Songs that sound upbeat but have darker meanings

Except that there’s no reason to assume she’s disturbed, nor that she was “severely abused”, let alone “as a child”. How in hell did you get such ideas from the song? Absolutely nothing in the lyrics points to that. She also doesn’t become a paid whore, but “married away” and now “plays a one man game”.

Basically, the song is about a girl who had a lot of sex with boys of the neighborhood, but now settled with a single (wealthy) guy, to said local boys disapointment.

I’m not sure where you found your interpretation, but there’s absolutely nothing sinister in this song.

I see a new ipod mix in my future…

Why do you think it’s about lynching? I always thought it was just about the Old West code of “give them a fair trial and hang 'em” justice.

Toby Keith’s inspiration for the song is here.

I hadn’t read this post when I wrote mine, but wow! Just wow!
So, in your mind, being promiscuous means “having been raped as a child”???
You created your own whole story, starting with childhood sexual abuse and ending up with prostitution, when nothing of the sort is mentioned, or even remotely implied. Everything you wrote comes straight from your imagination, and has nothing to do with the lyrics.

Well, whattya know? I’ve heard that song countless times and thought the line was " Jeremy’s spoken, clear as day." “Spoke in class today” makes much more sense.

Starz In Their Eyes by Just Jack, a stupid-ish but catchy tune, an uptempo pop-rock/disco/dance, but the lyrics are both brilliant and downright depressing.

It’s what I thought of. Works for me.

Obscure, but I Killed Mommy by the Dayglo Abortions is a very upbeat song with, um, disturbing lyrics.

(But if you’re familiar with their work, you would know that it was all done out of humor.)

How about these:
“Yesterday, When I Was Young” – Roy Clark
Just about anything by Tammy Wynette
“The Ballad of Thunder Road” – Robert Mitchum (yes, THAT Robert Mitchum)
“Honey” – Bobby Goldsboro
“I Fall to Pieces” – Peter & Gordon
“Tucumcari” – Jimmie Rodgers
“Mr. Bojangles” – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
“Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast” – Wayne Newton

Ue o Muite Arukou (better known as “Sukiyaki” outside of Japan) by Kyu Sakamoto:

The original title translates, “I Look Up When I Walk”, and it’s a song about lost love.