Urban Legends: Gloomy Sunday, the Hungarian Suicide Song

"Gloomy Sunday" is a popular song composed by Hungarian musician Rezső Seress. The Song was published in Hungary in 1933 and became well-known throughout the English-speaking world after the release of a translated version by American Jazz Musician Billie Holiday in 1941. Since the lyrics referred to suicide, it becomes known as the "Hungarian Suicide Song". There is a recurring urban legend which claims many people who heard the song would commit suicide. 

For instance, a teenage girl in Vienna is believed to have drowned herself while clutching a piece of the music. In another incident, a shopkeeper from Budapest killed himself and left a note that quoted the song. Meanwhile, a woman in London is said to have overdosed while listening to the record on repeat. By the 1930s, associated presses have associated at least nineteen suicides, both in Europe and the America, with it. Nonetheless, most claims remain unsubstantiated and difficult to verify. It should be noted, however, the song was composed during a time when Fascism is on the rise of Europe, and that the world is experiencing the Great Depression. Consequently, the moody environment certainly contributes to the hysteria. In fact, Seress had noted that the ongoing events were an inspiration for his music. During the Second World War, the BBC banned the Billie Holiday's version of the song from being broadcast, suggesting its sad tone is detrimental to wartime morale but allowed performance of an instrumental version. There is little evidence of other radio ban and the BBC ban was lifted by 2002.

As a Jew, Seress suffered Nazis persecution during the Second World War in Fascist Hungary (But as a professed Hungarian patriot, he refused to leave the country even when given the chance). While losing many relatives, including his mother, Seress survived the War and lived up to 1968 when he committed suicide.To this day, many continue to link various suicide cases with the song. Anyways, below is the youtube link for Billie Wilson of the Song. Listen to it if you are ready to accept the consequences...The video link currently has over 4,000,000 views.