What are the most upbeat songs with kind of depressing lyrics?
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Almost anything by Tom Lehrer.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
I'm Only Me When I'm With You by Taylor Swift. Granted, I have no experience with healthy relationships, but the relationship in that song sounds extremely unhealthy and codependent
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
May I introduce you to The Smiths. Rusholme Ruffians and There is a Light That Never Goes Out are great examples, but really it describes most of their catalogue.
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Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind is the usual one I see brought up.
Push by Matchbox 20 and Possum Kingdom by Toadies are arguable ones.
Also, Richard Cheese covers a lot of raunchy and dark stuff in a vegas lounge singer style. Rape Me sung in a cheesy upbeat tone is a trip.
I fucking love Richard Cheese, especially his cover of Closer.
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This one immediately came to mind. They have a lot more good songs too.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Just Ain't Gonna Work Out - Mayer Hawthorne
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Rockin in the Free World by Neil Young
Good point. Born in the USA and Fortunate Son would probably fit in here as well.
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99 Luftballons is upbeat and fun, and about some balloons inadvertently kicking off a cataclysmic war that leaves the world in ruins.
Damn, I gotta go read those lyrics.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
wrote last edited by [email protected]The Antlers - Bear
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnHCQe-Y0nw -
The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
the mountain goats - no children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS27S3mspjU
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Hey Ya by Outkast.
Also pretty much everything I have ever heard by Steely Dan.
Hey Ya is an excellent example.
Steely Dan seems more low key. And he hates on my alma mater lol. And he acted like kind of a dick when I saw him live. But I do love his sound, like warm tea with honey and a lil splash of bourbon.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Greenskeepers - Lotion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm86I_kezVY
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
The Macarena I'd about a woman cheating on her BF getting drafted into the military with 2 other guys
Which is pretty intense for a song they taught to kids in grade school
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
I don't like Mondays by boomtown rats
https://open.spotify.com/track/7JFoeg0arawADjGcz9gBnq
Quite a chill and happy song about a school shooting
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Polish Dancing Cow song is upbeat and catchy but the lyrics are about a man struggling with his cocaine addiction.
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I fucking love Richard Cheese, especially his cover of Closer.
wrote last edited by [email protected]Omg, this is a true pickmeup
The intro sounds like it's some Blues Brothers number and then...
I want to violate you -
Hey Ya is an excellent example.
Steely Dan seems more low key. And he hates on my alma mater lol. And he acted like kind of a dick when I saw him live. But I do love his sound, like warm tea with honey and a lil splash of bourbon.
Ok, maybe just the bourbon, honey optional.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
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Pick any Smiths song
if a ten-ton truck 
killed the both of us -
The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
A solid majority of Bastille's discography comes to mind, though not as outright depressing as Pumped Up Kicks or Youth of a Nation, most of their tracks tend to be very instrumentally upbeat and lively, with gorgeous vocals, but thematically darker lyrics / topics. Happier comes to mind as immediately fitting the prompt (and having enough radio play to be recognizable), but The Draw, Haunt, and Skulls also fit well (I'd also included their cover of City High's What Would You Do, also long as being a cover isn't a immediate disqualifier).
I feel like they're kind of slept on since they don't get a whole lot of radio play outside of a handful of songs, but all their other work is just so good. Personal top favorite artist, hands down.
