Post a sad song that sounds happy.

[crispini]

This is probably one of my favorite kinds of song. You know, when you just listen to the music, it's all upbeat and sort of joyful and fun, but when you listen to the words, it's really bitter or a downer or something like that. I dunno why I like them -- maybe it's the "life sucks" attitude of the words combined with the happy music. One of my favorites is "Jack Hall," a traditional folk song recorded by Steeleye Span. It's a jaunty little ditty about a robber who's hanged.

Oh, my name it is Jack Hall, Jack Hall.
Oh, my name it is Jack Hall, Jack Hall.
My name it is Jack Hall
And I've robbed both great and small.
And my neck shall pay for all, when I die, when I die.
And my neck shall pay for all, when I die.

I also really like the Old 97's "Wish the Worst," the typical "you dumped me so fuck you" but again, a really fun, sing-able tune.

I hope you crash your momma's car.
I hope you pass out in some bar.
I hope you catch some kinda flu.
Let's say I wish the worst for you.

So ... what's your favorite sad song that sounds happy?

[chelsea0011]

1. "Down by the River" Neil Young

"she could take me over the rainbow"

[Cocoa]

2. "Excitable boy" by Warren Zevon

I must have heard this ten times before I actually listened to the lyrics.

Well, he went down to dinner in his Sunday best
Excitable boy, they all said
And he rubbed the pot roast all over his chest
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy

He took in the four a.m. show at the Clark
Excitable boy, they all said
And he bit the usherette's leg in the dark
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy

He took little Susie to the Junior Prom
Excitable boy, they all said
and he raped her and killed her, then he took her home
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy
After ten long years they let him out of the Home
Excitable boy, they all said
And he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy

[mr_hat]

3. "Tears of a Clown."

[mac56]

4. "Don't Talk" by 10,000 Maniacs

Don't talk, I will listen.
Don't talk, you keep your distance.
For I'd rather hear some truth tonight than entertain your lies.
So take your poison silently.
Let me be.
Let me close my eyes.

Don't talk, I'll believe it
Don't talk, listen to me instead
I know that if you think of it, both long enough and hard
The drink that you drown your troubles in is the trouble you're in now.

We will talk, talk, talk about it.
You talk as if you care.
But when your talk is over, tilt that bottle in the air
Tossing back more than your share.

Don't talk, I can guess it.
Don't talk, well, now you're restless
And you need somewhere to put the blame for how you feel inside.
You'll look for a close and easy mark and you'll see me as fair game.

You talk, talk, talk about it,
You talk as if you care.
I'm marking every word and I can tell this time for sure,
Your talk is the finest I have heard.

So don't talk, I was sleeping.
Don't talk, let me go on dreaming.
How your eyes they glow so fiercely,
I can tell that you're inspired
By the name that you just chose for me.
Now what was it?
Oh, never mind it.

We will talk, talk, talk about this
When your head is clear.
I'll discuss this in the morning,
But until then
You may talk
But I won't hear.

[Richardo]

7. 'What's the Matter Here?': another light tune with very sad lyrics

Love Natalie Merchant. :loveya:

That young boy without a name
Anywhere I'd know his face
In this city the kid's my favorite
I've seen him, I've seen a
I see him every day
Seen him run outside
Looking for a place to hide
From his father
The kid half naked
And said to myself
"O, what's the matter here?"

I'm tired of the excuses
Everbody uses
He's their kid
I stay out of it
But who gave you the right
To do this?

We live on Morgan Street
Just ten feet between
And his mother
I never see her
But her screams and cussing
I hear them every day
Threats like
"If you don't mind
I will beat on your behind"
"Slap you, slap you silly"
Made me say
"O, what's the matter here?"

I'm tired of the excuses
Everybody uses
He's your kid
Do as you see fit
But get this through
That I don't approve
Of what you did
To you own flesh and blood

I'm tired of the excuses
Everybody uses
He's your kid
Do as you see fit
But get this through
That I don't approve
Of what you did
To you own flesh and blood

"If you don't sit
In your chair straight
I'll take this belt
From around my waist
And don't you think
That I won't use it!"
Answer me and take your time
What could be the awful crime
He could do at so young an age?
If I'm the only witness
To your madness
Offer me some words to balance
Out what I see and what I hear
All these cold and rude
Things that you do
I suppose you do
Because he belongs to you
And instead of love
And the feel of warmth
You've given him these cuts
And sores that don't heal
With time or age
I want to say
"What's the Matter here?"
But I don't dare say
"What's the Matter here?"
But I don't dare say

[mac56]

8. Me too.

We sure agree on a lot of things, Richardo.

When Natalie sings, she sounds like every woman I ever had a crush on.

[Richardo]

5. 'Luka' by Suzanne Vega

My name is Luka
I live on the second floor
I live upstairs from you
Yes, I think you've seen me before
If you hear something late at night
Some kind of trouble
Some kind of fight
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was
Just don't ask me what it was

I think it's 'cause I'm clumsy
I try not to talk too loud
Maybe it's because I'm crazy
I try not to act too proud
They only hit until you cry
And after that you don't ask why
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore
You just don't argue anymore

Yes I think I'm okay
I walked into the door again
Well, if you ask that's what I'll say
And it's not your business anyway
I guess I'd like to be alone
With nothing broken, nothing thrown
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am
Just don't ask me how I am

[Modem Butterfly]

6. Girlfriend in a Coma by The Smiths

Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's really serious

There were times when I could
Have "murdered" her
(But you know, I would hate
Anything to happen to her)


NO, I DON'T WANT TO SEE HER


Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do ...


Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know - it's serious
My, my, my, my, my, my baby, goodbye


There were times when I could
Have "strangled" her
(But you know, I would hate
Anything to happen to her)
WOULD YOU PLEASE
LET ME SEE HER !


Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do you really think
She'll pull through ?
Do ...
Let me whisper my last goodbyes


I know - IT'S SERIOUS

[crispini]

9. That's a good one.

Yep, lyrics are REALLY a downer on that one!

[ashmanonar]

10. anything by the googoo dolls.

broadway

Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die

The cowboy kills the rock star
And Friday night's gone too far
The dim light hides the years
On all the faded girls

Forgotten but not gone
You drink it off your mind
You talk about the world
Like it's someplace that you've been

You see you'd love to run home, but you know you ain't got one
Cause you're livin' in a world that you're best forgotten, around here

Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die

You choke down all your anger
Forget your only son
You pray to statues when you sober up for fun

You're anger don't impress me
The world slapped in your face
It always rains like hell on the loser's day parade

You see you'd love to run home, but you know ain't got one
Cause you're livin' in a world that you're best forgotten
When you're thinkin' you're a joke and nobody's gonna listen
To the one small point I know they've been missing around here

Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die

You see you'd love to run home, but you know ain't got one
Cause you're livin' in a world that you're best forgotten
And if you're thinkin' you're a joke do you think that they'll listen
To the one small point I know they've been missing around here
Round here

Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die

slide

Could you whisper in my ear
The things you wanna feel
I'd give ya anythin'
To feel it comin'

Do you wake up on your own?
And wonder where you are
You live with all your faults

I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all
So why don't you slide
Yeah I'm gonna let it slide

Don't you love the life you killed
The priest is on the phone
Your father hit the wall
Your ma disowned you

Don't supposed I'll ever know
What it means to be a man
Somethin' I can't change
I'll live around it

I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all
So why don't you slide
Mmm mmm slide

And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
Oh May
Put your arms around me
What you feel is what you are
And what you are is beautiful
Oh May
Do you wanna get married, or run away?

And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
Oh May
Put your arms around me
What you feel is what you are
And what you are is beautiful
Oh May
Do you wanna get married, or run away?

I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all

(yeah slide)
And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete (yeah slide)
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall
(yeah slide)
And I'll do anythin' you ever dreamed to be complete (yeah slide)
Little pieces of the nothin' that fall

(Oh Oh Oh slide)
Yeah, slide between the sheet of all the beds you never knew
(Yeah slide)
Why don't you slide into my room
Just slide into my room
Oh, we'll run away, run away, run away...

most of their stuff is more obviously sad, but these are a few of the surprises.

flogging molly is also an excellent example band. (irish punk band=happy-sounding but sad songs)

[ixion]

11. happy birthday, by Concrete Blonde

Outside in the hall there’s a catfight
It’s well after midnight
I guess I’ll be allright
I’m laid out on the floor
Drunk and ppor
How much longer how much more

Rock me to sleep
Strong & deep.
The screaming cats they give me the creep
But aside from all that I feel no pain
Staring up at the ceiling stains
...neon in the window
...sirens far away
...news on the radio happy birthday happy birthday happy birthday

They’re at it again next door
This whole floor I swear
They’re out to drive me crazy
Not right now I’m high as a cloud I’m soft and gray and lazy
...neon in the window
...sirens far away
...news on the radio happy birthday happy birthday happy birthday

Fly me
Out the window.
Somewhere far away
Singing on the radio

[mcscajun]

12. "Second Hand News" -- Fleetwood Mac

definitely.

[kittenpants]

13. "Santa Monica" by Everclear

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

14. "Flying" by Living Colour - best 9/11 song ever.

I jumped out the window
to get to the parking lot
I'm writing this little song
on my way down
never in my life
have i felt a heat so hot
i had to get out

Such a lovely day
to go flying
the sky is so clear
the sun is shining
fate has given me wings
such a terrible funny thing

I was gathering up my nerve
to ask out Carmen
she glanced out the window
oh my god
the room it went away
now we're holding hands
just not the way i planned

Such a lovely day
to go flying
the sky is so clear
the sun is shining
fate has given me wings
such a terrible funny thing

[Arugula Latte]

15. "Born in the USA" by Springsteen

Remember when that Dumbshit Ronnie Reagan and his boys wanted to use it for their campaign? The idiots thought it was a feel-good song about apple pie and Chevys, probably. Springsteen hit the roof:



Born down in a dead man’s town
The first kick I took was when I hit the ground
You end up like a dog that’s been beat too much
Till you spend half your life just covering up

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
I was born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.

Got in a little hometown jam
So they put a rifle in my hand
Sent me off to a foreign land
To go and kill the yellow man

Born in the u.s..a....

Come back home to the refinery
Hiring man said son if it was up to me
Went down to see my v.a. man
He said son, don’t you understand

I had a brother at khe sahn
Fighting off the viet cong
They’re still there, he’s all gone

He had a woman he loved in saigon
I got a picture of him in her arms now

Down in the shadow of the penitentiary
Out by the gas fires of the refinery
I’m ten years burning down the road
Nowhere to run ain’t got nowhere to go

Born in the u.s.a., I was born in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., I’m a long gone daddy in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., born in the u.s.a.
Born in the u.s.a., I’m a cool rocking daddy in the u.s.a.

[Theres-a]

16. 99 red baloons

:cry:

[crispini]

18. That's a good one.

Does anyone know if the German song is the same as the English one? I always wondered that.

[Theres-a]

19. I believe so

[Kellanved]

26. No.

The band and the melody are the same; the Lyrics are similar, but by no means identical.

Hast du etwas Zeit für mich
Dann singe ich ein Lied für dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Denkst du vielleicht g'rad an mich
Singe ich ein Lied für dich
Von 99 Luftballons
Und das sowas von sowas kommt

99 Luftballons
Auf ihrem Weg zum Horizont
Hielt man für Ufos aus dem All
Darum schickte ein General
'Ne Fliegerstaffel hinterher
Alarm zu geben wenn's so wär
Dabei war'n dort am Horizont
Nur 99 Luftballons

99 Düsenflieger
Jeder war ein grosser Krieger
Hielten sich für Captain Kirk
Das gab ein grosses Feuerwerk
Die Nachbarn haben nichts gerafft
Und fühlten sich gleich angemacht
Dabei schoss man am Horizont
Auf 99 Luftballons

99 Kriegsminister
Streichholz und Benzinkanister
Hielten sich für schlaue Leute
Witterten schon fette Beute
Riefen: Krieg und wollten Macht
Man wer hätte das gedacht
Das es einmal so weit kommt
Wegen 99 Luftballons

Wegen 99 Luftballons

99 Luftballons

99 Jahre Krieg
Liessen keinen Platz für Sieger
Kriegsminister gibt's nicht mehr
Und auch keine Düsenflieger
Heute zieh ich meine Runden
Seh' die Welt in Trümmern liegen
Hab' 'nen Luftballon gefunden
Denk' an dich und lass' ihn fliegen

My quick and dirty translation:

Do you have some time for me?
Then I'll sing a song for you.
About 99 balloons
On their way to the horizon.
Are you thinking about me, possibly?
I'll sing a song for you.
About 99 balloons
And that anything can cause anything

99 balloons
On their way to the horizon
Were taken for UFOs from outer space
Hence a general sent a squadron
To call alarm, just in case
But at the horizon were
Just 99 balloons

99 jet pilots
Each of them a great warrior
Believed to be Captain Kirk
It was a big firework display
The neighbors were slow in the uptake
And felt threatened
But at the horizon were
99 balloons getting shot at

99 secretaries of war
matches and gasoline
Believed to be smart
Were smelling loot
Cried for war and wanted power
Who would have thought?
To get this far
Just because of 99 balloons

Just because of 99 balloons

99 years of war

99 years of war
left no space for winners
Secretaries of war are no more
Neither are jet planes
I'm walking around
Seeing the world lying in ashes
Found a balloon
Thinking of you and letting it fly.

Which is not quite identical to the English Lyrics;

You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
'till one by one they were gone
Back at base, sparks in the software
Flash the message "something's out there"
Floating in the summer sky
Ninety nine red balloons go by

Ninety nine red balloons
Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells, it's red alert
There's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
And focusing it on the sky
The ninety nine red balloons go by

Ninety nine decisions treat
Ninety nine ministers meet
To worry, worry, super scurry
Call the troops out in a hurry
This is what we've waited for
This is it boys, this is war
The President is on the line
As Ninety nine red balloons go by

Ninety nine knights of the air
Ride super high-tech jet fighters
Everyone's a super hero
Everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify
To clarify and classify
Scramble in the summer sky
Ninety nine red balloons go by

As ninety nine red balloons go by

Ninety nine dreams I have had
In every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing pretty
In this dust that was a city
If i could find a souvenir
Just to prove the world was here
And here is a red balloon
I think of you and let it go

:hi:

[RedCloud]

17. From the halls of Montezuma...

You know you're in trouble plenty when those lyrics roll.

To all the semper fi let me tell you it's MoCtezuma, not MoNtezuma, an old Spanish mistake.

[Theres-a]

20. Veronica-Elvis Costello

[BurtWorm]

21. "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

I can't stand the song, but it was self-consciously written to sound happy but be "sad." :eyes:

[crispini]

22. I hate that song.

It's just over the nausea-inducing line for me....

[Danmel]

23. Not sad exactly but kinda sick

Beatles - Maxwell's Silver Hammer Lyrics


Joan was quizzical, studied metaphysical
Science in the home
Late nights all alone with a test-tube
Ohh-oh-oh-oh...
Maxwell Edison majoring in medicine
Calls her on the phone
"Can I take you out to the pictures
Joa-oa-oa-oan?"
But as she's getting ready to go
A knock comes on the door...

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head
Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead

Back in school again Maxwell plays the fool again
Teacher gets annoyed
Wishing to avoid an unpleasant sce-e-e-ene
She tells Max to stay when the class has gone away
So he waits behind
Writing 50 times "I must not be so-o-o-oo..."
But when she turns her back on the boy
He creeps up from behind

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon her head
Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that she was dead

P.C. Thirty-One said "we caught a dirty one"
Maxwell stands alone
Painting testimonial pictures ohh-oh-oh-oh
Rose and Valerie screaming from the gallery
Say he must go free (Maxwell must go free)
The judge does not agree and he tells them so-o-o-oo
But as the words are leaving his lips
A noise comes from behind

Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Came down upon his head
Bang, Bang, Maxwell's silver hammer
Made sure that he was dead

Silver Hammer, yeah

[crispini]

25. Oh, yeah, that's a great one.

Very bouncy! A happy upbeat bouncy song about a murder! :thumbsup:

[cedahlia]

24. Seasons in the Sun

:-(

"Goodbye to you my trusted friend
We've known each other since we were nine or ten
Together we climbed hills and trees
Learned of love and A B C's
Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.

Goodbye my friend it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
Pretty girls are everywhere
Think of me and I'll be there

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons
Out of time......

Goodbye Papa please pray for me
I was the black sheep of the family
You tried to teach me right from wrong
Too much wine and too much song
Wonder how I got along.

Goodbye Papa its hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
Little children everywhere
When you see them I'll be there.

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song like the seasons
Have all gone.

Goodbye Michelle my little one
You gave me love and helped me find the sun
And every time that I was down
You would always come around
And get my feet back on the ground.

Goodbye Michelle it's hard to die
When all the birds are singing in the sky
Now that the spring is in the air
With the flowers everywhere
I wish that we could both be there

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach
Were just starfish on the beach

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song like the seasons
Have all gone

All our lives we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons
Out of time......

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun"

[Squeech]

27. XTC: The Disappointed

The disappointed
All shuffle round in circles
Their placards look the same
With a picture and a name
Of the ones who broke their hearts
The disappointed
All congregate at my house
Their voices sob with grief
That they want to be chief
Of the tribe with broken hearts
Once, I had no sympathy
For those destroyed and thrown away by love
Seems, your ring upon my finger
Signifies that I've become the spokesman of...
The disappointed
Will bear me on their shoulders
To a secret shadow land
Where a sombre marching band
Plays a tune for broken hearts
And day grows darker now
Everywhere, everywhere
The disappointed
Are coming in their millions
They're spilling from the bus
At a monument to us
Made of bits of broken heart
The disappointed
Are growing every second
They blot the sun to black
At the bottom of the pack
I'm the king of broken hearts

Great catchy tune, which I'd love to play myself, and these bleak dark lyrics. One of many reasons I love XTC...

[crispini]

29. Oooo. They did

"I'm the man who murdered love" too... that's another brilliantly dark but catchy ditty.

[mondo joe]

28. Me & The Farmer - almost anything by the Housemartins or The

Beautiful South.

[derby378]

30. SITTIN' BY THE DOCK OF THE BAY by Otis Redding

I'm surprised none of you guys thought of this one yet...

Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch 'em roll away again, yeah

I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm just sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

I left my home in Georgia
Headed for the 'Frisco bay
'Cause I've had nothing to live for
And look like nothin's gonna come my way

So I'm just gonna sit on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I'm sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time

Look like nothing's gonna change
Everything still remains the same
I can't do what ten people tell me to do
So I guess I'll remain the same, yes

Sittin' here resting my bones
And this loneliness won't leave me alone
It's two thousand miles I roamed
Just to make this dock my home

Now, I'm just gonna sit at the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Oooo-wee, sittin' on the dock of the bay
Wastin' time...