“Sad songs,” as the saying goes, “say so much.” Indeed, the world is filled with melancholic tunes, and while some resonate with feelings of despair, a smaller, but equally powerful collection of songs exists to offer a beacon of hope amidst suicidal ideation. While acknowledging the intense pain that can lead to such dark thoughts, these songs serve as reminders of resilience, reasons to persevere, and the possibility of brighter days.
In a previous exploration of music’s impact on suicidal feelings, we highlighted songs that directly discourage suicide. Many listeners responded, sharing their own musical discoveries – songs that, while not always explicitly anti-suicide, provided solace and encouragement. It’s important to note that not all music related to this topic offers positive reinforcement; some may even inadvertently glorify or romanticize suicide. However, for those grappling with suicidal thoughts, there’s a wealth of music that can serve as a comforting and uplifting force.
It’s true that sad songs can deeply resonate. But songs that speak to the suicidal experience with a message of hope can be even more profound. Here, we present a curated list of songs that offer a counter-narrative to despair, providing a musical lifeline for those who need it most.
Songs Offering Hope and Encouragement
This collection features songs from various genres, each carrying a message of perseverance, resilience, and the value of life, even in the face of immense pain.
24 Floors – The Maine (Alternative Rock)
You don’t wanna die tonight
Take one more breath to clear your mind
Every moment’s relevant
Bittersweet and delicate
Tomorrow may not come again
Tonight is all there is
This alternative rock anthem directly confronts suicidal thoughts with a powerful message of presence. “24 Floors” urges listeners to focus on the present moment, emphasizing the preciousness of each breath and the potential of tomorrow, reminding us that even in darkness, life is still happening now.
Adam’s Song – Blink-182 (Rock)
Tomorrow holds such better days
Days when I can still feel alive
When I can’t wait to get outside
The world is wide, the time goes by
Blink-182’s introspective rock ballad, “Adam’s Song,” initially appears to explore themes of isolation and despair, but it ultimately pivots towards hope. The lyrics look forward to “better days,” emphasizing the feeling of being alive and connected to the world, suggesting that current pain is temporary and future joy is attainable.
Battle Scars – Paradise Fears (Alternative Rock)
You’ve had enough,
But just don’t give up.
Stick to your guns,
You are worth fighting for.
You know we’ve all got battle scars.
Keep marching on.
“Battle Scars” by Paradise Fears is an empowering alternative rock track that serves as a direct encouragement to keep fighting. It acknowledges the feeling of “having enough” but counters it with a powerful affirmation of self-worth and resilience, reminding listeners that everyone carries “battle scars” and that perseverance is key.
Cut the Cord – Shinedown (Rock)
Don’t be a casualty, cut the cord…
Cause victory is all you need
So cultivate and plant the seed
Hold your breath and count to ten, just count to ten
Shinedown’s hard-hitting rock anthem, “Cut the Cord,” is a call to action against succumbing to despair. It uses the metaphor of “cutting the cord” to symbolize breaking free from negativity and choosing to fight for “victory.” The lyrics emphasize taking control and planting seeds of hope for a better future, urging listeners to pause and reconsider their immediate impulses.
Don’t Close Your Eyes – Kix (Metal)
Don’t close your eyes
Don’t sing your last lullaby…
Hold on – Hold on tight
I’ll make everything all right
Wake up – Don’t go to sleep
I pray the lord your soul to keep
Kix delivers a powerful metal ballad, “Don’t Close Your Eyes,” that acts as a desperate plea for life. The lyrics directly address someone on the brink, urging them to “hold on tight” and promising that things will “be alright.” It’s a raw expression of support and a fervent wish for the person to choose life.
End of the Movie – Cake (Alternative Rock)
People you hate will get their hooks into you
They’ll pull you down…
But you still don’t like to leave before the end of the movie
No you still don’t like to leave before the end of the show
Cake’s quirky alternative rock track, “End of the Movie,” offers a unique perspective on perseverance. It acknowledges the negativity and hardship in life (“people you hate will get their hooks into you”) but counters it with a simple, relatable desire to see things through to the end. It subtly suggests that even when things are tough, there’s value in experiencing the full story of life.
Friend, Please – Twenty One Pilots (Alternative Rock)
Friend, please remove your hands from
Over your eyes for me
I know you want to leave but
Friend, please don’t take your life away from me
Twenty One Pilots’ emotionally charged alternative rock song, “Friend, Please,” is a direct and intimate appeal to someone contemplating suicide. The lyrics are a heartfelt plea from a friend, expressing concern and begging the person not to “take your life away,” highlighting the impact of suicide on loved ones and the value of connection.
Hang On – Guster (Rock)
We break
We bend
With hand in hand
When hope is gone
Just hang on
Hang on
Guster’s gentle rock song, “Hang On,” offers simple yet profound advice. It acknowledges the fragility of life (“we break, we bend”) and the feeling of hopelessness, but the core message is unwavering: “hang on.” It emphasizes resilience and the importance of holding on, especially when hope seems lost.
How to Save a Life – The Fray (Rock)
Where did I go wrong?
I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
The Fray’s poignant rock ballad, “How to Save a Life,” is a reflection on loss and the desire to have helped someone struggling. While tinged with sadness, it serves as a reminder of the importance of reaching out and seeking help, and that others care and wish they could intervene. It can inspire both those struggling and those wanting to support them.
I Walk Beside You – Dream Theater (Rock)
Oh, when everything is wrong
Oh, when hopelessness surrounds you
Oh, the sun will rise again
The tide you swim against
Will carry you back home
So don’t give up, don’t give in…
Dream Theater’s powerful rock anthem, “I Walk Beside You,” is a message of unwavering support and hope. It acknowledges feelings of hopelessness but assures listeners that “the sun will rise again” and that they are not alone in their struggles. The lyrics offer a sense of companionship and encourage resilience, urging them not to give up.
Let Go – Everest (Rock)
So take a breath
My dear friend
Take it slow
And let go
And rise again
You’re not done yet…
Everest’s rock song, “Let Go,” is a gentle encouragement to release burdens and find the strength to continue. It advises taking a breath, slowing down, and “letting go” of overwhelming pressures. The message is clear: “you’re not done yet,” emphasizing the potential for renewal and a future beyond current struggles.
Make It Stop (September’s Children) – Rise Against (Punk Rock)
Make it stop,
Let this end,
All these years pushed to the ledge,
But proud I stand, of who I am,
I plan to go on living
Rise Against’s powerful punk rock anthem, “Make It Stop (September’s Children),” directly addresses the pain and bigotry faced by LGBTQ+ youth, but its message of resilience is universal. While acknowledging the immense pressure and suffering (“pushed to the ledge”), it ultimately declares defiance and a commitment to living authentically, inspiring listeners to stand strong in the face of adversity.
Missing You – All Time Low (Alternative Rock)
Now don’t lose your fight, kid,
It only takes a little push to pull on through,
With so much left to do,
You’ll be missing out, and we’ll be missing you.
All Time Low’s alternative rock track, “Missing You,” is a direct appeal to someone contemplating giving up. It’s a reminder that even when strength is waning, “it only takes a little push to pull on through.” The lyrics emphasize the potential for future experiences (“so much left to do”) and the impact of their absence on loved ones (“we’ll be missing you”).
No Giving Up – Crossfade (Metal)
There’s no giving up now
Do you really want to give this all away
Can’t you ever see things in a different way…
You should think things through
Over and over again
Crossfade’s metal song, “No Giving Up,” is a forceful declaration against surrender. It directly challenges the listener considering suicide, asking “Do you really want to give this all away?” and urging them to reconsider and “think things through.” It’s a powerful message about choosing to fight and explore alternative perspectives.
The Pass – Rush (Hard Rock)
All of us get lost in the darkness
Dreamers learn to steer by the stars
All of us do time in the gutter
Dreamers turn to look at the cars
Turn around and turn around and turn around
Turn around and walk the razor’s edge
Don’t turn your back
And slam the door on me
Rush’s hard rock classic, “The Pass,” uses poetic lyrics to address the struggles of adolescence and the feeling of being lost. It acknowledges the “darkness” and “gutter” experiences but emphasizes the resilience of “dreamers” who learn to navigate life’s challenges. The song encourages perseverance and connection, urging listeners not to shut others out (“Don’t turn your back and slam the door on me”).
Remember We Die – Gemini Syndrome (Hard Rock)
Remember we die
But you’re still alive
So don’t let go
’Cause it’s the only thing you know
There’s plenty of time
To see the other side
Gemini Syndrome’s hard rock track, “Remember We Die,” uses the concept of mortality to emphasize the preciousness of life. It reminds listeners “we die,” but “you’re still alive,” urging them not to “let go” because life itself is what they know and have. It encourages patience and the belief that there is “plenty of time to see the other side” of current struggles.
Sacrifice – Aurelio Voltaire (Rock)
There’s a place where you and I looked in each other’s eyes and promised we’d be free someday.
So please tell me why you sacrificed all that you would be.
You threw away your dreams.
So much life to live…
So much love to give…
So much life to live…
So much love to give…
Aurelio Voltaire’s rock song, “Sacrifice,” poignantly addresses the tragedy of suicide by questioning the “sacrifice” of potential and dreams. It evokes a sense of lost promise and emphasizes the “so much life to live” and “so much love to give” that is forfeited when someone chooses to end their life, highlighting the value of what remains.
Stay Alive – Andy Black (Rock)
Stay alive for the good times
Stay alive through the bad
Stay alive for the hopes and the fears and the dreams
The best that we ever had
Andy Black’s rock anthem, “Stay Alive,” offers a straightforward and powerful message of choosing life. It provides a multitude of reasons to persevere – “for the good times,” “through the bad,” and “for the hopes and the fears and the dreams.” It’s a comprehensive encouragement to embrace the full spectrum of life experiences, both positive and negative.
Stay Alive – Smile Empty Soul (Hard Rock)
Stay alive, stay alive,
Because it’s almost over now
Stay alive, stay alive,
Better days to come around
Smile Empty Soul’s hard rock track, also titled “Stay Alive,” delivers a repetitive and impactful mantra. The simple lyrics emphasize the temporary nature of current pain (“it’s almost over now”) and the promise of future improvement (“better days to come around”). It’s a direct and reassuring message of hope in the midst of struggle.
Story of My Life – Backstreet Boys (Pop)
Everybody falls, everybody cries
Everybody feels like a nobody sometimes
You get up again, give it one more try
Everybody’s got what it takes on the inside
Backstreet Boys’ pop song, “Story of My Life,” offers a message of universal resilience and self-belief. It normalizes struggle (“everybody falls, everybody cries”) and feelings of inadequacy (“everybody feels like a nobody sometimes”) but emphasizes the importance of perseverance (“get up again, give it one more try”) and inherent inner strength (“everybody’s got what it takes on the inside”).
Suicide; Stigma – The Color Morale (Metal)
I want you to live.
Suicide doesn’t end the pain,
it passes to the ones you love and remains.
Take yourself out of the equation
And the problem stays.
The Color Morale’s metalcore track, “Suicide; Stigma,” directly confronts the issue of suicide and its impact. It begins with a powerful declaration, “I want you to live,” and directly debunks the idea that suicide ends pain, stating that it instead “passes to the ones you love and remains.” It emphasizes that suicide doesn’t solve underlying problems but rather shifts the burden of pain to others.
The Sun is Rising – Britt Nicole (Christian Pop)
When life has cut too deep and left you hurting
The future you had hoped for is now burning
And the dreams you held so tight lost their meaning
And you don’t know if you’ll ever find the healing
You’re gonna make it
You’re gonna make it
And the night can only last for so long
Britt Nicole’s Christian pop song, “The Sun is Rising,” offers a message of faith and hope in the face of profound pain. It acknowledges deep hurt, lost hopes, and a sense of meaninglessness, but it strongly affirms “You’re gonna make it” and emphasizes the temporary nature of darkness (“the night can only last for so long”), promising eventual healing and light.
Sunrise – Our Last Night (Rock)
When the night is cold and you feel like no one knows
what it’s like to be the only one buried in this hole
You can make it to the sunrise.
Our Last Night’s rock song, “Sunrise,” provides a simple yet powerful image of hope amidst isolation and despair. It acknowledges the feeling of being alone in suffering (“no one knows what it’s like to be the only one buried in this hole”) but offers the reassurance that “you can make it to the sunrise,” symbolizing the arrival of a new day and the end of darkness.
Survive – Rise Against (Hard Rock)
Life for you, has been less than kind
So take a number, stand in line
We’ve all been sorry, we’ve all been hurt
But how we survive, is what makes us who we are…
Rise Against’s hard rock song, “Survive,” acknowledges the harshness of life (“Life for you, has been less than kind”) and the universality of suffering (“we’ve all been sorry, we’ve all been hurt”). However, it emphasizes that resilience in the face of adversity (“how we survive”) is what defines us, highlighting strength and character built through overcoming challenges.
Truce – Twenty One Pilots (Alternative Rock)
Stay alive, stay alive for me
You will die, but now your life is free
Take pride in what is sure to die
Twenty One Pilots’ alternative rock song, “Truce,” offers a poignant and somewhat paradoxical message. “Stay alive, stay alive for me” is a direct plea for life, while “You will die, but now your life is free” acknowledges mortality but suggests finding freedom and meaning in the present moment. “Take pride in what is sure to die” could be interpreted as finding value in our fleeting existence and the impact we have.
Wonderful Life – Hurts (Pop)
Don’t let go
Never give up.
Don’t let go
Never give up, it’s such a wonderful life.
Hurts’ synth-pop song, “Wonderful Life,” is a direct and emphatic declaration of the value of life, even amidst hardship. The repeated phrases “Don’t let go, never give up” and “it’s such a wonderful life” serve as a powerful affirmation and a reminder to hold on to hope and appreciate the inherent beauty of existence, despite challenges.
You are Loved – Set It Off (Rock)
It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem
We all have issues not knowing how to solve them
And when you feel you’re at your worst,
Remember all these words
Set It Off’s rock song, “You Are Loved,” directly addresses suicidal ideation by labeling suicide as “a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” It normalizes struggles (“we all have issues not knowing how to solve them”) and offers a comforting reminder of love and support, urging listeners to “remember all these words” when feeling overwhelmed.
You’re Gonna Be Ok – Brian and Jenn Johnson (Christian Pop)
When the night, is closing in
Don’t give up, and don’t give in
This won’t last, it’s not the end, it’s not the end
You’re gonna be ok
Brian and Jenn Johnson’s Christian pop song, “You’re Gonna Be Ok,” is a comforting and reassuring message of hope and resilience rooted in faith. It acknowledges the feeling of darkness “closing in” but directly counters it with “Don’t give up, and don’t give in” and the promise that “This won’t last, it’s not the end.” The core message is a confident affirmation: “You’re gonna be ok.”
You’re Only Human – Billy Joel (Pop)
Sometimes you just want to lay down and die
That emotion can be so strong
But hold on
Till that old second wind comes along
Billy Joel’s pop classic, “You’re Only Human (Second Wind),” normalizes suicidal feelings as a part of the human experience (“Sometimes you just want to lay down and die”). It acknowledges the intensity of such emotions but offers practical advice: “hold on” until “that old second wind comes along,” suggesting that these feelings are temporary and that resilience and renewed strength are possible.
Finding Your Song of Hope
This collection of songs represents a diverse range of musical styles and lyrical approaches, all united by a common thread: a message of hope and encouragement for those struggling with suicidal thoughts. Music can be a powerful tool for emotional processing and finding connection. If you are facing such challenges, exploring these songs and others like them might offer a source of comfort and strength, reminding you that you are not alone and that hope is always possible, even in the darkest of times.
If you know of other songs that offer a message of hope and encouragement in the context of suicidal thoughts, please share them in the comments below. Your contributions can help expand this resource and offer further support to those who need it.
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