The 10 Most Devastating Songs of All Time

originally published July 2005

10. Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake"

This song is reminiscent of The Smurf's arch enemy "Gargamel," a devastating man in his own right. I am convinced this is the song that plays when Gargamel wins. There are moments of Tranquility... but remember without tranquility, you can't have devastation. And after the build-up of tranquility and beauty.... true devastation destroys the calm. Then at the end, the horrible death of Papa Smurf, after watching each one of his breatheren turned into gold, is slowly lowered into Gargamel's vat. And man, this is only number 10 in devastation.

The moment: The build-up is so nerve racking..... andante... andante.... crescendo's to an allegro, cresendo's again to forte.... and finally to the most devastating... Forte Fortissimo.

9. The Animals "House of the Rising Sun"

Some people are wondering, what exactly the "House of the Rising Sun" is. Is it a brothel? A prison? A meth lab? The truth is we don't need to know. The truth is so devastating, that people cannot know of it.

Also it takes place in New Orleans. One of the most devastating cities*, it features, swamp land, a delta, Cajuns, Voo-doo, gators, and sad sad blues people. It's so devastating, this song even warns your mothers not to let their children do as he did. The moment: "And it's been, the ruin, of many a poor boy, and God, I know, I'm one"

*Note - this was originally written a month before Hurricane Katrina

8. Braveheart - Freedom Theme

You may be thinking, how is freedom devastating. I'll tell ya why, when it causes you such torture, disembowlment, losing epic battles, having your love's throat slit, being decapitated, having your body parts strewn all over England, forcing you to yell out the word Freedom in agony, a yell so agonizing it kills the King. A king who murdered Phillips, his sons Military advisor who was homosexual. Scotland still hasn't recovered from the catastrophe that this song embodies.

The moment: Right before you get your head chopped off, you see your true love appear to you.... It really doesn't get more devastating than that.

7. Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

The emotion many people call "Love," can cause utter turmoil and devastation. Unless you are truly a lucky gent, you've probably had your Heart Totally Eclipsed before. You can feel the devastated emotions with the piano's first appearance. This emotional turmoil that Bonnie describes is cosmic, that's how enormous the devastation is. She has to take it to astronomical levels of devastation.

The moment: "Forever's gonna start tonight, Forever's gonna start tonight..." Devastation extends beyond eternity...

6. Four Non Blondes "What's Going On?" or "What's up?"

This song is about crying yourself to sleep because of the tumult that the "Brotherhood of Man" has caused you. As a guy, I can't even begin to comprehend the devastation that is being a woman. Going to the balcony after getting high, and then screaming at the top of your lungs... "WHAT'S GOING ON!" is a great way to describe devastation, especially for a woman who will never be a blonde.

The Moment: That last "What's Going On?" in each of the 2 chorus's is the moment.

5. Opera

I'm lumping all of opera into one song, because they pretty much are. But the honorable mentions go to "O Mio Babbino Caro," which reminds me of Grand Theft Auto (the video game), "Ride of the Valkyries, (think apacalypse Now, and yes, it's not really an opera but it counts), and "Time to Say Goodbye," (because saying goodbye to people is so devastating). There are tons more songs that are super devastating, because opera is such a tragic genre of music, and tragedy is devastating.

The moment: In those mobster movies when everything is going downhill, people are getting murdered and arrested, in a montage that involves a background song of tragic opera. Oh man, absolute devastation.

4. Ray Charles "Born to Lose"

At first glance, this song seem such a cheery oldies song, but the lyrics are such devastation. Basically it describes you losing at everything you've ever done, all your sports teams that you root for all lose, every year, all your life. As a long time Red Sox fan, losing was so devastating, especially over and over again. But if that wasn't devastating enough. Basically Ray says that trying to be happy is useless, because it will never.... ever.... happen.

The moment: "Born to Lose... and now.... I'm losing you." Oh man, salt on the wound, insult to injury, devastation of catastrophic proportions.

3. Johnny Cash "Hurt"

I really don't think words can do justice to the level of devastation that is this song. One of the greatest legends basically saying it was all worthless. I can't go on,

too devastated!

The moment: The first line of the song... "I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel, I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real..." That about sums up feelings of devastation.

2. Louie Prima "Just a Gigolo"

This song is the most jovial devastation, which is among the worst types of devastation. This one is far more devastating than the cover song done by David Lee Roth, because the video is far too happy, whereas this version has some of the most devastating horns that will make you feel sorry for yourself. It's true devastation in brass form, and the words, when you really listen, really hit the spot. He's unsuccessfully trying to prove that 'he ain't so bad.' That I relate too!

The moment: "Won't some sweet mama come and take a chance with me, 'cause I ain't so bad," and also his screaming of the word "Nobody" at the end of the song until his voice is absolutely destroyed.

1. Neutral Milk Hotel "The Fool"

Get the CD or download the song now, and telll me that it ISN'T the most devastating song of all time. AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY WORDS IN IT EITHER!! I sum this up as a funeral during Mardi Gras. A moment that was supposed to be great and fun, gone so horribly awfully wrong. This song is what you feel like when you are the most hungover in your entire life. And as a result.... it is devastation in is most purest form. I urge to to find this song again, it is THAT devastating.