The first ten songs in my "Rock & Roll Suicide" mix. Enjoy. Or, you know, don't.

Mad World--Tears for Fears--The Hurting

A new wave 80s classic, and also one of the most depressing songs ever recorded! Strangely, the line that makes me choke up is not "The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had." The line that really gets me is "Children waiting for the day they feel good -- happy birthday, happy birthday--" Nothing is more depressing than happiness. I can't really explain it.

Waltz, No. 2 (XO)--Elliott Smith--XO

The song is from 1998, but I never really noticed it until last year, when a couple of KUGS DJs played it a lot. So I bought it. And I was shattered to learn that Elliott Smith was already dead, of apparent suicide. Which makes the refrain -- "I'm never gonna know you now / But I'm gonna love you anyhow" -- especially poignant. And it makes me cry if I sit and think about it. And it's a masterpiece of finely nuanced moping anyway. "It's okay, it's all right, nothing's wrong..."

I Will Follow You Into the Dark--Death Cab For Cutie--Plans

What you think the song is about, from the title? That's what it's about.

Jumpers--Sleater-Kinney--The Woods

"I spend the afternoon in cars. I sit in traffic jams for hours. Don't push me, I am not ok." And then I jump off the Golden Gate bridge.

Siamese Twins--The Cure--Pornography

My favorite "oh God I'm so depressed I can't lift my head" song from college. "Everything falls apart...broken inside me it falls apart."

Yer Blues--The Beatles--The Beatles (White Album)

My favorite "oh God I'm so depressed I can't lift my head" song from high school. You know, I didn't stop liking the Beatles just because I discovered new wave. "Yes I'm LONELY...wanna DIE..."

Don't Fear the Reaper--GUS--Scream soundtrack

Yes, I bought the soundtrack specifically for this song, a moody acoustic version of the overplayed classic-rock original. In case you have somehow managed to avoid classic rock, the general storyline: boy talks girl into suicide pact. Girl goes through with it. Boy watches her make out with Death, kind of.

Gloomy Sunday--Billie Holiday--Ken Burns Jazz

A 1930s classic of the suicide genre. The song was originally Hungarian -- unsubstantiated legend has it causing a rash of actual suicides, but apparently people kill themselves a lot in Hungray anyway. The composer DID kill himself in 1968. The "it was all a dream" last verse was added for Billie Holiday's version, and you can really tell.

Rock 'N' Roll Suicide--David Bowie--Ziggy Stardust

What can I say? It's Bowie. I love Bowie. I love this song. "You're not alone."

My Old Haunts--Dream Syndicate--Ghost Stories

I think this is the most...bitterly disappointed...song I know of. "These dreams are best forgotten, passed on from ripe to rotten..."