History TearJerker / RedHousePainters

* Their cover for Music/TheCars' "All Mixed Up" is sad on its own just with the way it's performed... But the music video offers a visual interpretation of the song: An imaginary friend that realizes she doesn't exist. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQSUIRDs6VE&feature=list_other&playnext=1&list=AL94UKMTqg-9CNOaJ3lm04ibsfG3_c0uli It takes having to watch it to get the full impact of the video.]]

Any band involving singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, specifically Red House Painters and/or Music/SunKilMoon, is almost scientifically engineered to be depressing. Music/RedHousePainters are a strange case. Not only are about 90 percent of their songs pure TearJerker, but their music has been rumored to give people eerily suicidal thoughts. Let's put it this way, they took a subgenre called "slowcore" and decided to sadden it up ''even more'' by calling it '''sad'''core.

* The first track on ''Down Colorful Hill'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwTA2ekGZCE "24"]] definitely qualifies as one.

* Heck, even when they're ''not'' trying to invoke this trope the fans still try to interpret this song as a TearJerker. And for good reason. Take [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeRPCQnupuo "Summer Dress"]] for instance. The song is a tribute to EmilyDickinson who wrote a poem about herself feeling unloved and like to go to the beach to calm herself. However, because of the way Kozelek wrote the lyrics, many fans interpreted it as a girl who was sad with her life and drowned herself at the beach.

* Almost the entire album of ''Rollercoaster'' is considered to be an extremely rough listen to make it all the way through for some. The constant visuals of murder, suicide, depression, drug abuse, and violence are just way too much for people with rough pasts to take. However, the album makes it's point with the track "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxyKqH2E4sM Strawberry Hill"]], which is considered one of the band's best songs. The song details a friend of Kozelek's that was threatening suicide and his attempt to convince them they are a wonderful person and not to kill themselves, as Kozelek knows and understands what they're going through. This suddenly makes all the overly sad imagery of the album come together as an uplifting message from Kozelek to depressed people to not give up and that all is not bleak and sad. The final track "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8hLzLwscow Brown Eyes"]] brings the album to a close on an uplifting note.

Any band involving singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, specifically Red House Painter and/or Music/SunKilMoon, is almost scientifically engineered to be depressing. RedHousePainters are a strange case. Not only are about 90 percent of their songs pure TearJerker, but their music has been rumored to give people eerily suicidal thoughts. Let's put it this way, they took a subgenre called "slowcore" and decided to sadden it up ''even more'' by calling it '''sad'''core.

* The most notorious example is [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8TJuH4OkYU "Shadows"]] which is just Mark Kozelek alone at the piano singing about a couple that forces themselves to stay in a relationship despite how wrong they are for each other. Yes, this type of subject matter is a regular thing for them.

** The final two verses of "Katy Song" are particularly tear-jerking.

** Katy Song's last two verses are particularly tearjerking:
"A chance for calm, a hope for freedom
Outlet from my cold solitary kingdom
By the forest of our spring stay
Where you walked away

And left a bleeding part of me
Empty and bothered, watching the water
Quiet in the corner, numb and falling through
Without you, what does my life amount to"
Also, the wordless coda to "Katy Song" is very uplifting to some.

** Then there's "Uncle Joe". The opening lines "Where have all the people gone in my life?" is enough to get you teary-eyed. The rest of the song is just pure depression.

* The first track on ''Down Colorful Hill'' [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwTA2ekGZCE "24"]] defiantly qualifies as one.

** Also noteworthy from the ''Rollercoaster'' album are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_3PYEjFBgo "Grace Cathedral Park"]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFQ4nuUuwNo "Katy Song"]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pRO3wBQmaY "Things Mean A Lot"]][[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urbcmEF3TGM the piano version of "Mistress"]], and the [[EpicRocking dirge like track]] known as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGShlWlpB1E ''Mother'']]

** Also noteworthy from the ''Rollercoaster'' album are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_3PYEjFBgo "Grace Cathedral Park"]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFQ4nuUuwNo "Katy Song"]], [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urbcmEF3TGM the piano version of "Mistress"]], and the [[EpicRocking dirge like track]] known as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGShlWlpB1E ''Mother'']]

*** It doesn't help that "Uncle Joe", just like "Strawberry Hilld" is about Kozelek's struggle with depression and suicide. Uncle Joe was the uncle he was living with at the time.

** Then there's ''Uncle Joe''. The opening lines "Where have all the people gone in my life?" is enough to get you teary-eyed. The rest of the song is just pure depression.

** Also noteworthy from the ''Rollercoaster'' album are [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFQ4nuUuwNo Katy Song]] and the [[EpicRocking dirge like track]] known as [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGShlWlpB1E ''Mother'']]

* Almost the entire album of ''Rollercoaster'' is considered to be an extremely rough listen to make it all the way through for some. The constant visuals of murder, suicide, depression, drug abuse, and violence are just way too much for people with rough pasts to take. However, the album makes it's point with the track "Strawberry Hill", which is considered one of the band's best songs. The song details a friend of Kozelek's that was threatening suicide and his attempt to convince them they are a wonderful person and not to kill themselves, as Kozelek knows and understands what they're going through. This suddenly makes all the overly sad imagery of the album come together as an uplifting message from Kozelek to depressed people to not give up and that all is not bleak and sad. The final track "Brown Eyes" brings the album to a close on an uplifting note.

* ''Songs For A Blue Guitar'', while not entirely as depressing as ''Rollercoaster'' can offer several nostalgia-induced tearjerkers. The entirety of the album seems to be about the troubles growing up and making the slow transition to adulthood.

Any band involving singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek, specifically Red House Painter and/or Sun Kil Moon, is almost scientifically engineered to be depressing. RedHousePainters are a strange case. Not only are about 90 percent of their songs pure TearJerker, but their music has been rumored to give people eerily suicidal thoughts. Let's put it this way, they took a subgenre called "slowcore" and decided to sadden it up ''even more'' by calling it '''sad'''core.

* ''Songs For A Blue Guitar'', while not entirely as depressing as ''Rollercoaster'' can offer several nostalgia-induced tearjerkers. The entirety of the album seems to be about the troubles growing up and making the slow transition to adulthood.