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)
wrote last edited by [email protected]The only 2 songs I could think of, Pumped Up Kicks, and 99 Luftballons/99 Red Balloons were already brought up. So I had to think of some different songs. And I can't. Looked through a bunch of songs on my phone and back of some of my CD cases and I can't think of any right now.
Closest I can think of was just a video of someone reacting to the Japanese vocaloid song 「ごめんね ごめんね」 ( I'm sorry I'm sorry )by Kikuo and not knowing what the song meant until looking up the lyrics. Even then, that's not a very upbeat song.
Edit:
I thought about "Belong" by R.E.M., but I would say it's near upbeat but not quite there. Also, the lyrics are more cryptic and confusing to dissect than depressing in my opinion.
Edit 2:
Wouldn't say it's quite upbeat either, but Mighty K.C. from For Squirrels as well. Not quite upbeat but definitely depressing lyrics considering it's about death.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
for some reason there's a bunch of upbeat sounding Japanese songs that are actually disturbing if you look into the lyrics (for example racing into the night)
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger?
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
You are my sunshine (The Dead South do an excellent job illustrating how dark the song really is)
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for some reason there's a bunch of upbeat sounding Japanese songs that are actually disturbing if you look into the lyrics (for example racing into the night)
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I Am A Rock by Simon and Garfunkel
A winter's day In a deep and dark December I am alone Gazing from my window to the streets below On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow I am a rock I am an island I've built walls A fortress deep and mighty That none may penetrate I have no need of friendship, friendship causes pain It's laughter and it's loving I disdain I am a rock I am an island Don't talk of love Well I've heard the word before It's sleeping in my memory I won't disturb the slumber of feelings that have died If I never loved I never would have cried I am a rock I am an island I have my books And my poetry to protect me I am shielded in my armor Hiding in my room safe within my womb I touch no one and no one touches me I am a rock I am an island And a rock feels no pain And an island never criesIn that vein, I guess, "The Sound of Silence" by Simon and Garfunkel also deserves a mention, even if it's up for interpretation how depressing the lyrics by themselves are.
But the first line in the song is "Hello darkness, my old friend / I've come to talk with you again." and there is a cover version by the metal band Disturbed, which has no shame to really lean into that sort of vibe.
And yeah, after having heard the Disturbed version, listening to the original certainly feels like there is a massive disconnect between how sad the song perhaps should be and how upbeat the original is.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Someone else mentioned this too, but if anyone is into Japanese songs: I think there are probably more songs (especially Vocaloid ones) with extremely messed-up (and convoluted) lyrics than those that do not... I don't think most of them are well-known outside anime/vocaloid circles though.
Trying to think about the more "cute and depressing" ones I could find:::: spoiler NSFL
- Iyowa - Kyu-Kurarin: song is extremely cute. Supposedly implies breakup and suicide
- MikitoP - Shoujo Rei: involves two girls and one of them killed herself
- Mili - Nine Point Eight: one of my all time favorited; the title is somewhat self-explanatory
These are just what I could think of for now... A lot of songs with mentions of depression, suicide, etc... Other forms of messup, Telecaster B Boy is about being trans & not fitting in society I believe (song is a banger)
And this one is not "depressing" as-is, but Senbonzakura (that super famous Japan-esque song sung by Hatsune Miku that everyone has heard of) is about Imperial/WWII Japan sooo... take that as you will
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You are my sunshine (The Dead South do an excellent job illustrating how dark the song really is)
Love The Dead South, their vaguely ominous horror take on folk is amazing! Johnny Cash also does a wonderfully depressing version of the song
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Nothing but Flowers by Talking Heads is a cheerful song about post-apocalyptic life.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Lots of great choices here - I'll throw in Moon Over Marin by Dead Kennedys.
Sounds like a bop, but is actually about the destruction of the environment.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Hey Ya - Outkast
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
On the documentary 'shifty' they claimed that 'the land of make believe' by bucks fizz was written about Margaret Thatcher/Thatcherism. Really puts a depressing spin on it.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Pumped up kicks by foster the people
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
I didn't see wake up boo by the boo radleys in here.
It's about suicide
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Komm Süsser Tod from The End Of Evangelion.
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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]No Sunlight - Death Cab for Cutie
When I was young Lying in the grass I felt so safe In a warming bath Of sunlight, of sunlight The vast open sky Could do no harm Like an embrace Of a mother's arms In sunlight, in sunlight In sunlight, in sunlight With every year That came to pass More clouds appeared 'Til the sky went black And there was no sunlight, no sunlight And there was no sunlight, no sunlight anymore And it disappeared at the same speed As the idealistic things I believed When the optimist died inside of me No sunlight, no sunlight No sunlight, no sunlight It disappeared at the same speed As the idealistic things I believed When the optimist died inside of me No sunlight, no sunlight No sunlight, no sunlight No sunlight, no sunlight No sunlight, no sunlight No sunlight anymore -
The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
No Rain by Blind Melon... literally a song about deep depression with upbeat music
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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]I always find it funny how upbeat the Cambodia version by Pulsedriver is.
PTSD and dropping bombs on cambodia. What a topic for a dance tune. -
The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Last Kiss by Wayne Cochran. You kids probably remember the Pearl Jam version, which was a bit more subdued. But the 1964 hit by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers is very upbeat and cheerful sounding. It’s about a boy who gets his girlfriend killed in a car accident while on a date and holding her as she dies. He’s consumed with guilt and can only think about dying so he can see her again in heaven.
