Rebetiko, which first emerged in Greece in the 19th century, is a kind of precursor to Blues, and maybe even hip-hop. The songs are characteristically melancholic, telling of misfortunes, lost love, drug addiction, and the pain of disillusionment. The movement was eventually outlawed in the 1930s when the Greek government grew alarmed at the frequent references to hashish.

One of the foremost exponents was Marika Papagika, who introduced the music to America, where, together with her husband, she opened a club in New York and later made several recordings. The couple were ruined by the Wall Street Crash of 1929 and, according to Wikipedia at any rate, she barely recovered from the setback. She died in 1943, apparently of disappointment. The song below, which I discovered over at Gorilla Vs Bear, is called Smyrneiko Minore. I have no idea what it is about, but it is one of the most haunting things I have ever heard.