Gloomy Sunday

I first heard this song a couple of years ago and fell in love with it immediately. I recall reading about it on Snopes and being intrigued by the story behind the song. For those who don't know, Gloomy Sunday is the English name given to a song called Szomorú Vasárnap. The music was written in the 1930s by Rezső Seress. The words were added later by László Jávor. The song is said to have been related to multiple suicides in Hungary - numerous people reportedly played the music while they completed the act or left allusions to it in their suicide notes. These may simply be urban legends, but controversy sells. Gloomy Sunday has been banned, translated, recorded, and even turned into a film. By the way, I highly recommend the movie. I happen to be quite the critic, especially when it comes to movies involving suicides (as that is a sensitive issue for me), and I thought it brilliant. There are plenty of websites detailing the song's history, so I won't bother typing it all here. I will add links at the bottom of the post for anyone who wants more information and doesn't know how to find these sites.

You will find lyrics below. I have included the original Hungarian first, then what I presume to be a literal translation. Next is the English translation. I also rewrote these lyrics into French, and I will include those last. Please note that the French lyrics are mine. I can't account for accuracy, as I am not a native speaker. Just don't take them without permission.

Original Hungarian:
Szomorú vasárnap száz fehér virággal
Vártalak kedvesem templomi imával
Álmokat kergető vasárnap délelőtt
Bánatom hintaja nélküled visszajött
Azóta szomorú mindig a vasárnap
Könny csak az italom kenyerem a bánat...
Szomorú vasárnap
Utolsó vasárnap kedvesem gyere el
Pap is lesz, koporsó, ravatal, gyászlepel
Akkor is virág vár, virág és - koporsó
Virágos fák alatt utam az utolsó
Nyitva lesz szemem hogy még egyszer lássalak
Ne félj a szememtől holtan is áldalak...
Utolsó vasárnap

Literal English:
Gloomy Sunday with a hundred white flowers
I was waiting for you my dearest with a prayer
A Sunday morning, chasing after my dreams
The carriage of my sorrow returned to me without you
It is since then that my Sundays have been forever sad
Tears my only drink, the sorrow my bread...
Gloomy Sunday
This last Sunday, my darling please come to me
There'll be a priest, a coffin, a catafalque and a winding-sheet
There'll be flowers for you, flowers and a coffin
Under the blossoming trees it will be my last journey
My eyes will be open, so that I could see you for a last time
Don't be afraid of my eyes, I'm blessing you even in my death...
The last Sunday

commonly-used English:
Sunday is gloomy. My hours are slumberless.
Dearest, the shadows I live with are numberless.
Little white flowers will never awaken you,
not where the black coach of sorrow has taken you.
Angels have no thoughts of ever returning you.
Would they be angry if I thought of joining you?
Gloomy Sunday
Gloomy Sunday, with shadows I spend it all.
My heart and I have decided to end it all.
Soon there'll be candles and prayers that are sad, I know.
Let them not weep. Let them know that I'm glad to go.
Death is no dream, and in death I'm caressing you.
With the last breath of my soul, I'll be blessing you.
Gloomy Sunday

French:
Dimanche est sombre. Mes heures sont sans sommeils.
Cheri, innombrables sont les ombres qui m'entourraient.
Fleurs, petites et blanches, ne vous reveilleront jamais -
pas où le corbillard affrigé à vous porté.
Les anges n'ont de pensée de vous ramener.
Si je déciderai à vous joindre, seriont-ils fachés?
Sombre dimanche
Sombre dimanche, avec des ombres je passe le temps.
Mon cœur et moi avons decidés à tous mettre le fins.
Il y auraient des bougies et prières tristes, je sais.
Qu'ils ne pleurent pas. Qu'ils sachent qu'heuresement, je partirai.
La morte n'est pas de rêves, parce qu'en morte je vous caresserai.
Avec le dernier soupir de mon âme, je vous bénirai.
Sombre dimanche

Most English versions of the song now include an additional verse that was not part of the original. It explains that the singer was simply dreaming of the horrible depression he would feel if his lover were to die. By most accounts, it was added in because the song was "too morbid," otherwise. I don't care for this verse at all. It just doesn't go with the rest of the song, and it takes away from its meaning. Therefore, I have chosen to omit it from the lyrics on this blog. I like the song much better in its original translation, but then again... maybe I'm morbid.

Links:
http://www.phespirit.info/gloomysunday/
http://www.phespirit.info/gloomysunday/article_01.htm
http://www.qsl.net/w5www/gloomy.html
http://jazz-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/gloomy-sunday