Unaccountably sad songs

twentysixdollars · Post by **twentysixdollars** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 1:58 am

By which I mean not obviously sad - or, to put it a different way - not apparently sad based on the general tone of the music and/or a cursory glance at the lyrics.

From Fats Domino's "I'm Gonna Be a Wheel Someday":

"I'm gonna be a wheel someday - I'm gonna be somebody/I'm gonna be a wheel one day/then I won't want you" [emphasis mine] Apparently the antecedent scenario is a painful one, a possibility the music doesn't admit at all.

The Beach Boys - "All Summer Long". This is an obvious one. Several Beach Boys songs have this effect - all the way from "Our Car Club" in 1963 to "Vegetables" in 1966 and "Airplane" in 1976. Television's "Venus [de Milo]" seems to belong to the same category.

Tadd Dameron - "Gnid".

Many Clark-penned Byrds tunes.

Most of Marvin's Let's Get It On works on this level as well.

G* · Post by G* » Fri Jun 08, 2007 8:03 am

Purely in terms of the melody, I'd have to say Love Will Tear Us Apart by Joy Division. I heard it when I was about six and thought it was the happiest song I'd ever heard, then revisited it about ten years later and realised that I'd been young and naive...

Post by **runcible** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 10:15 am

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - '4 + 20'. More of a Steven Stills song actually. I always find that pretty bleak. Great song though.

bunnyben · Post by **bunnyben** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 11:37 am

darlin' by richard hawley

you said you wanted to be free/but this lonliness is just killin' me/oh my darlin'

it was all i could do to stop myself blubbering everywhere when i saw him live...

chemirocha · Post by **chemirocha** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 2:46 pm

wheres the deceptively joyous songs at?
who loves the sun ... born to cry ... all of pet soundz ...

i think it's going to rain today or whatever that randy newman song's called is my nomination for this topic.

radioshack · Post by **radioshack** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 6:54 pm

Unaccountably Sad Songs sounds the type of compilation they bring out at Mother's Day or something.

eeee22 · Post by **eeee22** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 7:59 pm

I'm not sure I understand the topic, songs that are sad without overly sad lyrics?

I nominate Neutral Milk Hotel's - two headed boy pt.2
very somber tone and at the end you can hear him put down the guitar and walk out and Mangum has never picked it back up.

Modest Mouse - Shit Luck
starts out very aggressively and he just sounds pissed off until the last line when you find out why his world is collapsing around him, "and my heart is slowly drying up" Turns out it was kind of a love song.

twentysixdollars · Post by **twentysixdollars** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:33 pm

eeee22 wrote:I'm not sure I understand the topic, songs that are sad without overly sad lyrics?

I nominate Neutral Milk Hotel's - two headed boy pt.2
very somber tone and at the end you can hear him put down the guitar and walk out and Mangum has never picked it back up.

"...But don't hate her/if she gets up to leave...(clunk...clop, clop, clop, slam)"

Such histrionics!

Zenchan · Post by **Zenchan** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 11:54 am

For some reason I have always found great sadness in Sloop John B (and no, not just because it's Pet Sound's weak track

).

Post by **runcible** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 1:20 pm

Zenchan wrote:For some reason I have always found great sadness in Sloop John B (and no, not just because it's Pet Sound's weak track ).

This illustrates just how much 'Pet Sounds', an album I have never ever understood, confuses me. 'Slopp John B' was the only song on it I actually rather liked!

ro · Post by ro » Sat Jun 09, 2007 2:12 pm

Sloop John B is maybe my favorite song, Ever, along with Orange Blossom Special.
maybe it's the sadness.

moop · Post by **moop** » Sat Jun 09, 2007 7:07 pm

Zenchan wrote:For some reason I have always found great sadness in Sloop John B (and no, not just because it's Pet Sound's weak track ).

could it be the line 'this is the worst trip i've ever been on' perhaps?

and as far as acusations of sloop john b-eing the weakest/strongest track on the album i prefer to think of it as i do with lazarus on the boo's giant steps - i'm pretty sure i remember reading that neither track was intended to be on the album in question, people just got pushed into putting it on there. so while both tracks are great, they come across at transcendent moments on albums which are generally intended to be cohesive and flowing. sorry if i'm taking liberties with that interpretation, it's just my opinion.

(obviously both are amazing songs/albums though..)

p.s. i can't seem to get enough of that happy/sad thing at the moment - was watching a dvd i've got of love playing glasto in 2003 earlier... pretty moving stuff.

Mustard · Post by **Mustard** » Sun Jun 10, 2007 8:00 pm

Israel Kamakawiwo Ole S (I think that's his name) - Somewhere over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World. Nothing really that sad in the lyrics but the way he sings it is just heart-wrenching.

Pavel Nedved · Post by **Pavel Nedved** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 12:16 am

'Arificial Fowers' by Bobby Darin must win some kind of prize - for those of you who dont know it, it's essentially 'The Poor Little Matchgirl' sung to the tune (and tempo) of Mack the Knife. Heart-shattering and catchy all at the same time.

a beautiful noise · Post by **a beautiful noise** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:58 am

Mustard wrote:Israel Kamakawiwo Ole S (I think that's his name) - Somewhere over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World. Nothing really that sad in the lyrics but the way he sings it is just heart-wrenching.

ahh to true, i was putting that at the end of compilations until some shitty TV commercial used it to sell viagra or something.

me.

noOne · Post by **noOne** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 4:42 am

10 in my opinon...

1. Neutral Milk Hotel_ Holland 1945

2. Sex Pistols_ Schools Are Prisons

3. Psychedelic Furs_ Pretty In Pink

4. Glenn Underground_ Bonus (off the C.V.O._ Party Time ep.. for those of you that don't know much about Chicago House Music who might be interested)

5. Amusement Parks On Fire_ Venus In Cancer

6. Apples In Stereo_ Benifits Of Lying With Your Friend

7. Flaming Lips_ Race For The Prize

8. Warlocks_ Song For Nico

9. Public Image Limited_ Death Disco

10. I.M.S._ Dancing Therapy (old school hi-energy song)

Zenchan · Post by **Zenchan** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 8:56 am

Some intriguing suggestions, noOne. Personally, I've always felt Race For The Prize to be a celebration of life.

Agree with Song For Nico, though. That song has a HUGE void of emptiness running through it.

Mustard · Post by **Mustard** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:08 pm

Mustard wrote:
Israel Kamakawiwo Ole S (I think that's his name) - Somewhere over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World. Nothing really that sad in the lyrics but the way he sings it is just heart-wrenching.

ahh to true, i was putting that at the end of compilations until some shitty TV commercial used it to sell viagra or something.

Yeah, that might've put me off too. Over this side it was used in a phone or a jean commercial. I think I originally heard it on the True Romance soundtrack but it was hearing it on the advert that made me search it out. Didn't make me buy anymore jeans or mobiles though.

twentysixdollars · Post by **twentysixdollars** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:34 pm

noOne wrote: 7. Flaming Lips_ Race For The Prize

I agree! I've always felt this way. In fact that song has always upset me.

noOne · Post by **noOne** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:29 pm

Zenchan wrote:Some intriguing suggestions, noOne. Personally, I've always felt Race For The Prize to be a celebration of life.

Agree with Song For Nico, though. That song has a HUGE void of emptiness running through it.

ya, that's why i put my opinion up top.

it's just the overall feeling i get from the
songs that i listed. but don't get me wrog
they are all favorites of mine they just
strike me as sorta sad.

cheers!

ash · Post by **ash** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:46 am

We need a thread for overtly sad songs, methinks.

The only unaccountably sad song I can think of would be Blueside by Rooney. And that's only because I presume it's about suicide, however I could be completely wrong.

a beautiful noise · Post by **a beautiful noise** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:48 am

Mustard wrote:
Mustard wrote:
Israel Kamakawiwo Ole S (I think that's his name) - Somewhere over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World. Nothing really that sad in the lyrics but the way he sings it is just heart-wrenching.

ahh to true, i was putting that at the end of compilations until some shitty TV commercial used it to sell viagra or something.
Yeah, that might've put me off too. Over this side it was used in a phone or a jean commercial. I think I originally heard it on the True Romance soundtrack but it was hearing it on the advert that made me search it out. Didn't make me buy anymore jeans or mobiles though.

ha! good for you. luckily i've not the need for viagra yet. key word, YET!

runaway · Post by **runaway** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 4:18 am

Most everything by Scott Walker. That's why I love him so much!