go ahead and jump Jump! Jump! Jump! Jump!

Well that's what I mean.It's not jump from top of a building or anything,for those who remember this song is as cheerfull as they come (It was # 1 at the charts also) David Lee Roth doing his acrobatic jumps,everybody smiling. Not a suicide song at all!

  • My interpretation is that he is saying "jump at the chance", to seize the moment, or whatever. I do know this: The Chicago Cubs used it over their broadcasting credits during the 1984 season, and I'm sure they wouldn't have used a song that was obviously about suicide (never mind what happened in the playoffs). Wahkeenah 01:06, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] you have to be kidding me

The Final Countdown? Jump? this is a joke right. Has anyone auctually listened to these songs?

[edit] List of films about suicide

Would anyone be interested in creating this article about movies where suicide plays a large theme or makes a big impact in the plot? Gflores Talk 19:11, 17 January 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Panic! At The Disco

This band has a song called "Time To Dance" with lines like "Well, she's not bleeding on the ballroom floor Just for the attention" and "You're pulling the trigger, Pulling the trigger All wrong". I'm not sure if it would go under suicide as a main theme, mentioned or alleged...if it even goes here at all. Maybe someone can check it out to confirm.--Ichy 04:04, 6 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Born to Run & Suicide?

Born to Run might mention suicide "Its a death rap, a suicide trap", but its hardly a song about suicide. To even include it on this list seems to suggest an interpretation that completely misses the point of the song. Its about getting out of town, finding a new life, a new way, etc., etc., etc. Next to Thunder Road, its one of the more hopeful songs on the album and doesn't deserve a confused interpretation that puts it on this list. And then "Suicide Blonde", though he did commit (arguably) suicide, I'm not sure that's what Michael had in mind when he wrote this song.

[edit] 24 by Jem

Does anyone know if this is about suicide? I looked up the lyrics and it is definitely about someone who knows that they will die in exactly 24 hours. I think it is refereing to suicide but it maybe someone with a terminal illness. She's counting down the exact hours to her death which suggests something intentional. However the beginning says, "Been given 24 hours to tie up loose ends..." which is suggesting outside of her power. Any thoughts?

Wasn't logged in before. oops

Another thought: maybe it's both suicide and a terminal illness - i.e. euthanasia

Yet another thought: Maybe it's someone on death row.

Donald Antonini 17:43, 22 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Section about mistaken songs

There should be a section about songs mistakenly thought to be about suicide. This will help prevent edit wars and also tell people what a song is really referring to.

Donald Antonini 14:17, 20 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Mudvayne's Incorrectly Listed Songs

Hello everyone. Not to be a wiseass, but I've got to mention a bit of a correction in the listing of songs where the main theme is that of suicide. While it is correct that "IMN" is about suicide, "Death Blooms", "Dig" and "Fall Into Sleep" are not. I will split my explainations into three sections.

"Death Blooms" isn't about suicide because quite no one in the song kills themselves, or even considers suicide, but rather the picture shown is that of one Chad Grey's grandmother's struggle with illness, and her willingness to die while others were struggling to keep her alive. This is not suicide, it's accepting death. Suicide is to end ones own life, but if ones life is already ending and they let it happen, that is not suicide, but just another basic death.

"Dig" isn't about death at all. There is a mention of suicide, but the song itself is about hatred of censorship and sellouts in the music business. The song talks about murder, and says at one point "Wish you were committing suicide", however, this is not about the artists suicidal thoughts, or even themed by suicide, merely a mention.

Lastly, "Fall Into Sleep" doesn't even alude to death. This song is a take on how the world has let go of hopes and dreams for a more bleak and darkened outlook, giving up on all the things we all once loved. The lines "I have a dream, but nobody cares, nobody wants to listen" and "We can't keep moving forward, backward with closed eyes. We're losing sight, all lost inside". Are signs of that.

My request is simply that Mudvayne's "Dig" be moved to the metioned section, and that the other two be removed. Thank you for your time.


[edit] pro and anti

How about we split the groups into pro-suicide and anti-suicide? --12.203.187.132 21:50, 24 March 2006 (UTC) I think that would be a really good idea, but it would mean more restructuring.

[edit] Misinterpreted - Hawthorne Heights

Says the following for the Hawthorne Heights song:

"Ohio is for Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights: While the song is clearly about suicide, the band has made positive efforts, most notably the 2005 Take Action Tour, which was designed to raise awareness and federal funding levels for teen-suicide prevention programs across the country.

If the song is clearly about suicide, shouldn't it be listed with the rest, despite the band's championing of suicide-prevention programs? I'm sure most of the artists listed aren't pro-suicide or trying to convince anyone to commit it, but the songs they wrote are, in fact, about suicide. This should be listed with the rest. --67.181.131.193 23:05, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 3 Doors Down "Loser"

I have listened to Loser several times, and studied the lyrical content, and I believe that it is an incorrect interpretation to consider it a song about suicide. While one lyric does say "You're holding the rope and I'm taking the fall", that is metaphorical and can easily be taken more as a reference to murder. I'm gonna leave it where it is and allow it to be sorted out here first, but could someone consider it? Xthepicturex 01:26, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

Alright, no one's even replied here at all... I'm removing it. If you wish to place it back, can I have some sort of reasoning? Xthepicturex 21:30, 10 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] They Might Be Giants - Till My Head Falls Off

Till My Head Falls Off isn't about suicide, it's abour growing old.Bdve 23:11, 19 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Eminem - Stan

It's not really about suicide. It kind of mentions it for a moment then changes the subject.

So I removed: "Stan" by Eminem

Lyrics in question:

"If I have a daughter, guess what I'ma call her?. I'ma name her Bonnie. I read about your Uncle Ronnie too I'm sorry. I had a friend kill himself over some bitch who didn't want him. I know you probably hear this everyday, but I'm your biggest fan." --Logsta 03:32, 10 July 2006 (UTC)

Uh? The whole song is about suicide. Stan kills huimself in the end.  Grue  08:56, 10 July 2006 (UTC)


He crashes his car off of a bridge in a very violent storm. It could have easily been an accident. --Logsta 01:02, 11 July 2006 (UTC)


I think this song is about however bad things get don't kill yourself. Because in this he kills himself because he doesn't get a reply to his letters "And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call." In the end he does get one, but by then it's too late. So I think this should be in the anti-suicide songs. - jovisa737590 02:46, 28 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] From First To Last

I'm unsure about if this is main topic of suicide or not. Reading the lyrics, First two verses and chorus.

Two roads...Split off from here, and my life goes running in opposite directions. Exaggerating the barrier between who I am, and who I want to be.

I wanted to be that breath of fresh air, When everything smelled so insincere. But this taste still lingers in my mouth, Deceit has ways of sticking around. And I'm ready to disappear, Vacation seems far...From here.

Note to self: I miss you terribly. This is what...We call a tragedy. Come back to me, Come back to me, To me.

Does anyone agree with that at least hinting at suicide? Read the rest of the lyrics if you are unsure.

[edit] Tracy Chapman - Another Sun

Should Another Sun by Tracy Chapman be included in this list?

[edit] In Flames - December Flower

Who ever wrote the lines "(Talks of suicide from despair for the world)" takes the song way to pessimistic. This song neither contains direct references to suicide, nor voids the value of the world directly. Although this song is about death; it's about death as a form of returning the mother earth. It states that the death of a life is a pity (read: "of my sorrowfilled passing" for reference), but is not the end, rather part of an endless circle of death and rebirth. Believing that this unevoidable, yet essential circle - which is part of our nature - is bad lies in the eye of the beholder. 88.117.96.177 01:35, 5 September 2006 (UTC) Florian Stinglmayr


[edit] Like Suicide

Chris Cornell says that the song is actually about a bird that flew into his window and how he killed it with a brick. Nothing to do with suicide. StaticElectric 22:56, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Kurt Cobain

An anonymous user has re-inserted the word "alleged" when referring to Kurt Cobain's suicide. Certainly there's some dispute about this among conspiracy theorists, but it's just not necessary for this article. The dispute surrounding his death is adequately covered in the article on Cobain. Since it's legally declared a suicide, I'm going to remove the word "alleged" again. Feel free to discuss if you feel differently. SkerHawx 23:06, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] The Charlie Trilogy by The Whitlams

According to the 'Eternal Nightcap' songbook, Only 'Charlie No. 3' is about suicide. 'Buy Now, Pay Later' is about heroin addiction and 'Charlie No. 1' is about, as quoted from Tim Freedman the frontman, " [being] 20 years old and feeling youth faded for the first time". 58.109.49.117 01:56, 10 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] She's Not There by The Zombies

I always thought She's Not There was about a girl who committed suicide. Is it? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 216.16.236.133 (talk) 21:01, 14 December 2006 (UTC).

I don't know what the offical saying is, but I've always interpreted it as being about a guy who was never informed about a girl's reputation and was hurt by her in the process. Everyone who knew her stood by without warning him. Cally73 11:29, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Obstacle1

I'm pretty sure this has nothing to do with suicide. It has the line 'stabbing yourself in the neck' in it, but it's clearly a metaphore.I think it should be removed from the list.

[edit] My Chemical Romance

The Headfirst For Halos song is about someone who is thinking on suicide, tough it's unclear wether he does so or not. Also, on the song this is not a fashion statement... the protagonist is dead and wants revenge, but he loves the ones who is about to kill, that's why he will be with him/er on the other life so it isn't a real suicide since it's already dead201.247.168.8 03:23, 30 January 2007 (UTC)1/29/2007 9:21

[edit] Slave Labor by Fear Factory

While the lyrics can sound a little like suicide, this song is clearly not about killing yourself. The entire song was written to express the bands hatred for the contract they have with the recording label. The opening lines certainly set the tone "My chains are made of paper and they're welded with ink" "Sealed inside a legal trap so tight blood won't leak." There is also mention of indentured slaves, choking on mass production, and flocks of corporately-groomed, mindless sheep. The song was very successful and led to impressive sales for the "Archetype" album and leading to much profit for the recording label.

Another song by Fear Factory called "Resurrection" has also been misconstrued to contain suicidal elements. 65.43.32.36 21:04, 6 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The Smashing Pumpkins - "Hummer"

I have issues with both "Rocket" and "Soma" being included on this list, but that's to do largely with my interpretation of them as dealing with things far less drastic than suicide; I recognize and accept the alternate interpretations, and I'll leave them be. However, in my opinion, "Hummer" would need some SERIOUS stretching to be considered a suicide song, and, from most angles, seems like a song about depression recovery. I'm removing it. BOne 08:12, 24 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] 45 Shinedown Conflict

The song 45 by Shinedown is listed both under the main list, and the misinterpreted list, this is a clear conflict. Also, the naming conventions for both songs differ, one is shown as "45" and one as ".45" while the main page for the song shows the name as "45"

[edit] Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)

Could "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" by Styx refer to suicide? Quotes: "How could there be such a sinister plan", "You're killing yourself if you don't believe it". Are there any other opinions? Is he back? 21:24, 12 March 2007 (UTC)

[edit] the day that i die - good charlotte

"i called my mother, told her i loved her and i begged her not to cry" // "darkness falls i'm letting go" // "i swear the happiest day of my life, is the day that i die". more or less abou suicide. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 220.238.33.29 (talk) 17:51, 15 March 2007 (UTC).

[edit] Dog Fashion Disco - "100 Suicides"

Is Dog Fashion Disco's "100 Suicides" directly about suicide? I just always saw it as a metaphor for his mental breakdown (dying inside or whatever). Given the story of Adultery and the fact that he appears to still be alive for the final tracks, it might not be literal. I won't remove it though, as I'm unsure. Foolish Child 15:25, 24 March 2007 (UTC)

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