is there a word to identify a song where the music is happy but the lyrics are sad?
What about the opposite a song where the music is sad but the lyrics are happy?
Thanks
Learn English – A word for happy music with sad lyrics
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is there a word to identify a song where the music is happy but the lyrics are sad?
What about the opposite a song where the music is sad but the lyrics are happy?
Thanks
Best Answer
To a large extent, it depends on what you mean by happy and sad.
Both grunge music and punk (e.g. Pearl Jam and the Clash, respectively) have rhythms that are energetic, peppy, and excellent to dance to; however, the content of the lyrics tend to deal with death, love lost, promises broken, and of course (the cover of) "I Fought the Law [and the Law Won]." And what about nursery rhymes like "Humpty Dumpty"?
I'd say gospel and opera have the general ability to portray happy themes with sad melodies, "Amazing Grace," for instance. I would call these types of songs uplifting.
Music is generally categorized by genre. But certain bands take on an energy of their own, capable of performing both types of music you mention without ready categorization, such as the Grateful Dead and Depeche Mode (or when I was in high school, Depressed Mood).
I don't like giving answers with social references, but it is a question about music.