I’m thinking of songs whose lyrics, when read alone, convey one type of mood but when listened to seem to convey another mood entirely. As an example, I nominate the song “Die Die Die” by the Avett Brothers. In addition to the chorus repeating the word “die” 18 times, the lyrics seem to generally speak of the futility of trying to change your life, or trying to guess where we all go when we die. You can read the lyrics here.
The first one that comes to mind after I read your OP is “People Who Died” by the Jim Carroll Band. A fun, upbeat punk rock song about all the singer’s friends who died.
Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People sounds pretty upbeat with a catchy chorus. The lyrics are about a school shooter: “you’d better run, better run, outrun my gun.”
I’ve heard that Pumped Up Kicks song before. I’m wondering if examples of the opposite (sad or serious songs with cheerful and light lyrics) are less common. I can’t think of one off the top of my head.
There are plenty of songs that seem upbeat but are actually downers, but relatively few that are the opposite. The only firm one I can think of is Hold Me Now by the Thompson Twins. I’m sure there are probably others in the New Wave-related genres.
Yeah, I can’t think of a lot of happy lyrics/sad melody songs. But Can’t Get You Out of My Head by Kylie Minogue is definitely one - simple sappy lyrics in a minor key.
That was kind of Steely Dan’s whole thing-- their sound was very smooth jazzy soft rock that made them palatable for radio play despite the typically bleak and cynical lyrics of the songs.
“Our Lips Are Sealed” has some pretty downbeat lyrics. The Go-Go’s version of it is quite upbeat, bordering on a lot of fun. Fun Boy Three also have a version of it that is probably truer to the lyrics. The song was co-written by Jane Wiedlin of the Go-Go’s and Terry Hall of Fun Boy Three. Go-Go’s version here Fun Boy Three version here
The Honeymoon Killers by Magazine is a sweet little song - although the title rather gives the subject matter away. It’s an odd example, because the (brief) lyrics don’t actually mention the subject matter directly either. But taking the title - and the first and last lines:
I’ve always thought there was a serious mismatch between music and lyrics in Elvis Costello’s “The Comedians”. Setting this to peppy music is just wrong:
And I`m up while the dawn is breaking
Even though my heart is aching
I should be drinking a toast to absent friends
Instead of these comedians
