What are the most upbeat songs with kind of depressing lyrics?

[zlatiah@lemmy.world]

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
:::

[godric@lemmy.world]

Love The Dead South, their vaguely ominous horror take on folk is amazing! Johnny Cash also does a wonderfully depressing version of the song

[amelia@feddit.org]

The Science of Selling Yourself Short by Less Than Jake

[quazatron@lemmy.world]

Nothing but Flowers by Talking Heads is a cheerful song about post-apocalyptic life.

[sanguinepar@lemmy.world]

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.

[radiouser@crazypeople.online]

Hey Ya - Outkast

[jobbies@lemmy.zip]

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.

[dontbelievethis@sh.itjust.works]

Pumped up kicks by foster the people

[huffkin@feddit.uk]

I didn't see wake up boo by the boo radleys in here.

It's about suicide

[lambdarx@sh.itjust.works]

Komm Süsser Tod from The End Of Evangelion.

[archonet@lemy.lol]

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

[jhex@lemmy.world]

No Rain by Blind Melon... literally a song about deep depression with upbeat music

[zweiblum@feddit.org]

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.

[octavio@lemmy.world]

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.

[ph3ra@lemmy.ml]

Flo by Smash Mouth

[remon@ani.social]

Rise Against - Tragedy + Time

[masktchi@feddit.fr]

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 !

[grasshopper_mouse@lemmy.world]

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.

[jomega@lemmy.world]

Charlie's Inferno is about an innocent man being tortured in Hell. It's a 50's style tune reminiscent of Mr Sandman.

[ileftreddit@lemmy.world]

Neutron Dance by the Pointer Sisters