[Blues47]

I was going to post this in the 'what music helps you' thread but I realized it was counter to the spirit of that discussion..

One that stands out is Pink Floyd Shine On You Crazy Diamond...often framed as a tribute to Syd Barret, the lyrics pointedly mock his descent into anxious isolation. Even the last line 'pile on many more layers and I'll be joining you there' probably to the average listener sounds empathetic but I take as facetious hyperbole. I love the instrumentation and even the lyrical structure but the unfortunate subject matter hits home.

Another song that I can't listen to at all anymore is Argent's 'Hold Your Head Up'. Long ago when I was beginning to slip away this song came on the radio and I thought I might embrace the obvious theme. But all it did was teach the young me to reject platitudes. Hearing it now just brings me back to that moment of plunging off the social cliff.

Anyone else find some music a little discomforting...maybe something you enjoyed in years past but has of late taken on a darker relevance?

[bearguardian]

I never liked shine on and that third song off the album, have a cigar?

I dont like shine on because, lyrics seemed to me pretentious, celebrating someone who obviously wishes to just be left alone. And have a cigar is so, like money from darkside, just stupid.

Welcome to the machine and wish you were here are a little better. I still keep that album in my mp3 collection but I dont know really why.

Sorry I strayed from your question. Will get back to this thread if I remember something I changed my taste about...

[childofchaos831]

There's an album that I really enjoy, but I have to be mindful when I'm listening to it cuz it can go either way for me. Heroin Diaries by SixxAM. Also I love heavy metal, but it can cause anxiety or anger to get worse if I'm already feeling them.

I think the only music that always brings bad feelings is classical, like the kind high school choirs sing for competitions, and certain "oldies" that I also sang in choir, mostly from the poodle skirt time period. But most of that is relatred to high school generally sucking and events from senior year breaking me down so much that I nearly gave up on life, many times.

For me, music has always been a refuge. My mother doesn't understand why I don't sing still, because I do still love music. I needed to make music more casual and fun, so I'm the typical belting it out in the car kind of person.

[Blues47]

Originally Posted by bearguardian

celebrating someone who obviously wishes to just be left alone

You're right.. the tune is a bit tone deaf, so to speak, to their former friend's condition and how he wanted to handle it. Then again it illustrates the common nature of the relationship between depressives and those they leave behind.

When I was a child, my dad loved and frequently played his record of the War of the Worlds musical, a strange, late-70's prog-rock/disco musical of the HG Wells book.

Also at this time in my life, I started having anxiety and depression over the realization that my parents were mortal and were going to die some day (my mother had a serious operation that made me realize this was possible). Because of that association, hearing the music from that record brings back memories of the first time in my life I felt helpless and despairing for the future. I literally have come to associate that music (and to a lesser degree, the story the music is based on) with things like terminal illnesses, freak accidents, and an inconsolable sense of dread.

On the flip side, most songs that are about feeling good or having a good time bring me down too. They make me feel broken, or remind me of how rarely I've felt as good as the song is trying to make me feel.

[Vimtuous]

Having just left my long term so after he was cheating, pretty much anything that is super lovey dove or sweet or romantic is just making me feel awful. Didn't realize how much of my music was love songs until I try to skip passed all of them. Post rock is about all I can comfortable listen to right now

Music that gets piped in that I'd rather not hear. There are a lot of songs and music that I don't like. And then I'd go shopping and the music is piped in that I don't like or I just hear the music from someone else.

It can be hard to believe for me that what sounds heavenly to me can sound like hell to someone else. And vice versa.