Top 20 Happy Sounding Songs That Are Actually Depressing
Wedding music? Not exactly. For this list, we’re looking at songs that may sound like sunshine, lollipops and rainbows on the surface, but are actually quite dark, sad, or depressing upon closer inspection.
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00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 happy-sounding
00:12songs that are actually depressing.
00:29For this list, we're looking at songs that may sound like sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows
00:34on the surface, but are actually quite dark, sad, or depressing upon closer inspection.
00:40Which of these songs hits you the hardest?
00:42Let us know in the comments.
00:45Number 20.
00:46LDN – Lily Allen
00:55Our first entry is a ska-influenced song featuring a rhythm derived from a Colombian-Caribbean
01:01dance style, so it's not unreasonable to think it'll be light, summery, and only
01:06about the good times, right?
01:12Wrong.
01:16On this track, Allen takes us through the more impoverished areas of London, talking
01:21about how things might seem lovely, but in reality, they're very much the opposite.
01:33The video for the song shows an idealistic version of the city, but contrasts it with
01:37a much grayer, more depressing depiction.
01:46Number 19.
01:48Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men Little Talks from Icelandic rock band Of
01:53Monsters and Men certainly sounds like a good time.
02:01Cheerful and somewhat celebratory-sounding horns blare throughout most of the song, complete
02:06with confident chants of hey and a fun back-and-forth between male and female vocals.
02:15Basically, it's a nice little indie darling with a budget.
02:21While the back-and-forth may sound cute, it's meant to represent a dead husband and his
02:25depressed and lonely widow who may or may not be losing her mind.
02:36They desperately want to be together, and very well may be one day, but for now, they're
02:41apart and painfully aware of it.
02:48Not so fun now, is it?
02:50Number 18.
02:51Basket Case – Green Day Never has a song about anxiety and paranoid
03:00delusion been so much fun.
03:02Basket Case is a punk rock classic, filled with heavy guitar riffs and an instantly recognizable
03:08and catchy hook.
03:15It makes for a really fun punk song, but when you dig a little deeper, it's clear that
03:20vocalist Billy Joe Armstrong is crying for help.
03:29The entire song revolves around his anxiety and paranoia, and the belief that he's losing
03:34control of his own sanity.
03:41Armstrong said that writing this song was the only way he knew how to process his emotions,
03:46as he genuinely believed that he was losing his mind.
03:49Number 17.
03:51Mr. Jones – Counting Crows It's pretty much impossible for Counting
03:55Crows to sound anything less than happy.
04:05This song is a nice little rock tune, complete with light guitar riffs and Adam Duritz's
04:10soft and soaring vocals.
04:15It's a really easy song to sing along to, despite the somewhat morose subject matter.
04:23Duritz was inspired to write the song after looking at some beautiful women and realizing
04:27that he was too shy to approach them.
04:35He went on to write a song about a depressed and lonely man who does not believe in himself
04:40and who wants nothing more than to be acknowledged and loved.
04:43So you know, fun stuff.
04:51Number 16.
04:52Some Nights – Fun At times, this song sounds an awful lot like
04:57Simon and Garfunkel's Cecilia, which is a happy but depressing song in its own right.
05:14This is more power pop than afrobeat, however, and Some Nights' layered harmonies and frontman
05:20Nate Roos' soaring, Freddie Mercury-esque vocals would make you think it's happier
05:25than it actually is.
05:31In truth, it's a song about a young man being far away from his home and his family
05:41and having an existential crisis as a result.
05:51Number 15.
05:52Guns For Hands – 21 Pilots 21 Pilots are no strangers to the happy-sounding
05:58but actually depressing song.
06:07For example, the end of Car Radio makes for a fun dance, but it's actually about Tyler's
06:12crippling anxiety.
06:13However, there's perhaps no bigger contrast in their discography than Guns For Hands.
06:25Fans love it for its rocking synth line, Tyler's fun use of rap, and the snappy vocals.
06:38But the song's origin has a much darker backstory.
06:47According to Tyler Joseph, it was written after the lead singer was approached by fans
06:51so afflicted with severe depression that they considered taking their own lives.
07:00Joseph then penned the song to let his fans know they have control over their circumstances.
07:06Number 14.
07:07Electric Avenue – Eddie Grant This song's upbeat feel made it one of the
07:12most popular songs of 1983 in the United States.
07:22It fuses early 80s new wave with reggae influences in a way that makes you want to dance and
07:27feel good.
07:30However, the lyrics reference the Brixton riots in London that took place a year before
07:36the track came out, in its native UK, and the title refers to a market street in the
07:41Brixton area.
07:49The lyrics also lament poverty more generally, expressing frustration about food shortages
07:54and a low-income existence.
08:03Number 13.
08:04Today – The Smashing Pumpkins Today certainly sounds like a happy song,
08:08doesn't it?
08:15After all, the speaker is describing the happiest day of his life.
08:24It's only when you realize that Billy Corgan wrote the lines in a sarcastic tone that the
08:29song takes on a more sinister meaning.
08:31Corgan wrote this song at a difficult point in his life – he was depressed, hesitant
08:35of his fame, and living in a parking garage.
08:44In case the lyrics, can't wait for tomorrow, I might not have that long, and I wanted more
08:49than life could ever grant me, don't quite spell it out for you, the song is very much
08:53about Corgan's preoccupation with ending his own life rather than savoring it.
09:05Number 12.
09:06Rock the Casbah – The Clash
09:16This slice of dancey new wave is one of the most radio-friendly tracks The Clash ever
09:21made.
09:27Inspired by the ban on Western music in Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution, it's
09:33a myth-like tale of a king banning music, and that ban being flouted by the people.
09:46Under the buoyant rhythm, its lyrics are overtly political, calling out the hypocrisy of Middle
09:50Eastern leaders enjoying the benefits of oil revenue and Western luxuries, while trying
09:55to keep the population poor and ignorant.
10:04Number 11.
10:05Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
10:07There's something inherently fun about the end times, isn't there?
10:19This classic song is full of catchy vocals and a clap-worthy beat, yet it's about an
10:23incoming metaphorical storm.
10:30Many critics and music listeners have put forth various theories regarding the song's
10:35meaning, with some taking it in a literal, apocalyptic sense, others arguing that it's
10:45about anxiety or depression, and others reading it within the tumultuous political climate
10:50of its time.
10:57However you want to read it, it's certainly not a happy song, despite its foot-tapping
11:01sense of fun.
11:02Number 10.
11:03You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon
11:06The lead single from Simon's seminal album Graceland, this song talks about going through
11:11a midlife crisis, all while sung over a joyous, Afrobeat-inspired instrumental.
11:23Despite the happy backing track, the singer-songwriter's lyrics describe a man who seems to even question
11:28his existence at times.
11:36Inspired by an incident at a party, when French composer Pierre Boulez accidentally referred
11:41to Simon as Al, the track still made the top 30 in the United States, and was a much bigger
11:54hit in the rest of the world.
12:02Number 9.
12:03Hey Ya – Outkast
12:05This is the one that everybody knows, so it really shouldn't come as a surprise to you.
12:16That said, it's one of the topic's greatest examples for a reason.
12:20The line, y'all don't wanna hear me, you just wanna dance, perfectly describes Hey
12:24Ya.
12:31It's about a couple who feels they should be in a relationship just because it's the
12:35traditional thing to do, and because they're afraid of being alone.
12:39And it features some heavy themes, including generational divides and questions of emotional
12:43immaturity.
12:44But hey, the music is poppy and bouncy, and Andre's vocals are fast and energetic.
12:55So get up and dance.
13:03Number 8.
13:04Mr. Brightside – The Killers
13:06How can this not be a happy song?
13:15It features a charming and angelic sounding guitar, sharp synths, and beautiful vocals
13:20from Brandon Flowers.
13:28It's even called Mr. Brightside for crying out loud.
13:31Well, if you consider crippling suspicion and paranoia to be fun, then yeah, it's
13:39fun.
13:41The song plays with ambiguity, as it's not clear whether the speaker's girlfriend actually
13:45cheated on him, or if she even kissed another man.
13:49However, the protagonist's thoughts spiral into infidelity, despite a lack of evidence.
14:01At the end of the song, his paranoia has cost him both his happiness and his relationship.
14:06Fun stuff.
14:13Number 7.
14:14Detroit Rock City – Kiss
14:17Compared to what the song is actually about, the chorus can be incredibly misleading on
14:21first listen.
14:26Despite the anthemic nature of the track, it tells the tale of a real-life Kiss fan
14:31that dies while driving to one of the band's concerts.
14:39Frontman Paul Stanley describes how the fan drinks and smokes before getting in his car,
14:44and drives at lightning speed on his way to the show, where he hits a truck and dies.
14:56Released as a single, the song became a fan favorite and inspired the movie of the same
15:01name.
15:08Number 6.
15:09American Pie – Don McLean
15:12American Pie is widely considered to be one of the greatest songs ever, and debate has
15:16raged regarding the content of its lyrics for decades.
15:26While the song directly references various events, including the plane crash that killed
15:31many notable musicians, some people believe that those incidents only serve as metaphors
15:41for deeper, more introspective meanings.
15:51Some believe that it's about expressing grief, others believe that it's about the
15:54loss of innocence, and McLean himself has stated that it's about the destruction of
15:58morality and idealism.
16:07No matter the interpretation, it's very clear that there are a lot of heavy and depressing
16:11themes wrapped in the light-folk sound.
16:14Number 5.
16:15Jump – Van Halen
16:17The synth riff that defines this entire track is so fist-pumpingly happy, yet the chorus
16:22hides a dark secret.
16:31According to Frontman David Lee Roth, the song's lyrics were first inspired by a news
16:36story he saw on TV that showed a man readying to jump off a building.
16:47When Roth penned the song, however, the lyrics were apparently about jumping on an opportunity
16:52rather than off a building.
16:59The peppy synth line was probably what helped this tune become the band's only number
17:04one single to be released during their career.
17:13Number 4.
17:14Bullet – Hollywood Undead
17:16There's few other songs in the history of music in which the lyrics and music contrast
17:20so greatly.
17:28To those not listening to the lyrics, Bullet sounds like a borderline children's song.
17:33It's happy and infectious, features a child in the outro, and is filled with the sounds
17:37of bells.
17:41However, the song actually chronicles the thoughts of a depressed man who is sitting
17:47on a building about to jump to his death.
17:57It's also revealed that he's an alcoholic who has previously made an attempt on his
18:01own life through drug abuse and self-harm.
18:08While flying might sound fun to a child, it takes on a completely different meaning for
18:12an adult struggling with their mental health.
18:15Number 3.
18:16Semi-Charmed Life – Third Eye Blind
18:24In a textbook case of dark lyrics over a happy instrumental track, this song opens with one
18:29of the most joyous sounding guitar riffs you will ever hear.
18:38What frontman Stephen Jenkins sings over it, though, is a detailed account of drug use
18:43and the physical intimacy that ensues afterwards.
18:51As dark and weird as the lyrical content may be, it sure didn't faze listeners, who
19:02helped Semi-Charmed Life reach number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997.
19:14Number 2.
19:1599 Lift Balloons – Naina
19:17Next on our list, we have one of the most successful non-English songs in U.S. history.
19:29And with its typical 80s keyboard riff and upbeat tempo, it's not hard to see why.
19:37However, the lyrics tell a frightening tale of balloons being mistaken for missiles or
19:44UFOs, eventually resulting in all-out nuclear war.
19:53We did not see that one coming.
19:55Since its initial release in German, it's been re-recorded, covered, and parodied many
20:00times, firmly lodging it forever in our collective memory.
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20:26Number 1.
20:27Pumped Up Kicks – Foster the People
20:30It's got a catchy bass line and its falsetto chorus would make anyone think it's a pretty
20:34cheerful tune.
20:43Which is not surprising given that frontman Mark Foster worked as a commercial jingle
20:47writer before finding success with his band.
20:57But Pumped Up Kicks' lyrics are actually quite sinister, describing the thoughts of
21:01a disturbed young man who has fantasies about murder.
21:09The dark, disturbing lyrical content sure didn't phase listeners, and the track spent
21:14eight consecutive weeks at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2011.
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