bleak but raucous songs
December 12, 2019 8:11 AM   Subscribe

I'm finding "Fairytale of New York" and "No Children" really cathartic right now. There have to be other songs like that out there: probably major key but in any case upbeat--something you can sort of sway along merrily to in the parking lot as you put off going in to your deadening job in a town you hate (oh, hypothetically!!); bleak as hell in content. Bonus points for angry. Got anything for me?
posted by less of course to Media & Arts (44 answers total) 34 users marked this as a favorite
 
This one is good if you haven't heard it. It's on my "No Children" playlist.
posted by Gyre,Gimble,Wabe, Esq. at 8:33 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Jellyfish, All Is Forgiven
posted by thelonius at 8:39 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


This kind of music is absolutely my bread and butter, so I'm going to give you some of-the-beaten-track suggestions that other folks are a little less likely to hit.

Weddings, Parties, Anything: The Big Don't Argue

The Shondes: The Garden

Buffy Sainte Marie: Starwalker

Too Much Joy: Susquehanna Hat Company

Hog Hoggidy Hog: Sherry Ann No More

Sabaton: 40:1

Iron Maiden: Can I Play With Madness?
(Ok, so maybe that one's not so obscure.)

Doro: I Rule the Ruins

Bonus silly NSFW one:
Circus Contraption: July Like A Dog
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 8:46 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Anthem For The Already Defeated Rock Plaza Central
posted by Capn at 8:49 AM on December 12, 2019


R.E.M. - It's the End of the World as We Know It
posted by Beardman at 8:54 AM on December 12, 2019


Cuddly Toy by Harry Nilsson (and the cover by Davy Jones) is the gold standard of upbeat melody, devastating lyrics for me.
posted by Ideal Impulse at 8:56 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Blondie, Island of Lost Souls
Any fast-paced Pogues tune in fact
posted by runincircles at 8:56 AM on December 12, 2019


This is what Superchunk’s Slack Motherfucker was built for.

Also on my own bleak but upbeat list:
X, The World’s a Mess; It’s in My Kiss
Love, Maybe the People Would Be the Times
David Bowie, Bombers
Ben Folds Five, Julianne & Army
Morrissey, Interesting Drug
Descendents, Suburban Home
Hüsker Dü (so much Hüsker Dü), Newest Industry
posted by miles per flower at 8:57 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Another Mountain Goats song fills this bill, "Woke Up New". It's got a pleasant melody in a catchy tune, but it's full of despair. One could argue that it ends on a slightly optimistic note, but then again, it's hard to tell.
posted by ubiquity at 9:01 AM on December 12, 2019


Innocence by Kirsty MacColl (speaking of Fairytale of New York) is one of my favorite songs of this type lately. I like to think of Donald Trump rotting in a prison cell while I belt it at the top of my lungs.
posted by maddieD at 9:03 AM on December 12, 2019


Not sure if I'm capturing your exact mood but Mr Brightside is the canonical "depressed but happy???!" for me.
posted by nakedmolerats at 9:08 AM on December 12, 2019


Oh, and Quicksand by Bowie!
Knowledge comes with death's release
(chirpily) Aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah, aah-aah

posted by nakedmolerats at 9:09 AM on December 12, 2019


Eliza Carthy and the Wayward Band - Fade and Fall
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 9:29 AM on December 12, 2019


When I was in the same boat, I listened to TMBG's "Museum of Idiots" a lot. Also try "Can't Keep Johnny Down."
posted by Countess Elena at 9:35 AM on December 12, 2019


Billy Bragg's Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards is a different style but has the same kind of energy for me. It's an upbeat song about political disillusionment.
posted by automatronic at 9:42 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Bleak but upbeat? How about Oasis by Amanda Palmer:
a tongue-in-cheek, ironic up-tempo pop song...about a girl who got drunk, was date raped, and had an abortion...fantastically happy, a full-on peppy beach-boys style number complete with ba ba ba back-up vocals
The artist wrote about her ordeal getting it on radio and TV without changing it to a minor key.
posted by daveliepmann at 9:43 AM on December 12, 2019


Response by poster: Thanks for all these. I made a playlist with lots of them.
posted by less of course at 9:56 AM on December 12, 2019


Hey, remember Harvey Danger from the late 90s? This is kinda their whole schtick. And, contrary to popular belief, they actually have more than one album.
posted by 256 at 10:39 AM on December 12, 2019 [2 favorites]


George Dekker's Time Hard is wonderfully upbeat musically and defiantly bleak lyrically:

every day - things are getting worse!
posted by philip-random at 10:52 AM on December 12, 2019


BMFA by Martha Wainwright is big on the angry. And for context, Half-Fist by her father Loudon Wainwright.
posted by ficbot at 11:02 AM on December 12, 2019


Another Mountain Goats suggestion: Cubs in Five
posted by unknowncommand at 11:06 AM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


The past 3 years have basically been Social D's "Ball and Chain" on repeat.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 11:23 AM on December 12, 2019 [2 favorites]


The Other Side of Summer by Elvis Costello (or really, practically any Elvis Costello).
posted by willnot at 11:49 AM on December 12, 2019


Harlem River Blues.
posted by bonobothegreat at 12:12 PM on December 12, 2019


So this is old and cheesy, but in my mind "Billy, Don't Be A Hero" is the archetypal peppy song with bleak-as-fuck lyrics.
posted by zeusianfog at 12:32 PM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Frank Black and the Catholics, Six Sixty-Six
Stevie Wonder, Big Brother
Minutemen, My Heart and the Real World
Bad Brains, Attitude (Hey! I got my PMA!)
Lee Dorsey, Games People Play
Housemartins, Sheep & Get Up Off Our Knees
posted by miles per flower at 12:35 PM on December 12, 2019


Hanoi Rocks, Dead by Christmas
posted by goatdog at 12:43 PM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Look Out Cleveland by The Band (or Charlie Robinson cover changes the phrasing to more traditional pop).
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:03 PM on December 12, 2019


At the end of last year, I listened to “Rumours” on repeat, skipping “You Make Loving Fun” and adding “Silver Spring.” I find breakup music is good for this mood, even when the mood is not about an actual literal breakup. I didn’t want to break up with my spouse, but I wanted to break up with 2018 and so many things in my life/in the world. Looks like it’ll be the same this year.

I also listened to “Tallahassee” on repeat. Lots more great songs for this mood than just “No Children” — which I have a searing memory of singing with my husband and my brother at the end of 2017, late at night in my parents’ darkened living room, when we’d rushed into town because my father-in-law was dying.

…I hope both us have a 2020 that ends more joyfully.
posted by snowmentality at 1:06 PM on December 12, 2019


This kinda playlist has gotten me through many stomach-sunken drives.

Reinventing Kevin Bacon Al Barker and the Dole Queue

Thank God I'm an Athiest Al Barker and the Dole Queue

I hope you're happy now Elvis Costello

Portions for Foxes Rilo kiley


Common People Pulp

Happiness is just a chemical Darren Hanlon

Before too Long Paul Kelly

This is an Australia pub anthem to the point that it's a total cliche. People in daggy pubs will belt it out at the top of their lungs. But the actual lyrics are bleak as, about a Vietnam Vet reflecting on his emptiness:
Khe Sahn Cold Chisel
posted by hotcoroner at 1:27 PM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]




Pete Droge and The Sinners Find A Door: maybe start with Dear Diane but the entire album is an underrated gem and absolutely my go-to for this kind of mood. Its on Spotify
posted by fshgrl at 1:54 PM on December 12, 2019


Modest Mouse really hits the spot for ambivalent feelings about my city/town/job: the first songs that come to mind are Novocain Stain and of course Float On. Maybe there are others I'm not thinking of.
posted by a huckleberry at 2:30 PM on December 12, 2019


You Must be Out of your Mind - Magnetic Fields
posted by k8lin at 3:22 PM on December 12, 2019


Previously, sort of.
posted by BusyBusyBusy at 3:50 PM on December 12, 2019


Nick Lowe does Power Pop with bleak lyrics

Cruel To Be Kind
Well I do my best to understand dear
But you still mystify and I want to know why
I pick myself up off the ground
To have you knock me back down, again and again


Marie Provost
As her nights grew long
And her days grew bleak
It's all downhill
Once you've passed your peak
Mary got ready for that last big sleep
posted by Homer42 at 9:15 PM on December 12, 2019


Richard Thompson's Yankee Go Home.
The Pogues Birmingham Six (part of a medley with Streets of Sorrow.)
posted by mark k at 9:43 PM on December 12, 2019 [1 favorite]


Oh yeah, Richard Thompson's perfect for this. My pick is Can't Wake Up.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 8:57 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


Also, Oysterband: Don't Slit Your Wrists for Me. (And if you like that one, you should also check out Blood Wedding.)
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 9:26 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


Down Together by The Refreshments, Loser by Beck and We Will All Go Together When We Go by Tom Lehrer.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 10:08 AM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


Tom Waits, I Don’t Wanna Grow Up.
posted by fabius at 12:43 PM on December 13, 2019 [1 favorite]


Purple Mountains - That's Just the Way That I Feel
posted by Beardman at 7:38 PM on December 13, 2019


Hold on, did we forget Beyonce? Yikes, I think we did. Here you go:
Hold Up
Daddy Lessons
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 8:50 AM on December 14, 2019


I'm late, but how did these two not already get mentioned?

Dancing On My Own - Robyn
This Year

Spotify playlist (not mine) Sad Bops
posted by lunasol at 3:26 PM on December 18, 2019


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