"Szomorú Vasárnap," or "Gloomy Sunday" in English, is a hit song written in 1933 by Hungarian composer Rezső Seress. It's more commonly known as the "Hungarian Suicide Song" because of hundreds (if not thousands) of suicides that were inspired by listening to it. The song itself has been covered several times, most famously by Billie Holiday, and for the most part is considered an urban legend and a brilliant marketing campaign.
The version that reached radio waves, however, is not the version that was originally written. Rezső Seress first created the song in order to woo his girlfriend, who had recently left him. It succeeded in bringing them back together for a short time, before she jumped from his apartment window. Rezső had been out at the time. His girlfriend left a note for him — "Szomorú Vasárnap."
The song was changed before release. Rezső Seress also committed suicide in 1968 by jumping out of his window in the same manner his girlfriend did.
Lyrics
It is autumn and the leaves are falling,
All love has died on earth.
The wind is weeping with sorrowful tears,
My heart will never hope for a new spring again.
My tears and my sorrows are all in vain,
People are heartless, greedy and wicked...
Love has died!
The world has come to its end, hope has ceased to have a meaning,
Cities are being wiped out, shrapnel is making music,
Meadows are coloured red with human blood,
There are dead people on the streets everywhere
I will say another quiet prayer:
People are sinners, Lord, they make mistakes...
The world has ended!
