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March 29, 2024, 12:46:53 AM

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Supposedly uplifting songs which actually depress the fuck out of you

Started by Emergency Lalla Ward Ten, September 18, 2004, 06:51:53 PM

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Emergency Lalla Ward Ten

Truly depressing songs are never the work of yer Leonard Cohens and yer Radioheads. The following are (as far as I can tell) supposed to be quite happy songs, but are soaked in an almost unsufferable melancholy:

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Reach Out I'll Be There - The Four Tops
The Wonder of You - Elvis Presley
Daydream Believer - The Monkees
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
The 'Ba ba ba' bit of the Jim'll Fix It theme tune

(The last two are actually very similar.)

Any others to add? Remember the melody/soundscape itself must be vaguely upsetting - so no nominations for songs which are simply crap. *Actually* depressing is what we want.

Most Motown songs automatically qualify, I think.

Emergency Lalla Ward Ten

Actually, God Only Knows has a suicide allusion in the second verse, so maybe that doesn't count.


Ciarán2

Quote from: "Emergency Lalla Ward Ten"Most Motown songs automatically qualify, I think.

Yes, especially "The Happening" by The Supremes - just listen to those lyrics, they could have been written by Morrissey!

A Passing Turk Slipper

Quote from: "Emergency Lalla Ward Ten"
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
Totally agree with you on those two, What a Wonderful World especially is depressing as fuck, used well in Bowling for Columbine I thought (although isn't there some discussion over whether the figures used at the bottom of the screen are true or not?). Anyway. I'm trying to think of more, there must be a couple of Beatles numbers that are like this, With a Little Help from my Friends possibly? Or is that about heroin?

Lumiere

Lots of stuff from Pink Floyd's 'The Division Bell'. Not only depressing because they're so bad compared to older Floyd, but depressing because it all sounds like it could be used in a car advert.

And some of it was.



morgs

I just called to say I love you

(and when it comes to depressing, the Lady in Red never fails)

peet

Green Day - Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)
I think because I'm overly nostalgic.

Ciarán2

Quote from: "Lumiere"Lots of stuff from Pink Floyd's 'The Division Bell'. Not only depressing because they're so bad compared to older Floyd, but depressing because it all sounds like it could be used in a car advert.

And some of it was.

there are bits of that album I really like, like "High Hopes" - a really lovely song....

Rats

"New York City" by the giants, orginally by cub, and the cheers song. Though I'm sure they're both supposed to have those two sides.

Cambrian Times

Quote from: "Goldentony"somewhere over the rainbow

Especially the version in the Lynx advert

another Mr. Lizard

'Rhinestone Cowboy' by Glen Campbell has a nice jaunty tune and is full of ascending strings and other 'uplifting' sound-tricks - but the song itself always strikes me as being an early example of the "I hate myself and I want to die" school. Even the title suggests that the guy in the song sees himself as a fake and hates the idea that he's not being true to himself.

Can I flip the thread topic over and mention a track that seems 'depressing' at face value but is actually one of the most uplifting I've ever heard? 'Lonesome Tonight' by New Order. The gorgeous bass-driven instrumental outro could go on for eternity as far as I'm concerned, always makes me feel great.

Emergency Lalla Ward Ten

John Peel once said What a Wonderful World is his most hated song of all time. Asked why, he thought for a minute and said 'It's just a *lie*.'

Capt.Midnight

The 'babycakes' song by that chubby twat and the token black bloke that's currently doing the rounds on every compilation CD in the UK. Gets me close to tears everytime the chorus kicks in.

Lumiere

You mean babycakes by three of a kind?

I hate that song with a passion - but I can't begin to describe how funny the thinly veiled sexual references in the video are, especially so as it is broadcast 24/7 on child orientated music channels like 'the hits'.

Capt.Midnight

Or CD:UK, with Cat Deeley making rough sex with a horse Kylie Minogue is singing atop of to keep up with competition.
Give it 3 years...

Big Jack McBastard

Quote from: "Brainwrong"imagine - by john lennon

Agreed, by god it drags it's arse.

Quote from: "weekender"Shiny Happy People - REM

Well the B52's but they're pretty much the same people, from the same herd that's for sure.

All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey may not be strictly depressing but makes me want to put pins in my eyes non the less.

non capisco

Quote from: "Big Jack McBastard"[All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey may not be strictly depressing but makes me want to put pins in my eyes non the less.

That's the only one of hers I quite like. Reasonable Spector pastiche, without too much of her usual wobbly vocal mugging.

Talking of the paranoid nutbar himself, I think 'Be My Baby' makes this list. Unless you take it as a yearn for an unrequited love rather than a celebration of the one you're already with, the former being not uplifting at all.

non capisco

Quote from: "Big Jack McBastard"
Quote from: "Brainwrong"
Quote from: "weekender"Shiny Happy People - REM

Well the B52's but they're pretty much the same people, from the same herd that's for sure.

quote]

Nah, it is by REM, featuring Kate can't-remember-her-surname from the B-52's on vocals.

(To Pink Panther theme music) Pedant, pedant, pedant pedant pedant...

Emergency Lalla Ward Ten

Quote from: "non capisco"Reasonable Spector pastiche.

I call it a 'Spector pastiche' too, but only because I'm too embarrassed to admit I like a Mariah Carey record.

Quote from: "Big Jack McBastard"
Quote from: "weekender"Shiny Happy People - REM

Well the B52's but they're pretty much the same people, from the same herd that's for sure.

I love it when people state catagorically as fact wrong things.

QuoteAll I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey may not be strictly depressing but makes me want to put pins in my eyes non the less.

Indeed, although I have to admit I was surprised to see that she was a "co-writer", consider it does sound like a classic christmas song - I might go so far as to say its the last song that will ever be written about Christmas that will be sung 50 years after its creation.

Big Jack McBastard

Fuck my idiot ears, I knew there was a connection between them but I just went in blind with my hamfisted mits and mashed the keys.

sproggy

We built this city - Starship

In fact a quick, off the cuff google reveals it to be the shittest song ever written according to this US magazine

Silver SurferGhost

Any Christmas song you care to name* - special mention for When a Child is Born by MISTER Johnny Mathis.
You'll Never Walk Alone.
Sugar Sugar by The Archies.
Imagine.
Hey Jude (explained elsewhere).
When I'm Sixty-bastarding-well-Four.
Lady Di's Dead by Chris DeBurgh.

Those spring immediately to mind.
*yeah alright, except Fairytale of New York

Quote from: "Lumiere"babycakes by three of a kind
Yeah but it's good that Henry, Ullman and Copperfield are all working together again though, however unfortunate the circumstances.

I'm sure someone must have already done that one but I've been away for a bit, as well as having no shame of course
.