# Cheerful-sounding songs with surprisingly dark lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 11, 2018, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217 "2018-04-11T15:33:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/21 "2018-04-11T16:57:24Z")
Chandelier by Sia. From Wikipedia: “Lyrically, the song has a melancholic theme, detailing the demoralisation and rationalisation of alcoholism through the typical thought process of a “party girl”.” As far as pop songs go, I love it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/22 "2018-04-11T16:57:28Z")
Joni Mitchell’s _Big Yellow Taxi_ Adam Duritz of Counting Crows sang it, too, but didn’t know enough to rhyme “see 'em” with “museum”, preferring to sing “see them”. Probably things like that made his girl leave him. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/23 "2018-04-11T17:01:11Z")
Foster The People’s song _Pumped Up Kicks_ seems pleasant and relaxing till you realize it’s the homicidal thoughts of a kid who found his dad’s gun. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/24 "2018-04-11T17:01:41Z")
What could be more light hearted and innocent than a children’s song? _**Ring-a-round the rosie, A pocket full of posies, Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down.**_ The fact is, however, that there are eerie similarities between the rhyme’s lyrics and the circumstances surrounding the deadly plague that swept across Europe and killed many millions of people. The theory is that the “ring-a-round the rosie” referred to a red circular rash common in some forms of plague. The posies would have represented the different flowers and herbs people carried to ward off disease. The "ashes” and falling down was supposed to mimic sneezing and eventually dying from the disease. This theory is not universally accepted, however. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/25 "2018-04-11T17:03:02Z")
Maxwell Edison, the beatles. ETA the name of the song is ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/26 "2018-04-11T17:05:50Z")
> [@Chicken\_Fingers](#): > > The Smiths’ “Girlfriend in a Coma” has the bounciest, cheeriest sound ever. First thing that came to mind. Quite a few of the Smiths are bouncy and happy until you pay attention to the lyrics but I think this one may be the peppiest / darkest of them. Easily half of Oingo Boingo’s catalogue fits the description; one of my favorites is a perky little number sung from the point of view of a paedophile called [Little Girls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jItz-uNjoZA) 😛 I dare you to listen to that and not dance. And **Sefton** , do you maybe actually mean \*\*Third Eye Blind’\*\*s _Jumper_? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/27 "2018-04-11T17:15:47Z")
\*Pulaski \*- **Drive-By Truckers** [Pulaski by Drive-By Truckers - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Wt089IqmQ) Jaunty little ditty about a nice country girl who moves to California and ends up coming home in a box. _Six O’clock News_ - **Kathleen Edwards** [Kathleen Edwards - Six O'Clock News - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVtAblO50Fc) Lovely tune about Suicide By Cop. ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/28 "2018-04-11T17:23:34Z")
Let’s go way back - look at the Supremes smiling and dancing to this [happy tune](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ3DKv6ft_0), then listen to the lyrics. :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/29 "2018-04-11T17:35:10Z")
One of the strongest contenders in the category (in my opinion) - [Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ChPI5pAet8) So peppy, with that tootling little guitar going on! “If I could move, I’d get my gun and put her in the ground…” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/30 "2018-04-11T17:40:13Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Siouxsie & The Banshees _Peek A Boo_. Bouncy, playful music backing images of an abused and soul-crushed sex worker. With Siouxsie, pretty much any upbeat tune is going to have some pretty dark themes. You just reminded me of The Fratelli’s, “[Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTChu1D1mR0)” > [@](#): > > Give us all a go 'til your face turns red > Little Greg said you went home instead > If you stick around, you’ll get an alibi > And we’ll try and keep your pretty face bone dry > Rent a honey, rent a honey, one two three > Chasing all the boys from your door can’t be easy > […] > You could have been the best that I’ve seen > Under the red light > Everybody knows you cried last night ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/31 "2018-04-11T17:50:18Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The Fratellis Uh oh…looks like I have a new hobby. Touches the ear a bit like _Black Parade_, and that’s always a good thing. Thanks for this. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/32 "2018-04-11T17:52:44Z")
A lot of songwriters just seem afraid of writing slow gloomy music to fit their lyrics. Maybe they’ve heard that slow & gloomy doesn’t sell. But if you’re writing about sad stuff, it’s weird to add peppy music - unless it’s intentionally ironic. Maybe they all watched Dr. Phil - “Do you want to be right, or do you want to sell recordings?” 🙂 Or maybe slow songs would show off how bad their band really is. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/33 "2018-04-11T17:58:19Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > A lot of songwriters just seem afraid of writing slow gloomy music to fit their lyrics. > > Maybe they’ve heard that slow & gloomy doesn’t sell. But if you’re writing about sad stuff, it’s weird to add peppy music - unless it’s intentionally ironic. > > Maybe they all watched Dr. Phil - “Do you want to be right, or do you want to sell recordings?” 🙂 > > Or maybe slow songs would show off how bad their band really is. 🙂 I don’t understand your point. “Music Up, Lyrics Down” is an old, time-honored approach to songwriting. Gloomy lyrics sell just fine. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/34 "2018-04-11T17:59:44Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I don’t understand your point. “Music Up, Lyrics Down” is an old, time-honored approach to songwriting. Gloomy lyrics sell just fine. I’m lamenting the lack of “Music Down, Lyrics Down”. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/35 "2018-04-11T18:11:21Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > I’m lamenting the lack of “Music Down, Lyrics Down”. Pop Music tends to not be Music Down. There are love ballads, and Torch songs (I Will Always Love You as interpreted by Whitney, some Adele, etc.), but Pop songs tend to have a little…pop to them 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/36 "2018-04-11T18:23:25Z")
[One Time One Night](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjq4y9EFLMA)–Los Lobos ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/37 "2018-04-11T18:25:25Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Pop Music tends to not be Music Down. There are love ballads, and Torch songs (I Will Always Love You as interpreted by Whitney, some Adele, etc.), but Pop songs tend to have a little…pop to them 😉 Yup. I start to think “Sad Songs That Actually Are Sad” would be the harder more interesting thread, and that the answer to _this_ thread is “well, most of them actually.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/38 "2018-04-11T18:30:50Z")
A happy little song about apathy: [Outside of a Small Circle of Friends](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta_iKeH4tsg)– Phil Ochs ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/39 "2018-04-11T18:55:39Z")
“Beer for My Horses” is about lynching. Clarification: It’s from the lynchers’ point of view. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217/40 "2018-04-11T19:06:54Z")
_Cecilia_ by Simon and Garfunkel. This woman is freaking cheating on you… and you’re happy she’s back? While I’m on Paul Simon… _You Can Call Me Al_. This man has clearly lost someone important (“now that my role model is gone.”) and is trying to fill a gap in his middle-aged life. He’s so alone. And one of my least favorite songs (because of the lyrics)… _Escape_ (aka the Pina Colada song). This man is so freaking unhappy in his relationship that he’s looking through the personals for a new girl… and picks one. He meets up with her, fully intent on cheating or running away from his long-time love. Then he finds out the woman whose personal he responded to is actually his woman. She’s unhappy, too! But instead of dealing with the issues that lead them to seek affairs, they shrug it off as a fun coincidence. There are some deep issues in that relationship, but, hey. Let’s drink pina coladas instead. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cheerful-sounding-songs-with-surprisingly-dark-lyrics/812217.md?page=3)