Just to balance out the Saddest Songs Ever Made thread…
Jimmy Smith’s “Groove Drops”
Robert N. Marely’s “Kinky Reggae”
Skip James’ “I’m So Glad”
Charles Mingus’ “Moanin”
The Orb’s “Perpetual Dawn”
John Hartford’s “Watching the River Go By”
Just a few to kindle the fire…
Oh, and to add another to the Saddest Songs… I’m reminded of another of John Hartford’s songs entitled “I Wish We Had Our Time Again”…
Damn that hits the heart hard…
Piano Sonata Number 20 In G Major Op 49 Number 2 - Van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” (Really!)
The Beatles’ “All you Need is Love”
The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Loney Heart’s Club Band”
The Beatles’ “Back in the USSR”
Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Aerosmith’s “Walk this Way”
Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture”
Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance”
“Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” (Really!)”… Not really, I think.
Beethoven had been desparate for his whole life - just listen to any of his composition except the sonata that I’ve mentioned - for something that he never had:
“Freunde, nicht dieser Töne!
Sondern lasst uns angenehmere
anstimmen, und freudenvollere”
“Tochter aus Elysium”
“Wer ein holdes Weib errungen”
“Brüder über’m Sternenzelt
Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen”
These are why he liked this poem so. Listen to the scream and crazy like finale’s ending, then you realise that, the man has composed the Ninth to fatasise himself.
What’s joyful abou the choral anyway? Most of the things sung could never happen… Sad rather, isn’t it?
“Rock and Roll”
by the Velvet Underground, the third greatest Rock Band ever.
“What a Wonderful World,” as performed by Louis Armstrong.
Recorded 1968 (year i was born!)
What a Wonderful World
George David Weiss and Bob Thiele
I see trees of green… red roses too
I watch 'em bloom… for me and for you
And I think to myself… what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue… clouds of white
Bright blessed days…warm sacred nights
And I think to myself …what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow…so pretty …in the sky
Are there on the faces…of people …going by
I see friends shaking hands…sayin’… how do you do
They’re really sayin’…I love you.
I hear babies cry… I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more…than I’ll never know
And I think to myself …what a wonderful world
(instrumental break)
The colors of a rainbow…so pretty …in the sky
Are there on the faces…of people …going by
I see friends shaking hands…sayin’… how do you do
They’re really sayin’…SPOKEN(I …LOVE…YOU).
I hear babies cry… I watch them grow
SPOKEN(You know their gonna learn
a whole lot more than I’ll never know)
And I think to myself …what a wonderful world
“On Your Feet Or On Your Knees”-Kilmister
I was looking at the t.v. news
People everywhere blowing a fuse
People everywhere under the gun
Little kids dying never had no fun
Human beings ain’t got no brains
Think you’re better but you’re all the same
Think you’re clever but you’re all to blame
Here we are again in the same old frame
Shut up, I’m talkin’to you
It’s on television so it can’t be true
And I can’t play the game no more
Wake up and see it through
Kill the many to save the few
I know what the blind man sees
On your feet or on your knees
Headline terror crime on rise
Half ain’t true and the rest is lies
Same old smile on the same old face
Same old horse with the same old race
I wouldn’t smile if I was you
Don’t relax, 'cos it ain’t so new
Watch your back, light the light outside
Somebody coming that you just can’t bribe
Shut up, I’m talkin’to you
It’s on television so it can’t be true
But I can’t believe their lies no more
Watch out, I’m coming through
Boogey man gonna bite you too
I know what the blind man sees
On your feet or on your knees
I was reading some magazine
It was written for human beings
Can’t believe the stuff I read
Human trash for the human head
You humans don’t be so proud
You humans don’t talk too loud
You humans just ain’t too smart
It’s enough to break my human heart
Listen up, I’m talkin’ to you
Pay attention 'cos I mean you too
And I will tell you something new
Your values ain’t worth a dime
Human rights just human crime
I know what the blind man sees
On your feet or on your knees
“Liar”-Kilmister
Liar- you take your hand from me
I’ll tear it from your wrist
Just take your hand from me
Liar- your mouth is ashes dog, do not presume
To fool me with your tales of god
Liar- Promises of Heaven now,
You cannot truly think you are the seven now
Liar- And I will challenge you,
All my life I swear that I will challenge you
I will be the watcher, and I will never sleep
Many miles before me, and promises to keep
Driving out the demons, and bring them all to trial
I see the face that cannot smile
Liar- You should be burning now, I know you are
The face and it is turning now
Liar- Your words are filth and false
You are the vile partner in the final waltz
Liar- Will be rid of you, a good day in any life
Will be rid of you
Liar- I see your eyeless smile
There is no other thing upon this world so vile
I will be the hero, and I can do no more
I can be the hero, as I have been before
I can take you places that you have never seen
I can make you pleased that you are clean
Killer- Do not presume I’m fooled
You kill the hearts of many but I’ll break your rules
Killer- Don’t show your teeth to me
I’ll put your teeth and feed you with them count on me
Killer- I am thy killer too
I am the frightful thing that always follows you
Liar- I am thy nemesis.
I always knew one day that it would come to this
Why the world is wicked
I know the reason why
Why the world is wicked
I know that it’s allowed
I can never leave it the way it was before
I can never disobey - the law
“No Remorse”-Kilmister
All men know what waits for us
Wooden box, worm and dust
Maybe heaven, pearly gates
Hasty prayer, when it’s too late
Burn in hell, all is lost,
Purgatory, fingers crossed
Which or Who, your or mine?
Eternity’s a long, long time.
Never mind, never fail
Right this time, on the nail
Never mind, Never mind, Never mind, Never mind
No remorse, No remorse, No remorse, No remorse
You know it well, confess it now,
Christian guilt, is what’s allowed,
Other words are heresy
Burn forever 1, 2, 3
What can you do? No guaranties,
Hopeful begging, on your knees,
All in all, you’re going down.
Winged sinner or singed clown
Never mind, never fail
Right this time, on the nail
Never mind, Never mind, Never mind, Never mind
No remorse, No remorse, No remorse, No remorse
Repent ye fool, God will hear,
Christmas carol, midnight clear
Otherwise, pits of fire
Punishment for base desire,
Satan waits, goatee beard,
Long old tail, nasty spear,
If you believe these tales they tell
Then you deserve to burn in Hell.
-Imp
soul man - lee ‘scratch’ perry (he’s a soul man / he’s got music in his soul)
or
the hallelujah chorus (obviously).
i’m trying desparately not to write a big list of bouncy punk songs (everything by the offspring seems to make me smile).
how about:
rem - the end of the world
1999 - prince
don’t stop - the freestylers
college girls are easy - the beastie boys
and
piece of my heart - janis joplin (which i find makes me strangely happy)
“Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin does have a seemingly humorous or light-hearted view of tragedy, reminiscent of Blues music.
I can dig it.
Anyways, I’m just here to point out how here @ ILP, obviously, the sad songs are treated with more reverence. Or so it seems…
What’s the deal?
philosophers are too angsty. perhaps a campaign to find all the jokes in socrates is in order…
famous last words…
socratic joke: “we owe a cock to asclepius, remember to pay the debt”
life is a disease…
-Imp
there are examples in all genres and forms.
Anti-Flag - Got the Numbers
Beastie Boys - Body Movin’
G.F. Handel - The Messiah
Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
Dead Kennedys - Let’s Lynch the Landlord
Cypress Hill - Hits From the Bong
Sex Pistols - Anarchy in the UK
I guess someone already cited the Messiah - but the whole thing is just as musically uplifting, the halleluiah chorus is simply the most famous part.
also, I would dispute the Beatles’ “Back in the USSR” - it has the jaunty melody and lyrical structure of a Beach Boys tune, but the point of it seems to me to be to say there was never as much difference between the United States and the Soviet Union as each side always claimed (consider: “Back in the US - Back in the US - Back in the USSR!”).