Gloomy Sunday Rezső Seress

“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 that claims that many people committed suicide with this song playing. In January 1968, some thirty-five years after writing the song, its composer Rezső Seress did commit suicide. He survived jumping out of a window in Budapest, but later in the hospital choked himself to death with a wire. The 1999 German-Hungarian film “Gloomy Sunday“ tells a fictional story about the creation of the song, depicting a love triangle during World War II. Lyrics by Desmond Carter: Sadly one Sunday I waited and waited With flowers in my arms for the dream I’d created I waited ’til dreams, like my heart, were all broken The flowers were all dead and the words were unspoken The grief that I knew was beyond all consoling The beat of my heart was a bell that was tolling Saddest of Sundays Then came a Sunday when you came to find me They bore me to church and I left you behind me My eyes could not see one I wanted to love me The earth and the flowers are forever above me The bell tolled for me and the wind whispered, “Never!“ But you I have loved and I bless you forever Last of all Sundays.