What are the most upbeat songs with kind of depressing lyrics?
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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.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Flo by Smash Mouth
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Rise Against - Tragedy + Time
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Every Stromae's songs.
It's always funny to see non-french-speaking people being so hyped by Stromae's songs, like they think it's joyful af and all... While his songs lyrics are litterally about :- a man who drinks and dances a lot in order to forget his shitty life ( Alors on danse )
- a song about his father who was killed during Rwanda's genocide ( Papaoutai )
- other songs about suicide, cancer, breakups, addictions, depression etc... But always with an upbeat melody !
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Every Stromae's songs.
It's always funny to see non-french-speaking people being so hyped by Stromae's songs, like they think it's joyful af and all... While his songs lyrics are litterally about :- a man who drinks and dances a lot in order to forget his shitty life ( Alors on danse )
- a song about his father who was killed during Rwanda's genocide ( Papaoutai )
- other songs about suicide, cancer, breakups, addictions, depression etc... But always with an upbeat melody !
I don't speak a lick of French (I know enough Spanish to recognize some words if they are slightly similar, but that's it) but still enjoy Stromae, although I've never found his music to be upbeat. I think, especially in Papaoutai, you can hear the struggle and sadness in the tone of the song and in his voice.
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The two I can think of are:
- It's Not Unusual
- Escape (The Piña Colada Song)
Charlie's Inferno is about an innocent man being tortured in Hell. It's a 50's style tune reminiscent of Mr Sandman.
