I think I still have some healing to do.

October 11, 2007 7:52 AM

Last weekend I saw Darjeeling Limited. While the movie was okay, I absolutely loved one of The Kinks songs featured in it, "This Time Tomorrow." Can anyone recommend other songs by other artists that have that same big, happy, melancholy mix?

I am pretty familiar with other Kinks stuff, and frankly I am not that big of a fan. But, this song, and one other featured in the movie, "Strangers," are really great. I am looking for music with a similar big, sad, happy feel to it.

Elliot Smith's album XO had a similar feeling, as did Nas' Lost Tapes. I am open to some indie rock or hip hop, but bonus if the songs suggested are from the same time period as the Kinks songs mentioned. Extra bonus if I can get them from itunes.

I am not really looking for sad songs...I am looking for songs that are happy and sad at the same time. Magnetic fields had a lot, but I can't listen to them anymore :( I guess you could say I am looking for songs that sound the way Wes Anderson's movies feel. Excessive nostalgia welcomed.

kthanxbye!

posted by milarepa to Media & Arts (20 answers total)

Good question - I have a ipod playlist called Wes Anderson movies which contains all the soundtracks from all his movies. I would also like to find more songs to add to it.
posted by jlowen at 7:56 AM on October 11, 2007

Here are some suggested from Pandora based on the selection of "This Time Tomorrow".

Badfinger "Midnight Caller"

Small Faces "Itchycoo Park"

Felt "I Didn't Mean To Hurt You"

Ministry of Sound "Life Is Living"

The Tremoloes "Even The Bad Times Are Good"

George Harrison "The Light That Has Lighted The World"
posted by doomtop at 8:05 AM on October 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

you might possibly like the Pete Townshend solo album, "Who Came First," in particular "Time is Passing."
posted by drjimmy11 at 8:23 AM on October 11, 2007

Both "This Time Tomorrow" and "Strangers" are from the album "Lola Versus Powerman and the Moneyground" - one of the greatest unsung albums of all time, imho. Although these things are tricky to classify, I'd say that much of the album has the same feel to it - singing in the face of anxiety, injustice, or, at worst, annihilation. (There are also a few screeds against the music industry which, even if they don't float your boat, are still pretty musical.) And of course there's the title track, which, while it may be over-played, is still a great song - can't deny it. And the original production is pretty great.

Anyway, you should definitely check out that album.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 8:27 AM on October 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

The following artists have a whole slew of songs that fit your bill, all from the 60s:

The Association - Along Comes Mary
Emitt Rhodes - With My Face on the Floor
The Zombies - Whenever You're Ready
Love - Maybe the People Would Be the Times or in Between Clark and Hilldale (Love's Alone Again Or was featured in Bottle Rocket)
The Left Banke - Let Go of You Girl and I Haven't Got the Nerve

For more recent tunes:

DeVotchKa - We're Leaving
Broadcast - Come on Let's Go and Before We Begin
Sparklehorse - Maria's Little Elbows and Gold Day
Beulah - What Will You Do When Your Suntan Fades?
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland, 1945
Smog - Dress Sexy at my Funeral
Spoon - I Summon You
Woodentops - Last Time
Trash Can Sinatras - Obscurity Knocks
posted by inqb8tr at 8:34 AM on October 11, 2007

Also, There's A Riot Goin' On by Sly and the Family Stone is a really sad but 'upbeat' album IMO.
posted by inqb8tr at 8:42 AM on October 11, 2007 [1 favorite]

A total piggy back (can't fight it) but why isn't the movie playing everywhere? I live near Sacramento and it's not playing anywhere within a 50 mi radius.
posted by special-k at 8:44 AM on October 11, 2007

The Kinks track "Get Back in Line" will likely evoke similar sad/nostalgic/not sad feelings. It's one of my favorites.
posted by Mmothra at 9:15 AM on October 11, 2007

A total piggy back (can't fight it) but why isn't the movie playing everywhere? I live near Sacramento and it's not playing anywhere within a 50 mi radius.

The Wikipedia article on it states that its in a limited commercial release. It is playing here at the Embarcadero Theater in San Francisco.
posted by vacapinta at 10:00 AM on October 11, 2007

The band The National has a bunch of songs along these lines... I saw them recently and they introduced this song as being "about social anxiety."
posted by strikhedonia at 10:54 AM on October 11, 2007

vacapinta: Thank you. I can now sleep at night.
posted by special-k at 11:31 AM on October 11, 2007

It has that sort of poppy, British melancholy. Particularly in the 70s or around then. Oddly, the thing that feels closest to me is this.
posted by lubujackson at 12:44 PM on October 11, 2007

These kinds of songs are my favorites, too, and I'm sure I have a great big list at home if I sit down and go through my playlists.

Try some of the better songs by The Hollies (my favorite is "Sorry Suzanne"). The Left Banke hit "Walk Away Renée" is another good one.

As an aside, Calexico has a fantastic cover of "Alone Again Or" on their EP Convict Pool, which is well worth tracking down.

If I hit upon any more, I'll pop back in and post again. In the meantime, I am going to mark this post as a favorite so that I can farm the melancholy goodness for myself.
posted by dryad at 1:35 PM on October 11, 2007

Mmothra, that song is also on "Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround". I'm telling you - check it out, people!
posted by fingers_of_fire at 2:40 PM on October 11, 2007

Happy Music + Sad Lyrics = Most of The Cure's output.
posted by softlord at 7:10 PM on October 11, 2007

"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult is an excellent example of happy music with kinda depressing lyrics.
posted by h00py at 9:02 PM on October 11, 2007

I got "Lola Vs. Powerman and the Moneyground" after seeing the trailer. A couple of similar sounding tunes:

Home - "Coming Up Empty Again"
Belle & Sebastian - "If She Wants Me"

I made a mix with "This Time Tomorrow" that included:
The National - "Santa Clara"
Smog - "Let Me See The Colts"
Bobby Bare, Jr. - "I'll Be Around"
The Guthries - "Season to Leave"
posted by Frank Grimes at 9:04 PM on October 11, 2007

A sad song with happy music is Oh Well by Fiona Apple.
posted by howiamdifferent at 5:59 AM on October 12, 2007

I am pretty familiar with other Kinks stuff, and frankly I am not that big of a fan.

Are you familiar with their hits, mostly? Because the lesser-known late 60s/early 70s stuff that neustile recommended above is *filled* with exactly the kind of songs you're looking for: "Waterloo Sunset" and "Death of a Clown" from Something Else, "Big Sky" and "Sitting by the Riverside" from Village Green Preservation Society, "Get Back in Line," "Rats" and especially the achingly beautiful "Denmark Street" from Lola vs. Powerman...the gems just go on and on. Seriously, go listen to the 30-second clip of "Denmark Street" at the Lola page.

If you don't know the songs on those albums, you're missing a helluva lot of stuff that fits to a T what you say you like. (Keep a special eye out for songs from the brilliant but hard-to-find The Great Lost Kinks Album, which may show up on comps.)
posted by mediareport at 7:08 AM on October 12, 2007

Oops, I meant "Strangers," not "Denmark Street." The achingly beautiful "Strangers."
posted by mediareport at 7:11 AM on October 12, 2007 [1 favorite]