Looking for happy songs about how everything is terrible.
July 7, 2017 2:52 PM Subscribe
Songs that describe bleak reality, yet make you feel, Eff it, might as well try and have a good time on the way down.
Much like Lou Reed's Dirty Boulevard, but any genre, and a variety of genres welcome.
Much like Lou Reed's Dirty Boulevard, but any genre, and a variety of genres welcome.
Prince's 1999 fits the bill for me.
posted by princesspathos at 3:00 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by princesspathos at 3:00 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Country Joe McDonald, Fixin' To Die Rag Whoopie, we're all gonna die!
posted by Right On Red at 3:05 PM on July 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Right On Red at 3:05 PM on July 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Death Cab for Cutie's Grapevine Fires is too mellow to be happy, but it's an "eff it, might as well have a chill time on the way down" song.
posted by esoterrica at 3:07 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by esoterrica at 3:07 PM on July 7, 2017
They Might Be Giants can help you out here: We Live In a Dump; Till My Head Falls Off; Now Is Strange; When Will You Die.
Sorry, I could prepare a TMBG playlist on the subject. On a lot of subjects, really.
posted by Countess Elena at 3:09 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I could prepare a TMBG playlist on the subject. On a lot of subjects, really.
posted by Countess Elena at 3:09 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Tom Lehrer, We Will All Go Together When We Go.
posted by JimN2TAW at 3:16 PM on July 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by JimN2TAW at 3:16 PM on July 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
No One Is Lost by Stars. "Put your hands up cause everybody dies.."
posted by starlybri at 3:25 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by starlybri at 3:25 PM on July 7, 2017
This pretty recent thread seems very similar.
posted by FencingGal at 3:50 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by FencingGal at 3:50 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Police - When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What's Still Around
posted by fuse theorem at 3:56 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by fuse theorem at 3:56 PM on July 7, 2017
When I came to
I was feeling high
I got a telephone call from a friend of mine
Coming through so loud and clear
Yeah he was picking me up
Man he felt so near
When I hung up, and I looked around
I could hear the rain hit the cold cold ground
But there was sunshine just because
and it didn’t matter what the weather was
Yeah a long way down, means a long way up…
Something unreal
I won’t slave for them
I won’t behave for them
I will be brave
You can laugh about it,
If you just let go
Dr. Dog - Long Way Down
posted by bleep at 3:57 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I was feeling high
I got a telephone call from a friend of mine
Coming through so loud and clear
Yeah he was picking me up
Man he felt so near
When I hung up, and I looked around
I could hear the rain hit the cold cold ground
But there was sunshine just because
and it didn’t matter what the weather was
Yeah a long way down, means a long way up…
Something unreal
I won’t slave for them
I won’t behave for them
I will be brave
You can laugh about it,
If you just let go
Dr. Dog - Long Way Down
posted by bleep at 3:57 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: It's been agreed the whole world stinks so no one's taking showers anymore
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
Modest Mouse - Paper Thin Walls
posted by bleep at 3:59 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Laugh hard, it's a long ways to the bank
Modest Mouse - Paper Thin Walls
posted by bleep at 3:59 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Is That All There Is - Peggy Lee
"So let's break out the booze and have a ball, if that's all there is."
It's based on an 1896 short story called "Disillusionment" by the German writer Thomas Mann.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 4:07 PM on July 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
"So let's break out the booze and have a ball, if that's all there is."
It's based on an 1896 short story called "Disillusionment" by the German writer Thomas Mann.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 4:07 PM on July 7, 2017 [5 favorites]
I know it's not "hep" or "cool" or "something you admit to listening to in public if you care about your reputation" but I sincerely like OneRepublic - All the Right Moves.
posted by wintersweet at 4:08 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by wintersweet at 4:08 PM on July 7, 2017
Shearwater's Quiet Americans
"Shake the memories off, hide the evidence under
Piss on the world below
Like a dog that knows its name
Where are the Americans?"
posted by esoterrica at 4:18 PM on July 7, 2017
"Shake the memories off, hide the evidence under
Piss on the world below
Like a dog that knows its name
Where are the Americans?"
posted by esoterrica at 4:18 PM on July 7, 2017
The Ark - One Of Us Is Gonna Die Young.
There's a lot to be said and to be done today
'Cause one of us is gonna die young
Before they put us in a coffin I've got things to say
Possibly also Disease and Deliver Us From Free Will by the same group.
posted by darchildre at 4:44 PM on July 7, 2017
There's a lot to be said and to be done today
'Cause one of us is gonna die young
Before they put us in a coffin I've got things to say
Possibly also Disease and Deliver Us From Free Will by the same group.
posted by darchildre at 4:44 PM on July 7, 2017
Always Look On the Bright Side of Life, from Life of Brian.
Naked as We Came, Iron & Wine.
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:54 PM on July 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Naked as We Came, Iron & Wine.
posted by Iris Gambol at 4:54 PM on July 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
The Vandals - Let the Bad Times Roll
The Queers - Fuck The World
(edited to fix first url)
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:04 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
The Queers - Fuck The World
(edited to fix first url)
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:04 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Quasi - The Poisoned Well. The whole 'Featuring "Birds"' LP, really.
posted by Vek at 5:27 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Vek at 5:27 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: The Mountain Goats - Spent Gladiator 2 "Just stay alive. Maybe spit some blood at the camera"
The Mountain Goats - Foreign Object
"One of these days my legs will both snap like twigs/If you can't beat em make em bleed like pigs"
The Mountain Goats - This Year "The scene ends badly, as you might imagine, in a cavalcade of anger and fear/There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year/I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me"
The Mountain Goats - The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton
"When you punish a person for dreaming his dreams, don't expect him to thank or forgive you/The best ever death metal band out of Denton will in time both outpace and outlive you/HAIL SATAN, HAIL SATAN TONIGHT".
Basically about 30% of the entire recorded output of The Mountain Goats.
posted by howfar at 5:43 PM on July 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
The Mountain Goats - Foreign Object
"One of these days my legs will both snap like twigs/If you can't beat em make em bleed like pigs"
The Mountain Goats - This Year "The scene ends badly, as you might imagine, in a cavalcade of anger and fear/There will be feasting and dancing in Jerusalem next year/I am gonna make it through this year if it kills me"
The Mountain Goats - The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton
"When you punish a person for dreaming his dreams, don't expect him to thank or forgive you/The best ever death metal band out of Denton will in time both outpace and outlive you/HAIL SATAN, HAIL SATAN TONIGHT".
Basically about 30% of the entire recorded output of The Mountain Goats.
posted by howfar at 5:43 PM on July 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Jonathan Coulton - Chiron Beta Prime, I Feel Fantastic
posted by Room 641-A at 5:44 PM on July 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Room 641-A at 5:44 PM on July 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
One more Mountain Goats song! No Children. It's an upbeat song about a relationship both parties know is toxic and doomed, with the rousing chorus "I hope you die! / I hope we both die!"
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:49 PM on July 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by rhiannonstone at 6:49 PM on July 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Craig Cardiff "When People Go". It has a fun, light sound but is about what happens when people die (if memory serves, to explain a death to his young child). One of my favourite songs!
posted by bighappyhairydog at 7:11 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by bighappyhairydog at 7:11 PM on July 7, 2017
The "maypole" part of XTC's The Wheel and the Maypole is a very joyous bounce about how everything decays. (The "wheel" part is a different song Andy Partridge didn't know how to end). Andy Partridge is probably a good source for more cheery songs about how terrible everything is. Maybe start (and end?) with Scarecrow People?
posted by fedward at 7:12 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by fedward at 7:12 PM on July 7, 2017
There Are Bad Times Just Around the Corner, Noel Coward
posted by holborne at 7:30 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by holborne at 7:30 PM on July 7, 2017
Creedance - Bad Moon Rising, maybe; and especially
God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols:
God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols:
No Futureposted by Rash at 7:41 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
No Future
No Future
For You
No Future
No Future
No Future
For Me
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now.
Also can you send me a mix CD when this is done :)
posted by Threeve at 8:57 PM on July 7, 2017
Also can you send me a mix CD when this is done :)
posted by Threeve at 8:57 PM on July 7, 2017
Best answer: Alright by Kendrick Lamar (actual song starts at 2:40)
posted by lunasol at 9:20 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by lunasol at 9:20 PM on July 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Commin' Home by Cheeseburger. (AKA the theme from Superjail.)
posted by Ursula Hitler at 9:41 PM on July 7, 2017
posted by Ursula Hitler at 9:41 PM on July 7, 2017
Everly Brothers Bye Bye Love, a cheerful song about a broker heart.
"Grandma got run over by a reindeer" doesn't sound too upset about Grandma.
posted by SemiSalt at 9:57 AM on July 8, 2017
"Grandma got run over by a reindeer" doesn't sound too upset about Grandma.
posted by SemiSalt at 9:57 AM on July 8, 2017
The absolute winner in this category is David and the Citizens, "Greycoated Morning".
Poppies, happiest music ever (those horns!). Most depressing lyrics ever.
posted by sesquipedalia at 10:36 AM on July 8, 2017
Poppies, happiest music ever (those horns!). Most depressing lyrics ever.
posted by sesquipedalia at 10:36 AM on July 8, 2017
Chumbawamba--Tubthumping. "I get knocked down/But I get up again/You're never gonna keep me down." And repeat.
Might be a little too far on the "defiant" rather than "resigned" side for you though.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:46 AM on July 8, 2017
Might be a little too far on the "defiant" rather than "resigned" side for you though.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 10:46 AM on July 8, 2017
Talking Heads - Road To Nowhere
Guns and Roses - Welcome To The Jungle
posted by Room 641-A at 7:37 AM on July 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Guns and Roses - Welcome To The Jungle
posted by Room 641-A at 7:37 AM on July 9, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: When the EVENT happened last year, cortex posted a ditty called Everything is Fucked
posted by knownassociate at 10:39 AM on July 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by knownassociate at 10:39 AM on July 10, 2017 [2 favorites]
The force is extra strong with The Housemartins, so very peppy, so very going down the tubes:
Happy Hour (music starts at 0:50)
Where the haircuts smile
And the meaning of style
Is a night out with the boss
Where you win or you lose
And its them who choose
And if you don't win then you've lost
We're Not Deep
They said if you try to get on I'd get on
They said there were chances
But now my chance has gone
posted by *s at 2:40 PM on July 19, 2017
Happy Hour (music starts at 0:50)
Where the haircuts smile
And the meaning of style
Is a night out with the boss
Where you win or you lose
And its them who choose
And if you don't win then you've lost
We're Not Deep
They said if you try to get on I'd get on
They said there were chances
But now my chance has gone
posted by *s at 2:40 PM on July 19, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by KateViolet at 2:56 PM on July 7, 2017 [7 favorites]